Restaurant Review: Get your late-night, pork-free fix at Seniore’s
By Ramsey El-Qare and Alex Emslie
The Guardsman
Seniore’s Pizza, the place to get a pork-free meal on the corner of 19th Avenue and Taraval Street since 1996, packs in droves of hungry customers long after the bars and clubs close down.
“The pepperoni is beef. The salami is beef. The sausage is beef. The Canadian bacon is turkey,” employee Nidal “Ricky” Jaser said.
“It’s not halal. It’s not blessed, but people do appreciate it. It helps that it’s beef.”
The barbecue chicken pizza offers a unique combination of flavors — sweet, tangy and savory — which work well with the crispy, hand-made crust. The pepperoni tastes spicy and nostalgic, complementing Seniore’s signature homemade sauce.
Jaser said most people don’t notice they’re eating beef when they order typically pork items at Seniore’s.
There is more than just pizza at Seniore’s. They have subs, garlic bread served three different ways, jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks, buffalo wings, pasta, salads and desserts.
“Weekends are when it’s really busy,” Jaser said. “That’s the essence of Seniore’s.”
The dining area is a modest size, with granite counter tops that seat a total of seven. On any given day, a customer can relax and enjoy a slice while watching an old movie on the wall-mounted TV. But at night, be prepared for crowds of 50 or more spilling onto the sidewalk outside.
Seniore’s is open, officially, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. on weekdays and to 5 a.m. on weekends. However, these pizza purveyors serve pies as long as there are customers waiting.
“We don’t really have a closing time,” employee Federico Cândido said. “If people still want to eat, we keep taking orders.”
Seniore’s pork-free fare is also easy on the wallet. A two-topping extra large pizza is $17.45. Specials — like the Greek with feta cheese, black olives, fresh tomatoes, pesto and fresh garlic — are $20.95. Subs are $4.99 to $5.75, and so are most appetizers and salads. Ten buffalo wings cost $6.22 and pasta for four is $12.99.
Cândido summed up Seniore’s charm as, “It’s the best pizza in town, served late.”