Crust Funded: How Benny’s Pizza Rose from the Underground Up #SLORestaurantMonth episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 6, 2026 · 25 MIN

Crust Funded: How Benny’s Pizza Rose from the Underground Up #SLORestaurantMonth

from Up + Adam with Adam Montiel · host Adam Montiel

See all SLO Restaurant Month participantsWhat do you get when you mix Detroit-style deep dish, a scholar with an Oxford mind, and a passion for community? You get Ben Arona, owner of Benny’s Pizza Social Club in downtown San Luis Obispo. In this episode, Adam sits down with Ben to talk about how Benny’s evolved from a one-man underground kitchen hustle to one of the most beloved pizza joints on the Central Coast.We dig into the vibe, the dough, and the deep love Ben has for the old-school soul of his space, formerly Pepe Delgado’s. He shares the genius behind his famous frozen lasagna (the ultimate gift hack), why sauce placement matters more than you think, and how he’s celebrating SLO Restaurant Month with a $49.99 dinner-for-two deal. Ben is not just serving pizza, he’s serving history, heart, and heaping portions of gratitude to the community that helped build him.Check out Benny’s, and don’t miss the other restaurants participating in SLO Restaurant Month at the link below.Links from this episode:Benny’s Pizza Social ClubFollow Benny’s on InstagramJoin the Benny’s Pizza Facebook CommunitySee all SLO Restaurant Month participants********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!Life ElementsCity of SLOWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 6, 2026

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Crust Funded: How Benny’s Pizza Rose from the Underground Up #SLORestaurantMonth

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