All-Purpose Pizza in Leschi dishes up slices and a kitchen just for kids

Pizza places are often perfect for families. But All-Purpose Pizza provides kid-sized entertainment alongside slices.

We went last week. My husband and I sat back and relaxed while our older daughter read from the restaurant's (very loved = no cover) Calvin and Hobbes book. But there's only one such book, so you might want to bring some backup entertainment for older children.

Meanwhile, our toddler whipped up pretend pizza in the play kitchen. Upon entry, servers give kids a piece of uncooked dough. Kids can roll, mash and splat the dough onto mini stainless-steel countertops using a variety of rolling pins.

Magnets, old phones and a cash register also sat out on low shelves. The toys were well-used and sorta schmutzy, but that’s why Science invented hand sanitizer.

The mural in the play pizza-kitchen added dramatic flair; we saw very important pizza orders taken and tossed by kids.

We ordered garlic bread and salad to stave off hunger, but we could’ve waited -- the pizza came in about 15 minutes. Granted, we went at a quiet time (5 p.m.), so we’ll have to see what future visits bring.

We ordered a split pie: half "Afternoon Delight" and half "Fromage a Trois." Explained this way, "because it's delightful to eat pizza in the afternoon, and because the other half has three cheeses. I have no idea why your dad is laughing."

The pizza was great, particularly the Afternoon Delight (apple, gorgonzola, caramelized onion, garlic and olive oil). The Fromage was a simpler affair, despite the name: just the mozzarella, Gorgonzola and Parmesan, plus tomato sauce. The sourdough crust added a tang that I could get used to.

We had enough pizza to take two slices home. The next day, the kids fought over who would get which slice: each wanted both kinds. So we cut them in half. The pizza, not the kids.

Cost: $22 for a split pizza (fed four hungry people, provided leftovers), $3.50 for garlic bread with marinara and $6 for a side of Caesar salad.

Kid-friendly: Highchairs, dough, small play kitchen with rolling pins, fun mural, chalkboard and just enough toys.

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