New On Hayes Street: Katani Pizza

New On Hayes Street: Katani PizzaPhoto: Camden Avery/Hoodline
Camden Avery
Published on December 01, 2016

It's been a big week for restaurants in NoPa. Earlier this week, we reported on Manitas Cafe, a new Salvadoran restaurant at Hayes and Cole. Now, we're happy to report that Katani Pizza, on the same block, is also open for business.

Formerly Panhandle Pizza (2077 Hayes St.), Katani opened on Tuesday, November 29th, which was also the 65th birthday of owner Katerina Paulova's mother. Paulova, who has worked in restaurants for over 23 years, said that Katani is the first one she's owned independently.

The name, she said, is a combination of her name and that of her wife, Anna.

Paulova said over 230 people came through the shop this Sunday for its soft opening, and that she was cooking for over seven hours to keep supply up.

"I love the neighborhood, it's a very friendly neighborhood," she told us. "People are very understanding and friendly."

The menu for Katani is still shaping up, Paulova said, and she's eager to see what people like. In addition to pizza, she's served up quinoa muffins, crepes and pasta dishes like lasagna.

As for the pies, Paulova said her recipe for thin-crust pizza dough is over 50 years old, and she and the chef spent two months testing the recipe for the marinara sauce. "I want people to like it, I want it to be good," she said.

Katani is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day from 11am-11pm, with a 10 percent discount for students.

Pizza fans in the neighborhood have even more to look forward to in 2017. As we revealed last week, Tony Gemignani will be opening a branch of Slice House on Haight Street. 

Thanks to tipsters Linda E. and Danny P.