Bites Nearby: Pizza Down to an Art at Novi Restaurant

Although it has the word "pizza" in its name, California Pizza Kitchen at 27866 Novi Road in Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi is anything but your typical pizza place.

There are soups, salads, a variety of appetizers and a full bar at this comfortable location which has a covered outdoor seating area for warm weather dining. And of course there is pizza from a traditional cheese pizza for $10.79 to a wild mushroom pizza for $11.99 to a pear and gorgonzola pizza for $12.49. There are also a number of thin crust pizzas and speaking of crust a honey-wheat whole grain crust is available on any pizza by request.

Appetizers range from a delicious Tuscan hummus for $6.49 to a unique “small tasting” of guacamole infused with beans and corn and served with two varieties of tortilla chips for $4.99. Again, straying from the pizza theme California Pizza Kitchen has several well made soups including my personal favorite Dakota smashed pea and barley soup. A cup is $3.99 and a bowl is $5.99. Focaccia sandwiches are also popular here especially the grilled vegetable which can be ordered with either herb onion or garlic cheese focaccia. It is served with your choice of a cup of soup, classic Caesar salad or Szechuan slaw for $10.99.

There are about a dozen salad choices including the CPK Cobb salad for $13.99 and the Thai crunch salad for $12.99. CPK as it is commonly called by regulars boasts of inventing the barbecue chicken pizza in 1985 with the original offered for $12.99 to the Hawaiian BBQ chicken pizza for $13.49. Save room for dessert! There is everything from red velvet cake for $6.79  to a hot fudge brownie sundae for $5.99. There is also a kids menu available.

California Pizza Kitchen in Novi is open:

• Monday - Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.