Escape From New York Pizza, San Francisco

Paul Geffner's upbringing on the Lower East Side of Manhattan ingrained in him a connoisseurship that non-New Yorkers could only dream of: that of the floppy, foldable pizza indigenous to the East Coast. Once he moved to San Francisco and needed to make a living, he embraced his palate and founded a business along with his fellow street artist Rob Friedman and musician Joe Goldmark.

Today, Escape From New York Pizza has evolved from a single outpost to six pizzerias run by partners, whose unique backgrounds have contributed to the brand's quirky personality. Rich Morin is a native of Guam, Suzanne Esser is a Pizza My Heart alumni, and Tim Parker started at Escape passing out flyers before quickly revealing his business acumen.

At each location, patrons pick up slices of specialty pizzas such as the Gourmet with spinach, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichokes, or the You Say Potato, blanketed in pesto sauce and slices of roasted potatoes. There are also four kinds of chicken pizza, including the Big Applewood Chicken with barbecue sauce, bacon, and cheddar cheese.