We tend to fall into a pizza rut, returning to the same saucy pepperoni palaces whenever the urge for a hot slice -- or exhaustion at the prospect of cooking dinner -- strikes.

That's fine, of course.

But breaking out of that rut can be a glorious thing, especially when it's at a pizza place as quirky and delightful as these. Here's the scoop:

Sliver Pizzeria

Address: 2132 Center St., Berkeley

Contact: 510-356-4044, http://sliverpizzeria.com

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays

By the pie: $20 covers a large pizza, a glass of wine and a beer.

The pizza of the day (Fresh Roma Tomato, Red Onion, Mozzarella, Bulgarian Feta Cheese, Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice, Cilantro, and Garlic Olive Oil) awaits a
The pizza of the day (Fresh Roma Tomato, Red Onion, Mozzarella, Bulgarian Feta Cheese, Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice, Cilantro, and Garlic Olive Oil) awaits a diner at Sliver pizzeria in Berkeley, Calif. on Thursday, June 13, 2013. (Kristopher Skinner/Bay Area News Group)

Like half the East Bay, we are die-hard Cheeseboard pizza fans. But sacrilegious as it may be to say this out loud, we're not real happy about eating our slices on Shattuck Avenue's median strip as traffic whizzes by. You know the spot. It's where everyone sits, next to the "do not sit on the median" sign.

So we were thrilled when three Cheeseboard alums -- Guillermo "Willy" Perez, Artemio Maldonado and Dwight Ferron -- opened an eatery of their own a few months ago in the old Sportivo spot, half a block from Berkeley's downtown BART station.

The new Sliver offers a slice of hipster heaven. Some of the proceeds go to philanthropic and anti-slavery causes. There's live music nearly every night. And a bar. And chairs and tables. And, dear God, good pizza.

Like the Cheeseboard, there's a single thin-crust vegetarian pizza on offer each day. Last week the offerings included a broccoli, peppers and gremolata number one day, and a tomato, red onion, feta and lemon pizza another. And the only decision you'll need to make is, do you want a slice of that corn-flecked, zucchini-strewn, feta, cilantro and lime marvel? Or the whole thing?

The correct answer, of course, is the whole delicious thing.

-- J. Burrell


Address: 140 Crescent Drive, Suites A and C, Pleasant Hill

Contact: 925-602-7000, www.zacharys.com

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; until 10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays.

By the pie: $29.25 for a large stuffed

There's pizza. And then there's Zachary's. The employee-owned restaurant has been making stuffed-pizza addicts out of Bay Area foodies since 1983, and its fourth location is guilty as charged.

I actually prefer the new downtown Pleasant Hill location to the others (Berkeley, Oakland, San Ramon) because it is larger, with cheery yellow walls, light wood window blinds, and aisles wide enough to accommodate a stroller.

A spinach and mushroom stuffed pizza with artichoke and black olives on top is photographed at Zachary&#8217;s Chicago Pizza in Pleasant Hill, Calif., on
A spinach and mushroom stuffed pizza with artichoke and black olives on top is photographed at Zachary's Chicago Pizza in Pleasant Hill, Calif., on Tuesday, June 11, 2013. (Dan Honda/Bay Area News Group)

The pizza, however, is the same mouthwatering perfection: cheese-laden, chunky-sauced deep dish flecked with Italian herbs and stuffed with your choice of 20 toppings. They also offer eight specialty pizzas, and the Spinach & Mushroom continues to be my favorite, with its three cheeses and layers of thinly sliced white mushrooms and fresh spinach baked inside.

Meat lovers tend to flip over the Carne: Italian sausage, pepperoni, salami and chopped bacon smothered in mozzarella and that signature zingy tomato sauce. Zachary's even makes low-fat taste decadent. The wheat crust on the Good Health is layered with enough free-range chicken breast, fresh chopped spinach, and reduced-fat mozzarella to make you feel like you're cheating.

Remember, these casserolelike pies are a revelation, so they don't come cheap (small, $20.75; medium, $25.35; large, $29.25) or bake in a flash. The average time for a deep-dish pizza is 30 to 40 minutes. If you're in a hurry, opt for thin crust. It's ready in about 20 minutes and also comes as a lunch special (one slice, side salad and soda for $9). Thin crust is also available gluten-free.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the four fresh salads -- Caesar, Spring, Garden, Spinach -- that come with crunchy, freshly baked breadsticks. Kids love them. The Spring (half, $4.35; full, $7.25; party size, $17.05) with its mixed spring greens, red grape slivers, dried cranberries and Gorgonzola cheese in a sharp shallot vinaigrette is pretty darn good.

But really, folks, who goes to pizza heaven and orders salad?

-- J. Yadegaran

Pizza & Curry

Address: 42136 Blacow Road, Fremont

Contact: 510-687-0000, http://pizzaandcurry.com

Hours: 4 to 9:30 p.m. weekdays (closed Tuesdays); 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. weekends

By the pie: $19.99 for a large

If you're imagining pepperoni vindaloo or a restaurant that's half pizzeria, half masala buffet, think again. This quirky only-in-Fremont hole-in-the-wall eatery puts the curry on top of the pizza crust.

Oh, sure, you can get a normal pizza here -- pepperoni, veggie or even one of those Hawaiian things. But why would you, when this neon-hued Fremont pizzeria tops its pies with aloo gobi, chicken tikka and paneer masala, and lets you go halfsies if you can't decide?

It's a decidedly quirky approach, but in a world of barbecue chicken pizza, a tandoori-grilled chicken version is hardly odd. Here, the chicken is layered with tomatoes, onions, cilantro and mozzarella over a pizza crust slathered in creamy garlic sauce.

The paneer masala pizza ups the Indian factor. Cubes of paneer, a farmer's-style cheese, are golden with spices. They sit atop a spicy red sauce, with mozzarella and cilantro. There are more than a dozen other twists on the Desi theme, including several vegetarian combinations that feature spicy cauliflower, potatoes, peppers or spinach.

Unusual? Definitely -- but also fun. And you can wash the pizza down with a mango lassi.

-- J. Burrell