7 Hills Pizzeria to Join Lineup of Restaurants in Rancho Mission Viejo

By Kaila Mellos

Photo: Courtesy of 7 Hills Pizzeria

A new pizza destination is headed to South Orange County in Rancho Mission Viejo in early September. 7 Hills Pizzeria is a love letter to Roman-style pizza, inspired by the seven hills of Rome. Owner Jim Adams is looking to bring a taste of his home, Chicago, to South Orange County.

“I grew up in Chicago’s legendary pizza scene, working in my cousin’s pizzeria in the suburbs,” Adams said. “That’s where I learned the craft and fell in love with it. After moving to San Juan Capistrano in 1987, I installed a 48-inch brick oven at my home and spent the past 20 years experimenting, hosting pizza nights for over 50 friends at a time. I can make a Neapolitan pizza with my eyes closed, but I’ve also spent years perfecting new dough styles and techniques.”

After years in real estate development, he’s excited to get back to his true passion, making pizza and sharing his craft with customers.

“I retired and realized I wanted to get back to what I love most, making pizza,” Adams said. “Over the years, I’ve met some of the best pizza makers in the industry, and when I decided to open 7 Hills Pizzeria, I knew I wanted to do it right. This is truly a passion project that I wanted to be perfect.”

As part of his journey in making a standout pizzeria in South Orange County, surrounded by many notable others in the scene, they are making sure they have outstanding ingredients and high-quality dough.

They will be focusing on two pizza styles, including a crispier Neo-Neapolitan and a proprietary Roman-inspired laminated dough which makes it ultra-thin, crackly and layered to protect against sogginess.

Their dough is highly fermented for three to five days using 100% organic Italian flour, and they use 100% real mozzarella with no enzymes, alongside toppings chosen for purity and flavor.

“Our dough and our passion,” Adams said. “We serve both a crispier Neo-Neapolitan and a Roman-inspired laminated dough that’s ultra-thin, crackly, and layered to prevent sogginess. All our dough is made with 100% organic Italian flour and fermented for three to five days for incredible flavor and digestibility. We use only the highest quality ingredients, including 100% mozzarella with no enzymes, nitrate-free meats, and toppings chosen for purity and taste. It’s all about love for the craft, and you can taste that in every bite.”

In addition to pizza items, they will also serve a selection of salads, sandwiches and pastas.

Adams, in this journey, has partnered with renowned international pizza consultant Alistair Hannmann to craft what he calls a “project of love.” He has three other partners, including Marty Wells of Bad to the Bone BBQ in San Juan Capistrano.

“I hired Alistair Hannmann, also known as the Pizza Buddha, to help create our menu and refine our recipes,” Adams said. He’s one of the top pizza consultants in the country, recently placing fifth in the world in Italy for his pizzas. I also partnered with friends in the local restaurant community, including Marty Wells of Bad to the Bone BBQ. Pizza is deceptively complex, so I surrounded myself with a team that has the expertise and dedication to make 7 Hills Pizzeria the best it can be.”

Opening on Sept. 4, 7 Hills Pizzeria will begin with this flagship location at Los Patrones Business Park in Rancho Mission Viejo, with plans to build out a large outdoor patio and eventually expand to other places.

“Rancho Mission Viejo has an incredible sense of community, and we wanted to be part of it,” Adams said. “The neighborhood has already shown so much excitement about our opening. We also plan to give back through local partnerships and charitable contributions.

For more information about 7 Hills Pizzeria, located at 28362 Airoso Street in Rancho Mission Viejo, visit 7hillspizzeria.com.

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