Founded by chef James “Jimmy” Terwilliger, Pizza Cassette first gained traction as the sole food vendor at The Gärten, where its New York–meets–Italian approach to pizza developed a strong local following. That success now carries into Pacific Beach, where the brand enters a crowded Garnet Avenue landscape filled with both national names and established local operators.
The address itself carries history. Hoboken Pizza operated in the space for more than two decades before closing, making Pizza Cassette the latest concept to try to establish itself at a location with built-in neighborhood familiarity but also high expectations.
Inside, the restaurant has been reconfigured to seat approximately 60 to 80 guests, with a counter-service model that blends casual ordering with table delivery. The format mirrors the brand’s original approach, elevated but approachable, while allowing for higher throughput in a high-traffic beach community.
One of the most notable changes from the Bay Park operation is the switch from a wood-fired oven to a high-end electric Italian oven, a decision largely driven by coastal permitting limitations. While the change allows for greater consistency and volume, it also introduces a subtle shift in how the pizzas are finished, something longtime fans may immediately notice.
The menu remains centered on Pizza Cassette’s “Neapolitan-inspired” dough, made using a blend of Italian flours and a shorter fermentation process designed to balance structure, chew, and crispness. As with the original location, nearly everything is produced in-house, from sausage and meatballs to cured and roasted proteins, reinforcing the concept’s focus on scratch preparation.
Among the standout pies are the Lemon Song, a white pizza layered with house-made sausage, ricotta, lemon, mozzarella, parmesan, and spinach, and the Pork Soda, which combines bacon, onion jam, cherry tomatoes, arugula, and balsamic. The ROSSI, a stripped-down vegan red pie featuring basil, garlic, and oregano without cheese, offers a lighter, more traditional option. Rotating specials have pushed into more experimental territory, including house-made pastrami with pickles, both prepared on-site.
That level of in-house production remains one of Pizza Cassette’s defining characteristics. From curing pork belly for bacon to grinding meat for sausage and meatballs, the operation leans heavily on chef-driven techniques that are still relatively uncommon in high-volume pizza environments.
The expansion into Pacific Beach comes with significant momentum. The Gärten location reportedly generated strong annual sales and consistently moved thousands of pizzas per month, positioning Pizza Cassette as one of the more notable independent pizza operations in San Diego prior to this move.
Terwilliger himself has also maintained a visible presence online, including uncensored participation in Reddit discussions and local food forums where industry insights and behind-the-scenes perspectives occasionally surface. That kind of direct engagement has become increasingly common among chef-operators, contributing to both brand awareness and ongoing conversation around the business.
Now open, Pizza Cassette enters a Garnet Avenue corridor that has quietly become one of the city’s most concentrated pizza destinations, with heavyweights like Prince Street Pizza and Square Pizza Co. With such established competitors nearby and a steady flow of foot traffic, the Pacific Beach location will serve as a clear test of whether the concept’s pop-up success can translate into long-term sustainability in a more traditional restaurant setting.
Pizza Cassette is now open at 1459 Garnet Avenue in San Diego’s Pacific Beach. For more information, visit pizzacassette.com and check out the menu below.
Originally published on April 19, 2026.