By Kathy Chouteau
Turns out 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center isn’t the only gold to uncover down on Pierce Street in Richmond.
If you stop by the dispensary on Mondays between 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., you’ll also find Goldpie, a pizza pop-up in the parking lot that’s run by one of the bud tenders.
“He makes amazing pies,” said 7 Stars Co-Founder Zee Handoush, who helped get the pop-up rolling. “If you come in…within five to ten minutes, your pizza is ready on your way out.”
The man behind Goldpie is Scott Hataye, a lifelong East Bay resident who was born in Berkeley, graduated from Pinole Valley High School, and now lives in Hercules.
Goldpie has been operating for about seven months, launching as a one‑day‑a‑week pop‑up on Mondays. The timing, Hataye said, came together organically. As the Emeryville restaurant where he previously worked, Rotten City Pizza, began winding down, an opportunity emerged at 7 Stars.
Hataye spent several years as the dough maker at Rotten City Pizza, while his colleague, Mike Benally, served as the restaurant’s longtime general manager. When Rotten City closed, the duo brought that expertise to Goldpie, combining professional kitchen know‑how with a lean, pop‑up model.
While Goldpie currently operates just one day a week, that schedule is about to expand. Hataye said he plans to add Sundays in about two weeks, turning Goldpie into a two‑day operation. The additional day will allow him to revamp the menu and offer more pizzas, including some that are already available but not yet officially listed.
Goldpie’s pizzas are thin‑crust and cooked at high heat—around 750 degrees—resulting in a crisp bottom, a slight chew inside, and darkened, well‑done edges. Hataye describes the style as a hybrid, pulling from New York, Neapolitan, and tavern‑style traditions rather than fitting neatly into one category.
Among the most popular pies is the “Brooklyn,” which features an olive oil and garlic base, whipped ricotta, caramelized onions, and five cheeses. For customers who want to try Hataye’s red sauce—a more robust, sofrito‑based take—he recommends the “Four Way,” a cheese pizza finished with sauce on top to highlight its depth.
This reporter’s family sampled both thin crust, 12” pizzas and found them very flavorful—authentic but with Goldpie’s own special touch. Naturally, Hataye said they’re best eaten while hot, which definitely rang true.
Much of Goldpie’s preparation happens off‑site at Kitchen@812, a community kitchen and food business incubator in Pinole where Hataye makes dough and cold‑ferments it for three days. Looking ahead, Hataye hopes to eventually open a brick‑and‑mortar location, possibly in Old Pinole, though for now he’s focused on growing Goldpie one day—and soon, two days—at a time.
Find Goldpie popping-up in front of 7 Stars at 3219 Pierce St. in Richmond, across from the Pacific East Mall.
