Pizza with "real Italian flavor" has arrived on State Street at the site of the former Palazzio Italian restaurant. Owner Guido Oppizzi has opened Oppi'z (OH-peas) Bistro and Natural Pizza at 1026 State St. Oppizzi, who grew up in Pavia, Italy, about 20 miles south of Milan, opened the restaurant in mid-July. He says he wants to bring Santa Barbara the kind of restaurant it doesn't have.

"Most of the Italian restaurants in America are Americanized and there is no true Italian flavor," said Oppizzi, who came to Santa Barbara about three years ago. He called it upscale pizza with top quality ingredients, most of which come from Italy.