We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Green Lake and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I’ve worked in the hospitality industry for many years and continued to either serve or bartend in the evenings after I left the industry full-time to pursue my teaching career so I’ve had my hand in the restaurant business consistently since I was 20 years old. My dream was to open a cafe after I retired from teaching. When my sister, Kate, unexpectedly passed away in 2016, I came to the stark first-hand realization that life is so short and precious – I was inspired to begin following my dream immediately. I left my teaching career and started the process of opening Sisters Pizza, which is named in honor of my sister and the inspiration she provided me to open the restaurant. My sister and I grew up in north Jersey, right outside of New York City, so we had the pleasure and privilege of eating some of the best pizza in the world. We are constantly aiming to emulate that NYC/NJ slice-shop style and flavors at Sisters.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
There is a lot of awesome pizza in San Diego. What sets Sisters Pizza aside from other pizza places is our community involvement and dedication to philanthropy, inclusivity, and fellowship on top of offering great pizza. I’ve always been an active volunteer – I’m a former president of The Junior League of San Diego and current board member at Promises2Kids, two well-respected non-profit organizations in San Diego. Having a physical space and larger social media presence through Sisters Pizza has presented a larger platform for community outreach. Sisters Pizza is dedicated to philanthropic causes that assist San Diego foster youth as well as causes affecting the LGBTQ+ community. We are proud sponsors of Foodies for Foster Youth benefitting foster youth in and aging out of care, The Red Dress Party which raises funds and awareness for HIV services in San Diego, A Sweet Affair which benefits POZabilities, a resource created by and for the HIV+ community providing social and educational support to San Diego, in addition to other local philanthropic efforts throughout the year.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
– Mariam T’s Bingo on Wednesday night at Gossip Grill. Come equipped with a sense of humor and be prepared to laugh along with (or at!) your friends.

– Tacos at the beach are a must. As a former OBecian I have fond memories at South Beach Bar & Grille (the calamari taco is my fave), and Wonderland is also a fave. Both have awesome ocean views and stellar people-watching!

– Happy Hour at Parc Bistro. THEE best happy hour in town. Perfect for a first date or an intimate gossip session with a friend.

– Balboa Park has so much to offer- you can spend a day at the zoo, museum hop, listen to live jazz at Panama 66, take in a performance at The Old Globe, or pack a picnic and enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather! If you don’t feel like preparing a picnic, hit up The Marketplace on Fifth & Maple – best deli in town (get the BLTA if you love bacon)!

– Walk along the Embarcadero to check out the harbor and historic vessels that line it’s shore. There are tons of dining options and spots to pop in for a beer or a cup of coffee all along the way. Malibu Farms is dog-friendly and even offers an adorable dog menu. Afterwards get a glass of wine at the San Pasqual Winery tasting room and daydream about owning one of the mega yachts parked right out front!

– See a show at The Casbah and/or The Rady Shell, two very different but equally iconic music venues.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Huge shoutout to all the womxn in male-dominated industries! It has been really inspiring meeting other womxn restauranteurs, chefs, cooks, and maitresse d’s who have found success in an industry that typically hasn’t recognized and celebrated us in the same way as our male counterparts.

My parents never questioned my decision to leave my stable teaching career to enter the high-risk restaurant industry. They have been 100% in my corner from the moment I verbalized my vision for Sisters Pizza, and continue to be my greatest supporters. In fact, when my dad, Bill, is in town, he can often be found bussing tables or elbow-deep in the dish pit!

My husband Trevor who himself is an entrepreneur, has set aside all of his endeavors in order to help me keep things running successfully at Sisters. Lucky for me Trevor is truly a talented jack-of-all-trades and he has become our lead pizzaiolo, dough master, handyman, mechanic, and my favorite person with whom to dream up ideas for the business over a bottle of wine at the end of a busy night.

Finally, I am always motivated by the memory of my sister, Kate. On days when the restaurant feel like a grind, I always remind myself of Sisters’ reason for being – to honor the memory of my sister through things she loved: good pizza, a nice glass of wine, and great company.

Website: https://sisterspizzasd.com

Instagram: sisterspizzasd

Image Credits
Emily Green Lake

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