OUR STORY
A SLICE OF SALIDA HISTORY
Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub was born in 1994 when founders Dave Ward and Andy Vigil purchased a Daylight Donuts out on Highway 50. Inside the building they discovered a treasure trove of pizza equipment — and decided to do donuts by daylight and pizza by moonlight. From there, Moonlight Pizza was born, with a name that perfectly captured its playful spirit and roots.
Over the years, Moonlight has had several homes and several owners, but our mission has always been the same: good food, good people, and a whole lot of fun. We moved from that first Highway 50 location to the corner of F and 1st, and eventually to our current location at F and 3rd.
This site has its own story — it was once the First Presbyterian Church (the same one that now stands across from Safeway, rebuilt after a tragic fire), later became a Sinclair gas station, and today is home to Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub.
Moonlight began brewing beer in-house in 2011, right inside the same building where we had been making pizza since 1994. As our brewing program grew, the brewery moved next door into Salida’s former DMV building, where our seven-barrel system now powers an ever-changing lineup of house-made beers.
Today, Moonlight is owned by Kyle and Brenna Buskist, who first met while working here more than a decade ago and became sole owners in 2023. As Kyle puts it: “I’ve been working in restaurants since I was 14, making pizzas. I’ve always just found it fun to make pizza, man.”
Past and present members of the Moonlight family—including current and former owners and original founders Dave Ward and Andy Vigil—gathered to celebrate Moonlight’s 25th anniversary in 2019.
DID YOU KNOW?
America’s Best Restaurants came to Salida in 2025 to spend a day with our team and capture what makes Moonlight, Moonlight—handcrafted pizza, house-brewed beer and the community that has supported us for more than three decades. Watch our feature for a behind-the-scenes look at our story—and see why the Strawberry Moon stole the show!
At the Heart of the Community
We hold a firm belief that when we support our neighbors, we make Salida stronger for everyone — and that’s what guides everything we do.
Our giving program, Moonlight Gives, is how we put this into action. During the school year, every other Monday is a Moonlight Monday, when 10% of total sales go to a featured nonprofit. Each group also receives a two-week giving period, allowing guests to add donations directly to their checks. In the summer, we extend this tradition with a fundraising series dedicated to supporting youth organizations. Beyond these programs, we proudly give back through sponsorships and in-kind donations to a wide range of community causes.
But it doesn’t stop there. From our Summer Music Series to our family-favorite Kids Night and the Moonlight Kids Club, we love creating spaces where everyone in the community can gather, laugh, and make memories. For us, it’s never just about pizza — it’s about connection.
More Than Just Pizza — Our Menu
Our menu is legendary in its own right, but what really sets it apart is the care we put into every detail. Nearly everything we serve is made in-house — from our beer and sodas to our sauces, salad dressings, breads, and more.
We focus on quality, creativity, and inclusivity. That means offering gluten-free options and vegan cheese, and even crafting our pesto with sunflower seeds instead of nuts so everyone can enjoy it. And of course, there are the favorites — Moonzones (our spin on calzones), sandwiches, salads, and specialty pizzas like the Full Moon, the T-Guns, and our deliciously sweet Strawberry Moon dessert pizza. Even our house-made sodas are uniquely Moonlight — served cold, cellar-style, in a glass without ice or straws.
A MESSAGE FROM MOONLIGHT
For over 30 years, we’ve been lucky enough to share thousands of moments with our patrons — from birthdays and anniversaries to first dates, team celebrations, and everything in between. And we can’t wait to share thousands more.
Whether you’re local or just passing through, we invite you to pull up a chair, grab a slice and a pint, and become part of the Moonlight story.
- Kyle & Brenna Buskist,
Owners, Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub
Owners, Kyle & Brenna Buskist with their children Bodhi, Finley and Lulu