From Russia with dough: Neapolitan pizza dreams
By Jill Alexander
It seems like everyone is getting into the pizza game these days, and a San Diego-based couple has joined the ranks with their own delicious twist. You’ll find Waves & Slices Pizza at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market on Thursdays where 27-year-old Daria Beliaeva and her husband, 29-year-old Vadim Simakov, serve fresh, 10-inch Neapolitan-style pizzas.
“We started a few months ago making Neapolitan pizzas, and it’s delicious,” Beliaeva said. “We are both in the hotel business, but we’re doing this on the side. My husband was a chef in Russia.”
The couple moved to the San Diego area in 2022 to be closer to family.
“My mother has been here for about five years,” Beliaeva said. “Our goal is to open a pizza and coffee place at some point.”
Married for three years and living in Encinitas, the duo’s story is as flavorful as their pizza. Beliaeva, who hails from near Moscow, holds a degree in tourism and had worked as a barista and manager at a coffee and pizza spot in Russia. Simakov, born in Siberia, brings culinary expertise from his background as a chef.
Their love story began in Sochi, Russia, where they both worked at a ski resort in the hospitality industry near the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
“My husband started making pizzas on the side after buying a pizza oven, and then we decided to sell them at farmers’ markets,” Beliaeva said.
Since November, Waves & Slices Pizza has been a hit at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market, with regulars coming back for their signature pies.
Simakov prepares the pizzas on-site using a secret Italian dough recipe. Each pie bakes in their portable oven in just three minutes.
“The pizzas are thin-crust Neapolitan, so they come out crispy and traditional,” Beliaeva said.
Customers can choose to enjoy their pizza at the market or take it home to reheat later. Prices range from $13 to $16, with about six slices per pie.
In addition to their pizzas, the couple is experimenting with desserts and other menu items as they work toward their ultimate dream.
“Coffee is my passion, pizza is his, and that’s our main goal: to open a place of our own selling pizza and coffee,” Beliaeva said.
When asked why they chose Italian cuisine over Russian fare, Beliaeva laughed.
“We didn’t think there was a big call for Russian food here. In Russia, pizza and coffee places are often combined. Italian food is more popular than Russian food,” she said.
Visit Waves & Slices Pizza at the Scripps Ranch Farmers Market, held each Thursday from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 10045 Carroll Canyon Road.