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Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Wesley Marks, manager and owner of Bruschetta's, shows off the house specialty, a Bruschetta Pizza with fresh tomatoes, basil, red onions, garlic and olive oil.
Young owner gives life to an old dining concept
By Genevieve Roja
Dressed in a red T-shirt, navy shorts, and black suede tennis shoes, Wesley Marks, manager and owner of Bruschetta's, has that post-collegiate look that bucks the pizzeria owner stereotype.
"People come in and ask me, so how old are you? You look too young to be a pizza-place owner," says Marks, 30.
Marks' new brainchild is a pizzeria restaurant named after the traditional Italian appetizer bruschetta, French bread served with fresh tomato, basil, olive oil, and garlic on top. The restaurant is just a couple of days shy of its two-month birthday.
Open only for dinner, Bruschetta's offers a selection of pizza combinations, salads, and entrees. Everything here is made from scratch; even the basil Marks uses is growing in pots alongside the restaurant's entrance. Originality and freshness are what separates Bruschetta's from the rest.
"It's my attention to detail," says Marks, has been the only cook in the restaurant since its April opening. "I make really good crust and I don't weigh any of the ingredients. A lot of other pizza places weigh the amount of cheese and toppings. You'll get food here that I would want."
His favorite is the restaurant's namesake pizza, a combination of red onions, garlic and olive oil, fresh tomatoes and basil available in small ($9.95), medium ($11.95), and large ($13.95) sizes. For vegetarians, there's the Vegetarian Medley with mushrooms, olives, red onions, bell peppers and fresh tomatoes, starting at $11.95 for a small order. For carnivores, there's Outrageous Indulgence, slathered with Canadian bacon, salami, pepperoni, sausage, onions, olives, tomatoes, artichokes, bell peppers and jalepeños ($13.95). Patrons may also create their own pizzas, with a base price of $6.95 for small orders, and one dollar more for each additional topping.
All entrees, including Chicken Parmigiana ($9.95) and Penne with Pink Vodka Sauce at Bruschetta's are served with a small house salad. Beers are available on tap; wine can be requested by the bottle or the glass. Bruschetta's does not offer a dessert menu, but Marks says plans are in the works for offerings of cheesecake and tiramisu.
Bruschetta's is a sit-down family restaurant, and it seems to work. It's divided into two spaces, with a large dining area and a partitioned patio that houses arcade games Mortal Kombat 3 and Cruisin'. A foosball table is situated between the two, and kids can request a ball from the front table for 15 minutes of play for $1. Kids' portions are available upon request with entrees, as are special orders.
"Give me great service and give me a great product--I live by that," says Marks.
Bruschetta's is at 10625 S. Foothill Blvd., Cupertino. Open Monday through Saturday, 4:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Closed Sundays. Reservations are required for larger parties. Call 725-8353 for information.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
