Sourdough Pizza: a place for good food and good times

Since October 2000, Ruthie and John Harris have consistently provided guests with great Italian food, at reasonable prices, at their restaurant, Sourdough Pizza and Italian Restaurant.

“Our pasta prices are really competitive,” explained Ruthie. “Where can you get a pasta dinner for eight bucks?”

Through the years, this couple has collected many loyal customers who enjoy their cozy restaurant.

Known for their gourmet award-winning Shrimp Tequila Lime and Chicken Ranch pizzas, Sourdough has other fantastic dishes as well. The Chicken Parmesan, Baked Mostaccioli and Ravioli are popular crowd pleasers. The Crowded House Calzone filled with pepperoni, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives and sausage has patrons coming back for more.

And we can’t forget the lasagna, said Ruthie. “John makes the fresh lasagna himself.”

One new dish this year that is immensely popular is the Meat Ball Bowl, Ruthie said. It consists of three Italian meatballs baked in the customer’s choice of either meat or marinara sauce and topped with cheese.

“This dish has become a really good seller,” said Ruthie.

And for those pizza and spaghetti lovers out there, Ruthie and John certainly don’t disappoint. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are all-you-can-eat-nights.

“We do ‘All You Can Eat Spaghetti’ on Wednesday nights and ‘All You Can Eat Pizza’ on Tuesdays,” said Ruthie. Pizza night is $5.35 per person, while the Wednesday spaghetti feast is $3.99 per person.

“Last Tuesday, we served 175 people. People love the pizza.”

The pizza is fantastic because it is a quality product. Plus, there are 19 toppings to choose from.

This year, a popular sweet treat has been added to the menu: Dessert Pizza. According to Ruthie, “We take our pizza dough, spread butter, cinnamon and sugar on it and then we bake it.”

The meals at Sourdough Pizza can be paired with favorite beverages. Aside from popular sodas and nonalcoholic drinks, it offers beer on tap. The new beer menu includes Widmer Hefe-Weizen, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Sourdough. Their Fallbrook Merlot and Chardonnay wines compliment many of the Italian entrees.

Not only do Ruthie and John believe in offering excellent service at their business, but they also provide wonderful service to their community.

“Fallbrook is our community, and we feel that we want to give back to it as much as we can,” said Ruthie. “We support the community and they support us.”

Ruthie also explained that they don’t do kind deeds for a “pat on the back,” because what they do comes directly from the heart. For example, during the Rice Canyon Fire, the couple could be found baking up pizzas for the Sheriff’s Department and other agencies.

“On Monday, the day of the fire, we had 300 law enforcement officers who came here and we cooked for them,” she said.

John became Fallbrook’s honorary mayor this year and is enjoying helping Fallbrook and going to the various business grand openings, said Ruthie. “He has been keeping himself quite busy.”

While John stays busy at the restaurant and with his mayoral duties, Ruthie works full time at the Chamber of Commerce office and is the newly elected president of the North County Fire Protection District Governing Board.

Their business has given Ruthie and John the opportunity to meet new people, feed them great food and make good friends.

“Once you eat at Sourdough Pizza,” claims Ruthie, “you’ll be back!”

Sourdough Pizza and Italian Restaurant is located at 321 East Alvarado Street. They can be reached by phone at (760) 723-3106.