A Quick Q&A with Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow, co-founders at Flour + Water, San Francisco, California

Concept:

THOMAS: For Flour + Water Pizzeria, we pulled inspiration from the pizzerias we all grew up frequenting. We wanted to play off that nostalgia with fun menu items like mozzarella sticks and Hawaiian pizza, while still putting a heavy emphasis on technique and recipes that showcase our team’s culinary approach and obsession with pizza. While we take our dough seriously, the experience is meant to be like a pizza party every night. It’s one of the best foods to enjoy with a group, so we created a space that’s inviting and relaxed.

Pizza Style & Dough:

RYAN: Our dough is a four-day process that uses a pre-ferment, known as a poolish, to kick start fermentation. We use a combination of two different types of flour from Central Milling and rely on a slow, cold fermentation until a final proof on day four when the dough’s ready to use. Our pizzas are 13-inch rounds that get fired in an electric deck oven set to 600 F. The dough recipe and oven temperature settings allow us to get the characteristics that we love in pizza. We look for variation in the char of the outside crust, while maintaining structure on the base of each pie.

You moved into a new flagship location. How has that enabled your business to grow?

THOMAS: We spent a long time searching for the perfect space for our operation and couldn’t be happier with where we landed in North Beach, a San Francisco neighborhood known for its long lineage of Italian restaurants. Being able to take the time and build out the Pizzeria to our exact specifications has proven to be worth it. We have an entirely separate operation dedicated to to-go orders and delivery so that our dining room isn’t interrupted by that action. Our Dough Room is the heart of the space, and was built to accomodate a larger team while maximizing dough production to fuel our to-go program and the expansion of the Flour + Water Pizza Shop concept. Every night we’re also able to transition the Dough Room into a semi-private dining room for seated and standing pizza parties; it’s also a space where we can host private pizza classes during the week.

Tell us more about the neighborhood pizzeria model you are working to expand?

THOMAS: We’ve mapped out a hub and spoke model for the Pizzeria. Our 4,000 square-foot flagship space in North Beach will soon be the commissary for satellite ‘Pizza Shop’ locations, meaning we can focus on finding smaller spaces where we don’t have to produce the dough on-site, but can still serve new neighborhoods and, ultimately, new cities. The look and feel of the flagship will carry over, but the emphasis will be less on dine-in and more on bringing our pizza to areas where it wasn’t able to be picked up or delivered before.

You also have a commercial pasta line. What has it taken for you to get your pasta in hundreds of grocery stores?

RYAN: The learning curve from operating restaurants to diving into the world of consumer packaged goods is no joke! We’ve been planning this project for years, thinking of ways in which we can extend the reach of our hospitality knowing that not everyone will be able to visit our restaurants. It’s awesome to see Flour + Water Foods on shelves at not only our local retailers in the Bay Area, but at grocery stores throughout the Pacific Northwest and, soon, Southern California. We’re also shipping our pasta for online orders, so even those outside the West Coast have been able to experience a taste of what we do at our restaurants. While we’re still a little fish in the big pond of this space, it’s been awesome to receive feedback about the quality and superior texture. We’re applying the same techniques we use in our restaurants, so consumers can feel confident that what they are buying truly is ‘chef-tested.’

Tell us more about how Flour + Water supports the regenerative farming movement?

RYAN: Our restaurants were founding members of Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit mobilizing the food world around agricultural climate solutions, and our dried pasta line is their first partner in the packaged goods world. From an operational standpoint, we care tremendously about sourcing from farms with sustainable and regenerative practices– we believe that healthy soil means higher-quality produce, which in turn creates food that not only tastes better, but is better for the planet, too.

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Joe Carlucci, Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Madison, Alabama, wins Best of the Best Pizza at International Pizza Challenge 2024

Joe Carlucci, owner of Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Madison, Alabama, captured 2024 Best of the Best title at International Pizza Challenge (IPC) at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, March 21, 2024.

As last year’s Pizza Maker of the Year winner, Carlucci went head-to-head again fellow Pizza Maker of the Year winners. The Best of the Best competition is an invite-only Best of the Best competition pitting this year’s Pizza Maker of the Year winner with previous year winners. The competition included three surprise ingredients: pork belly, red onion and pineapple.

Carlucci’s win made history as he is the only pizza maker to win pizza titles consecutively three years in a row with his previous 2022 Best Traditional Pizza in the World, 2023 Best Non-Traditional Pizza in the World, and 2023 Pizza Maker of the Year.

See all the Official International Pizza Challenge 2024 Best Pizza Winners.

For more news from Pizza Expo 2024, visit our Pizza Expo 2024 News Hub.

A Q&A with Best of the Best Pizza Winner Joe Carlucci

What does it mean for you to receive recognition as the Best of the Best?

Winning the 2024 Best of the Best Championship means the world to me. I have been in the industry for 25+ years and have been competing for most of them. I have failed more times than I can count, but I kept pushing forward. I have an incredible circle of people around me always pushing me to be better. Every year at the Pizza Expo I always go up to the Pizza Maker of the Year and Best of the Best trophy to look at and admire all of the amazing pizza makers listed. For me to now be one of the names on those trophies is a dream come true. I could not be more thankful and honored.

Winning pizza from Joe Carlucci, Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Madison, Alabama, to win the Best of the Best Pizza at International Pizza Challenge 2024.
Photo courtesy of Joe Carlucci

Tell us about your winning pizza. What made your pizza stand out?

Going into the competition I was scared, nervous, and just over thinking it. Days before someone I look up to and is a mentor to me gave me some advice that really helped me and put me over the top. I think we sometimes overthinking things and want to make something fancy or out of this world, but we forget less is more and the dough will always be center of attention. Like I said in my speech, pizza is like life you have good days and bad days and you good dough and bad dough – we are always evolving in life and in making the best pizza possible. All I did was use what they gave me and make sure the flavor profile came together. At the end of the day, I can say that my dough was the best I have ever made, and I can only learn from this competition and continue to grow my craft.

You’ve made history again. What has been key to achieving a Three Peat?

The key for my success is to never give up. I failed more times than I can count in this industry, but I believed in myself and kept going. Not only did I grow personally, but I opened my mind to new techniques and continued to learn to develop my craft daily.

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A Look at Pizzerias Across America: Hot Pizza Cold Beer, St. Louis; Bestia, LA, Fat Olives, Flagstaff

Each month in Destinations, we highlight great pizzerias that have hit our pizza radar. These pizza places may have just opened to rave reviews, hit best pizza lists or have exciting news. If you’re a pizzeria that would like to be featured, reach out to Executive Editor Denise Greer at dgreer@pizzatoday.com.

Hot Pizza Cold Beer

St. Louis, Missouri

The retro-décor concept, Hot Pizza Cold Beer, is the creation of Chef Mike Johnson who has appeared on Travel Channel’s Food Paradise, Beat Bobby Flay, TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters, and recently won “Best Burger in the World” “We’re defined as a family pizza restaurant and bar that serves high quality pizza with the best ingredients,” he says. “What makes us stand out is our over-the-top specials, including dishes like my personal favorite, the  The Menage A Za (a three way of supreme pizza, spinach artichoke calzone and garlic knots), along with our giant P.I.M.P. pizza slice, homemade SpaghettiO’s which we are calling “Skee-Yee-Tio’s,” our French bread pizza and a cannoli dip for dessert. We are also making sure that the vibe of the restaurant is super fun, with an arcade, murals and funny photos hung up, and a huge bar which seats about 25 people. We also specialize in local craft beer, hence the straight-forward name of our spot, and we are super excited to be the go-to for people looking for good food, good beer and good vibes.” The new restaurant has become known for the P.I.M.P. Slice. Johnson says,” The P.I.M.P. Slice is one giant slice of pizza loaded with whatever toppings you choose. People have come into the restaurant looking for the perfect photo opportunity with the huge slice, so we’re so happy that people are loving it and sharing about it.”

Bestia

Los Angeles, California

Bestia landed the No. 2 spot on Top 100 Pizza Spots according to Yelp Elites 2024. The trendy Italian restaurant was founded by Chef Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis in 2012. The Michelin recognized spot in a converted warehouse has been touted as one of LA’s best restaurants. Yelp raved over its Burrata pizza which features San Marzano tomatoes, Castelvetrano olives, oregano and fermented chilies. The Sage & Mortadella pizza is topped with Grana Padano, caciocavallo and aged balsamic. Pastas include the Cavatelli Alla Norcina — ricotta dumplings, black truffles, pork sausage and fresh thyme. On the Secondi menu, Grilled Branzino features pine nut pesto, Fresno chili, mixed basil and lemon. Lastly, the dolci menu highlights the Crème Fraîche Panna Cotta with winter citrus, wildflower honey & blood orange syrup and Meyer lemon cookies.

Fat Olives

Flagstaff, Arizona

Fat Olives came in at No. 35 on Top 100 Pizza Spots according to Yelp Elites 2024. The VPN certified restaurant began as a mobile catering company 25 years ago. Fat Olive hand makes over 500 pounds of mozzarella each week. The menu features bruschetta boards, from classic and goat cheese to unique options like Bacon Marmalade with mascarpone, baby arugula, Calabrian chili and local honey. In addition to its Margherita and Marinara, Fat Olive features pies like Ms. Piggy with creamy pesto, mozz/provolone blend, smoked bacon, pistachio mortadella, wood-roasted onion and basil. There is also the namesake Fat Olive with San Marzano tomato, mozz/provolone blend, whipped ricotta, whole green, black, blonde and Kalamata olives and fresh spinach.

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Tony Cerimele wins World Champion Pizza Maker of the Year at Pizza Expo’s International Pizza Challenge

Tony Cerimele, owner of New Columbus Pizza Company, in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, is the 2024 World Champion Pizza Maker of the Year at the International Pizza Challenge during Pizza Expo (March 19-21) in Las Vegas. After capturing the first-place finish in the Pan Division, Tony went on to win the Finals to be named World Champion Pizza Maker of the Year.

Cerimele was among the Top 5 competitors of 50 in the Pan Division to advance from the preliminaries on Tuesday, March 19. He continued to take the Pan Division Title in the Pan Finals on Thursday, March 21. Styles that fall into this category include, but are not limited to Roman, Chicago, Detroit, Grandma, Ohio Valley, Old Forge and Sicilian.

Winners of each division’s final — Cheese Slice, Traditional, Non-Traditional, Pan and Neapolitan — advanced to the Pizza Maker of the Year competition on Thursday.

Stay updated on all PIZZA EXPO 2024 News. We’ve created a hub for news from the World’s Largest Pizza Show. Find all the updates and happenings at Pizza Expo 2024. Go to the Pizza Expo 2024 Hub.

 A Quick Q&A with Pizza Maker of the Year Tony Cerimele

We reached out Tony Cerimele to get first impressions after winning the World Champion Pizza Maker of the Year at International Pizza Challenge at last week’s Pizza Expo. Find out about the his competition experience and his winning pizzas. Read this quick Q&A with Tony Cerimele:

What does it mean for you to receive recognition as the Pizza Maker of the Year?

I think the biggest thing for me is that fact that I accomplished something I set out to do a long time ago.  I first started competing in 2017.  Since the beginning it has been a rollercoaster.  Looking at it now I am most happy to bring these awards back to my hometown of Nesquehoning, PA, and all of Northeastern Pennsylvania.  We have some incredible pizza in our area and I am just happy to be a part of the community.  I think the most import thing for me after winning is the fact that my daughters witnessed firsthand that hard work and determination really do pay off in the end.  They saw all the reps, all the trials and tribulations with this pizza, and to get this outcome was the greatest example I could give them to keep pushing forward to achieve what you dream off.

Tell us about your winning pizzas. What made your pizzas stand out?

Photo courtesy of Tony Cerimele

Both of my pizzas were made on the same Sicilian crust.  I formulated the dough to be light and airy through the 3-day process it takes.  The pizza that won the pan division was an upside-down Sicilian pie with whole milk mozzarella and sauce on top.  The sauce was simply crushed tomatoes with salt, pepper, and basil.  Post bake I finished it with a whipped ricotta, basil and Grana Padano.  What put this pizza over the top in my opinion was the pepperoni jam made by Lee Hunzinger. It is amazing.

The second pizza was stressful to say the least.  Using the same dough and only the ingredients provided, I paused in my mind for a minute and prayed to my father to put an idea in my head.  I literally focused on the red onions and bell peppers, once I saw the sausage in the fridge it hit me, make a crumbled sausage and pepper pizza.  So, I prepared the toppings like I would if I was going to be eating a sausage and pepper sub, then constructed the pizza in layers.  Finishing it with EVOO, basil, ricotta, and torn fresh mozzarella.

What was the competition like this year?

The competition was awesome.  So many people from around the world, it was incredible.  There was so much energy in that area it was palpable the entire Expo.  I also thought it was great having the finals round for each division.  Mike LaMarca, Jeremy Galvin, and their entire team do such an amazing job organizing

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A Q&A with Blair Pietrini, Pietrini Pizza Napoletana, Los Alamitos, California

Concept:

Our concept is an elevated casual dining experience. We welcome all kinds of visitors and types of gatherings. We are the perfect spot for a weekly date night or for a night out with the family! We’ve become a hotspot for tourists and we love meeting new people and getting to hear their stories. Our restaurant is an extension of our family, and our love for bringing people together. We are dedicated to our community and to building and cultivating relationships within it.

Pizza & Dough:

At this point in time we offer two styles of pizza using a variety of Caputo flours. We make New York style pies that are baked in a deck oven, and Neapolitan style pies that are cooked in our custom made wood-fired oven that my husband had imported from Naples, Italy. Our dough is always evolving as we continue to learn and grow day by day. Right now we are using direct fermentation for our Neapolitan dough and cold proofing for about 48 hours. We are using a high protein flour and a  pre-ferment for our New York dough and cold proofing for at least
48 hours as well.

Reopening after your husband Gene’s passing, what is important as you continue to grow Pietrini?

After my husband Gene’s passing, the most important thing for me in reopening the restaurant  was  simply to  honor him by carrying on his legacy through endeavoring to  keep his “pizza dream” alive. He was so intensely passionate about making pizza, gathering people together to enjoy it, and doing everything possible to ensure that everyone felt incredibly welcome and satisfied during their visit. Continuing forward, we are dedicated to providing exceptional food using the finest ingredients, along with a huge helping of hospitality and kindness. Staying true to our family’s core values is extremely important to us.

How are you able to sustain the balance for your family and the business?

After experiencing such a devastating loss, we made the decision to limit our hours of operation to just five days a week and evenings only. I realize this flies in the face of conventional restaurant wisdom, but for us, family comes first and this is what we felt we needed to do in order for it to be sustainable for us during this time. When we are able to have sufficient staffing that is successfully cross trained, we will consider expanding our hours, but until then, this is the choice we are making to help maintain a healthier work/life balance for ourselves. I have heard too many stories of people whose restaurants ended up owning them rather than them owning their restaurant. After everything we have been through, that just isn’t a sacrifice I am willing to make.

Even before opening Pietrini you have been a strong community advocate. What has been the most fulfilling way you have given back to your community at Pietrini?

It has been an incredible blessing to be able to work in the same community that I grew up in. I have had the privilege of running a non profit organization that included a food pantry along with an emergency assistance program in our city for over 25 years. Upon my husband’s unexpected passing  ( just 10 months after opening PPN), it became clear that I needed to shift my focus and give our new restaurant my undivided attention. I later came to the realization that there were still ways in which we could continue to help people through the restaurant itself. There have been several ways whereby we have been able to give back to our community thus far, such as hosting chamber of commerce meetings, local police events and participating in various community campaigns and sponsoring local education programs and sports teams. We were able to host a Toy Drive that benefitted children in need along with sending over $2K (which we raised through our “Lifting up Lahaina” – Aloha pizza sales campaign ) to the Maui Food Bank to assist them in feeding people displaced by the Maui Wildfires.  Undoubtedly, however, I feel that the most fulfilling way we have been able to give back to our community has been to provide employment opportunities for those in need of a second chance, and those who simply need someone to believe in them.

What’s next for Pietrini? 

As for the future, our focus is on sustaining the growth we are currently experiencing, through expanding both our staff and our menu. We are looking to include some pasta dishes and other menu items to offset the volume of Neapolitan pizzas on any given night. Adding an additional oven and reworking our kitchen work space is also a must moving forward. A thriving business is a wonderful thing, but at Pietrini Pizza Napoletana,  it is extremely important to do so with a “family first” mindset, which will allow us (and our team members) to have a life outside of the restaurant.

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A Look at Pizza Places Around the U.S.

Each month, we highlight pizzerias across America and showcase what makes them standout. Explore featured menu items and pizzas.

Berwick Pizza & Subs, Green Camp, Ohio

Berwick is home of the dessert pizza. The pizzeria uses cereals and other sweet favorites to create the pies. Berwick applies that creativity to its entire pizza menu. “One thing that sets our restaurant apart is our crazy pizza creations,” says Austin Buckland. “We feature a new pizza every month with our Pizza of the Month program and dare to be different. From Cosmic Brownie and Pumpkin Donut to Caramel Apple Fritter, we come up with a new recipe monthly. We are well known to be heavy pizza toppers. We load the pizza toppings on. Our large pizza has nearly a pound of cheese! We make our own dough daily and cook our pizzas in an old-fashioned deck oven. One of our most ‘stand out’ menu items would have to be our Fruity Pebbles dessert pizza. We have several dessert pizzas on our menu, but it’s a classic favorite flavor in pizza form. We start off with a sugar cookie base, sweet cream filling, and our own dessert streusel. We top it with Fruity Pebbles and swirls of icing!”

Piccoli Piatti Pizzeria, Bethesda, Maryland

This Neapolitan-style pizzeria is embarking on its second location this year. The original location sits in the Wildwood Shopping Center and features an open kitchen drawing eyes to its dome oven. The menu is full of small plates, sandwiches, salads and pizzas. The menu also highlights mussels, including Smoky Pancetta with white wine, crema, leeks and parsley. In addition to classic Neapolitan pizzas, Piccoli Piatti also offers unique creations like the Inverno with mozzarella, goat cheese, Brussels sprouts, caramelized red onion and herbs. The Norma is topped with mozzarella, eggplant and ricotta. The Fiarelli features mozzarella, sausage, broccoli rabe and fontina.

Circle Inn Pizzeria, Clearfield, Utah

Congrats to Circle Inn, which reopened in a new location after a devastating fire in 2022. The multi-generational family-owned pizzeria has been a staple of its community since 1941. The menu features cheesy and garlic bread, wings, sandwiches, salads and pizzas. Sandwiches include the French Dip with au jus dipping sauce. Specialty pizzas include Chicken Bacon Ranch, Turkey Bacon Ranch, Philly Cheesesteak, Spicy Buffalo Chicken and BBQ Chicken.

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A Q&A with Odie O’Connor, owner of Boxcar Pizza, Portland, Oregon

Concept:

The concept for Boxcar was created in the early summer of 2020. I had temporarily closed my first business, Baby Blue Pizza, due to the pandemic. So with the extra time I had on my hands I began experimenting making vegan Detroit style pizzas. After a lot of trial and error (and a ton of help from Marc of Square Pie Guys) I came up with a dough that I was really proud of.  A second generation pizza spot became available so I decided to take the leap and open up Boxcar in August of 2020.  The goal has always been to make really good pizza that just happens to be vegan. I never wanted the selling point to be that it was vegan.

Pizza Style & Dough:

Our Detroit style pizzas are a 70-percent hydration sourdough that we par-bake every morning.  We use Small’s Family Bread Flour who are located here in the Pacific Northwest. Doing sourdough Detroit style pizza was challenging because the rise is such an important part of the style. I learned that timing the first mix and the feeding of the starter perfectly is vital.  We do an overnight autolyse with the leaven and half the flour and water for the batch (most dough savvy people would say this is not a real autolyse). Allowing the dough to autolyse with the leaven in really develops the flavor, dough strength, and gets a head start on the first rise. When I first opened Boxcar we were not par-baking the doughs, but we couldn’t get the consistency that I was looking for. Since deciding to par bake every morning we can assure that we’re getting the dough at the perfect spot in the fermentation process, and we get a much more springy crust because the initial bake isn’t weighted down with ingredients. Par-baking also makes for a lighter, fluffy inside and a very crispy bottom and edges.

Tell us what went into finding/creating your vegan products? What was your R&D process?

When developing the vegan recipes I always consider taste, smell, allergens, and food cost.  Our meats are typically made from either vital wheat gluten or textured vegetable protein.  Once I decide what the base will be, I begin adding spices and liquids that I think will best represent umami flavors and also bake how I want them to on the pizzas.  It really is just research, trial, error and then repeat.

Detroit Style and Vegan, that is unique. How have you been able to find your market in Portland?

The food scene is Portland is incredible.  There always seems to be a new pop-up, restaurant, or event happening and Portlanders really show up for our community.  It’s definitely risky to open a 100 percent vegan restaurant. Luckily there is a very big vegan community in Portland and we’ve been able to create a returning customer base through friendly customer service, consistency in the pizza, and always looking for ways to improve. We have loyal customers who are vegan and also loyal customers who are omnivores. The selling point has always been this is good pizza, not “you should buy this because it’s vegan”.

What did you learn from your first restaurant that helped you in Boxcar?

I learned a lot from my first pizza business, Baby Blue Pizza. The main points would be: BE CONSISTENT, there are so many good food options out there, one bad experience can turn a customer off for good. HIRE WELL, if you hire someone out of pure necessity and not because you think they would be a great addition to the shop, you will end up firing them 100 percent of the time, and they will add a ton of stress to your life until you do fire them.  CREATE A RELATABLE BRAND. Customers want to know there is a human behind the business, the day of the cookie-cutter, cliche social media post is over-show that you are a human. CARE ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYEES. Take time to learn about who your employees are, and recognize that people work so they can live their lives, never the other way around. No one will ever care about your business as much as you do, and that is fine — it’s the way it’s supposed to be.

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35 Pizzerias to Watch in America in 2024

We asked independent pizzeria owners to submit their businesses for consideration in our Pizzerias to Watch list. We received hundreds of outstanding submissions and have painstakingly whittled them down to this list of 35.

While the Hot 100 Independent Pizzerias List we used to do ranked pizzerias by highest sales volume, our Pizzerias to Watch feature looks at the total operation, from sales and employee programs to community outreach and marketing.

We present to you 35 pizzerias to watch as they continue to thrive and grow. While we asked several questions, we’re sharing one or two of the pizzerias’ Q&A responses here in this issue — in their own words.

Abbiocco Pizzeria, Indianapolis, Indiana

AbbioccoPizzeria.com
facebook abbiocco Pizzeria
Year Opened: 2021

Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 600,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 500,000

Year-over-Year Sales: Up 20%

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
Over the past 12 months, our company has experienced significant growth and achieved several milestones. First, our sales have seen a remarkable increase of 15 to 20%, which is a testament to our dedicated team, loyal customers, and the quality of our products. We’ve also been fortunate to receive increased recognition in the culinary community, with features in prominent publications such as YelpIndy and Indy Monthly’s ’25 Best Restaurants.’ Looking ahead, our future growth plans are both exciting and strategic. We aim to expand our presence and reach new audiences by venturing into the food truck industry. This move not only allows us to create word-of-mouth buzz but also serves as a valuable testbed for potential future brick-and-mortar locations. By taking our delicious pizza to different neighborhoods and events, we intend to gauge the reception and demand in various areas. This approach aligns with our commitment to thoughtful expansion and ensuring that we provide our exceptional pizza experience to as many people as possible. We’re thrilled about the possibilities this growth trajectory holds for our company in the coming years.

Billy Bricks, Lombard, IL

billybrickshq.com
IG @billybrickshq
Year Opened: 2005
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 8,709,906.45
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 9,440,112.57
Year-over-Year Sales: Down 7.75%
How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
In the past 12 months we shrunk in unit size to cut a few of the underperforming location and to really focus in on our core stores and areas to re-expand. We have 4 units that will open by 2024 as part of our re-expansion and we will add at least one more ice cream truck and pizza truck to our mobile catering fleet. We plan to open 2-4 units either stand alone pizza or pizza parlor and ice cream parlor per year over the next 6 years with a goal of 20 units by 2029 and an ever growing mobile fleet to support regions/territories. *sales numbers entered above reflect a few of the closures sales no longer being included, however, our per unit average greatly increased and our net profit as a company increased significantly by cutting the underperforming units*

Cheshire Pizza & Ale, Cheshire, CT

www.cheshirepizza.com
IG: @cheshire_pizza
Year Opened: 2017
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 4,114,930
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 3,789,750
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 8.58%
How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
Our customer base has consistently grown since our inception in 2017. We have grown by focusing on what our customer base looks for. Quality product, consistent service all coming from staff that buys into our systems. We are looking into establishing a commissary kitchen and launching a DELCO concept within a 50 mile radius.
Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List?
There are countless worthy Pizzerias to watch throughout the country. Although we are the red headed step child when it comes to the New Haven pizza scene (we serve pan pizza!) we believe that our continues growth and investing in our staff has separated us from our competition. With the ever-changing employee retention issues facing the hospitality industry, laying the foundation in place via health and retirement benefits has helped us change the stigma that restaurant employees cannot make a career out of their job.

Dedham House of Pizza, Dedham, MA

www.dedhamhouseofpizza.com
IG @dedhamhouseofpizza
Year Opened: 1986
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 2,034,036.44
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 1,831,865.63
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 11.03%
How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
In the past year, our pizzeria has experienced remarkable growth driven by our unwavering commitment to quality and the development of our exceptional team members. As a small pizzeria, we’ve made significant strides in enhancing our services. One notable initiative involves the creation of comprehensive guidebooks with vivid photographs translated into our team members’ native languages, ensuring crystal-clear communication and a deeper understanding of our processes. Moreover, we’ve reimagined our uniforms and hats, even crafting custom attire for our dedicated long-term employees, instilling a sense of pride and unity within our team…

DeFazio’s Pizzeria, Troy, NY

Www.defaziospizza.com
IG @defaziospizzeria
Year Opened: 1989
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 1,800,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 1,600,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 12.5%
What community outreach initiatives do you organize?
Every year we organize “Stick It to Hunger.” This stickball tournament brings local companies together to play stickball and donate to a shelter two blocks from our location that supports 35 local families. We typically raise over $15,000 worth of good. We donate over $3,000 in gift certificates to local charities.
How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
Our 2nd location in Albany has doubled business from their first year. We are attached to a distillery with a great outdoor space. We have hosted 4 weddings and many private events. Our Troy location continues to be a staple for locals and people traveling upstate New York. We are building a 100 seat restaurant that we will open in 2024.

Georgio’s Chicago Pizzeria, Crystal Lake, Illinois

www.georgiospizza.com
facebook.com/GeorgiosPizzaCrystalLake
Year Opened: 2002
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 6,200,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 5,600,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 10.71%
What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria?
We’re a Chicago-style pizzeria serving authentic deep dish and thin crust pizza, the way they were first served in Chicago back in the 1940’s. We do very little marketing. Most of our marketing is through community sponsorships, donations, and word of mouth. We also have a loyalty program that keeps our best customers engaged.

Go 4 Pizza, Rancho Cordova, Ca

Go4pizza.com
IG @go4pizza2.0
Year Opened: 2009
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 2,000,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 1,700,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 17.64%
What community outreach initiatives do you organize?
We support all local schools and sport teams and do fund raisers throughout the year. We also offer our party room and party patios for season ending sports parties at no cost to the teams!
Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List?
We are more than a pizzeria, we are the center of our communities! We do tap take overs, live music, trivia every week, paint night, corn hole tournaments and comedy nights and other special events! Our concept, food and restaurant layout and family atmosphere I have not seen in all the years reading Pizza Today!

Greenville Avenue Pizza Company, Dallas, Texas

www.gapc.co
facebook.com/GreenvilleAvenuePizzaCompany
Year Opened: 2007
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 6,131,882
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 6,125,823
Year-over-Year Sales: Up .09%
What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria?
*We are a badass neighborhood pizzeria in Dallas, TX. Come for the show and meet your PIZZA SLAYERS. Our restaurants are open kitchen concepts so that our customers can watch our process and see how much care, love and passion is put into each pizza. Our Slayers wear chef coats and holsters that hold their tools which adds extra edge to the look of our team. *Our Unique Limited Time Offerings, (seasonal pizza & one day specials). Some of our favorite LTO’s include The Pretty Pickle, The Doobie (our 4/20 special) and The Hatche Chile and Chorizo. *We are here for our neighbors and provide a fun Neighborhood Experience- Each location is hyper local and we encourage everyone to come as they are to feel welcome and comfortable. We use the highest quality ingredients, like Grande cheese and Stanislaus tomatoes. We pride ourselves on being a from scratch kitchen, we make our own sauce, cook and prep our toppings, put our soul into the food.

Itri Wood Fired Pizza Bar, Bristol, PA

www.itriwoodfired.com/
IG @ itri_wood_fired
Year Opened: 2017
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 1,900,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 1,200,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 58.33%
Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List?
Six years ago we took a very big risk on a main street that had yet to begin it’s revitalization. Many had written off our great little town as a place that didn’t understand a restaurant driven by a community oriented mission that also included a cool and rustic ambiance. We zeroed in on an eclectic playlist, a great sound system, interesting art on our walls, and most importantly, fantastic pizza and food. The question six year ago from many was “why?” Why are you opening there? In our first year we did$550,000 in sales. Since then many other restaurants, cafes, distilleries, and breweries have opened. They are all great in their own right and doing a great job in moving the street forward. However, we are proud to have been one of the first and we continue to grow, change, and adapt. We are on pace to do $2,000,000 in sales in 2023. Finally, our pizza remains the most central aspect to our business, and in our humble opinion, it’s fantastic. We have a unique offering of 12 wood fired Detroit (ish) style pizza daily and a variety of NEOpolitan pizzas that are out of this world. We try to get local ingredients and sustainable products whenever possible.

Mattenga’s Pizzeria, Schertz, Texas

https://mattengas.com/
facebook.com/mattengaspizzeria
Year Opened: 2014
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 5,124,154.16
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 3,109,144.88
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 64.8%
How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
Our restaurant has grown significantly over the past 12 months, both in terms of customer base and revenue. We have implemented a number of strategies to increase our visibility and attract new customers, such as upgrading our website, increasing our social media presence, and offering discounts and promotions. We have also invested in new equipment and staff training to improve the quality of our food and service. For the future, we plan to continue to focus on increasing our customer base and expanding our reach through online marketing and partnerships with local businesses. Additionally, we will continue to invest in our staff and equipment to ensure that our customers receive the best possible experience. We plan to continue this growth trajectory by expanding our locations, increasing our marketing efforts, and exploring new markets through food truck. We also continue to develop menus to ensure that our products remain competitive and up to date.

Old Town Pizza, Auburn, California

www.otpizza.net
facebook.com/OldTownPizza
Year Opened: Pizza Restaurant opened in 1999 and my family purchased it in 2002
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 12,862,804
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 10,777,273
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 19.35%
How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
Our growth the last 12 months have been entirely organic. Our newest location opened in May of 2022. Our future plans include a new “owned” location in the Roseville, Ca. area and we are planning on getting into the mobile kitchen business in the near future. Lastly, we are thinking about getting into the “event center” business and using our Pizza and Beer success to anchor an event center.
Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List?
Our brand turns 25 years old in July of 2024 and we are still growing with a great reputation. We love being our communities “hometown” pizza place. Our guests celebrate their life milestones with OTP. Our relationship with our community is truly a win-win partnership.

PARLOUR, New Albany, Indiana

eatparlour.com
linkedin.com/company/parlourpeoplepizzapints
Year Opened: 2019
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 7,797,029.27
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 6,273,465.66
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 24.28%
Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List?
PARLOUR is a standout candidate for the Pizzerias to Watch list, led by the resilient and transparent leadership of Don Robinson. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Don’s unwavering resilience and commitment to open communication have been pivotal in steering the company to exceptional success. Under his guidance, PARLOUR has experienced an impressive 195.36% sales growth from 2020 to 2022. This growth is not only a testament to Don’s strategic vision but also reflects the dedication of the entire team. The company’s expansion into new locations, strategic partnerships, and franchise agreements showcase its commitment to broadening its reach and impact. With a vibrant company culture, a focus on employee well-being, and a mission to take the PARLOUR brand nationwide, it’s clear that PARLOUR is not just a pizzeria but a dynamic force in the industry, worthy of close attention and recognition.

Pietrini Pizza Napoletana, Los Alamitos, Ca

Www.pietrinipizza.com
IG @pietrinipizza
Year Opened: 2021
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 963,814.3
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 393,927.39
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 144%
Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? (What employee incentives/benefits do you offer?
We have worked hard to cultivate a healthy/ positive atmosphere, and work hard to keep it. We have a genuine love for people and care for the well being of our employees and they know it. We have an open door policy where employees can ask questions, voice concerns etc. Employees are recognized for their hard work and achievements during team meetings and gatherings, earning swag, personalized chef coats, etc. Birthdays and work anniversaries are recognized and celebrated with gift cards, desserts on the house etc. We have team meetings / dinners with raffle prizes, contests etc and make it fun.

Perrotta’s Pizza, Canton, Georgia

Perrottaspizza.com
facebook.com/perrottaspizza
Year Opened: 2018
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 1,200,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 940,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 27.65%
Why should you be among the Pizzerias to Watch List?
That depends on your view should we be considered because we are still the old school family owned and operated pizzeria but using technology input from the younger family members to grow sales and possibly expand to other locations. Or maybe because we are heavily involved in the community and charitable organizations even though we work countless hours a week but we still find time to give back. Or you could say winning best pizza in Canton Georgia four years in a row should be why. It not up to me if we deserve to be on the watchlist either way we’ll be happy because we love what we do it’s our family bond and passion.

Pizzoco Pizza Parlor, Winchester, VA

www.pizzoco.com
IG @pizzoco
Year Opened: 2019
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 1,000,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 850,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 17.64%
Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List?
We are a small independent pizzeria in a historic building in a true neighborhood that has developed a large following since we opened in 2019. We have been on Yelp’s Top 100 pizzerias in the USA for the past two years in a row (2022 #53, 2023 #32). People routinely make the drive from Washington DC (1.5 hours) just to eat our pizza. We are veteran owned and have become a pillar of the community. We are the highest rated pizzeria in the state of Virginia.

Rochettos Pizzeria, Scott, LA

www.rochettos.com
facebook.com/rochettospizzeria
Year Opened: 2009
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 2,700,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 1,850,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 45.94%
How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
Opened a second location Dec 21, 2022 in Crowley, Louisiana, located 15 miles form original location, Just expanded a catering/ banquet room to accommodate local business activity
Why should you be among the Pizzerias to Watch List?
Rochettos Pizzeria standard has been a staple in South Louisiana for 13 years now and growing. In a community that relies on tourism and the restaurant industry Rochettos has remained strong through economic hardships and the pandemic. The concept developed by the owner is one that can fit in any city in America and is designed to be a pillar of the community.

Slice Pizza & Brew, Birmingham, AL

https://www.slicebirmingham.com/
IG @slicepizzabrew
Year Opened: 2011
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 5,760,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 4,500,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 28%
Why should you be among the Pizzerias to Watch List?
Since opening in 2011, our pizzeria has stayed true to our original mission of being a family-owned and operated business that combines a welcoming, friendly atmosphere with fresh, mouthwatering food and local brews. Over the past year, we have experienced significant growth with the opening of our fourth location, the expansion to a full-service commissary, and the upcoming launch of our fifth location in Birmingham, Alabama. As the home of the first stone pizza oven in the city of Birmingham, we have remained loyal to our roots, pairing specialty pizzas with local brews that keep our customers coming back for more. We are also committed to giving back to the community through outreach initiatives such as our Dough Raiser fundraisers, SliceFest and other unique events that have allowed us to donate more than $100,000 back to the Birmingham community. We would be honored to be included on this year’s Pizzerias To Watch List because of our commitment to always finding new ways to honor our core values that make us Slice Pizza & Brew while working alongside other local businesses to support and engage with the communities we call home.

The Onion Tree, Sea Cliff, New York

www.TheOnionTree.com
IG @ theoniontreeseacliff
Year Opened: 2020
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 1,164,862
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 857,399
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 35.85%
Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? (What employee incentives/benefits do you offer?
Our employees are family rather than just folks who work with us. We pay above NYS average pay – we offer 2 weeks paid vacation, 10 sick days and bonuses on achievement of revenue targets. 2 annual company parties – offer us an opportunity to express our gratitude to our team members. As a result, our team takes an ownership approach and works with heart and hospitality.
Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List?
We are a Pizzeria/Gastropub where Pizza Napoletana meets Indian Cuisine + Rock n Roll! We opened our business on March 6, 2020. Lost almost everything in the first couple of months. We however zigged and zagged to survive. Our concept – while quirky and maybe even eccentric, is a product of the pandemic – a result of our burning 🔥 desire to survive the hardest times we’d ever seen, not only to survive but to thrive….🙏🏽

Tre Amici, Bayamon, Puerto Rico

www.treamicipr.com
IG @treamicipr
Year Opened: 15-Oct-21
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 628,438.46
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 288,667.06
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 117%
How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
The growth Tre Amici has been experience is astounding. When the business started the goal was to sell 40 pizza pies daily to survive and pay the bills considering our production is handmade and fresh. Twenty-four months later we are selling at least 200 pies daily, still by hand. The sales keep growing. People come back every week and we go sold out every weekend. The future growth plan for Tre Amici is getting another place where we can attract more customers and store more inventory. We cannot make more than 200 pies daily because we don’t have enough place to store them. The new place has two floors, two firewood ovens and one dumbwaiter. At the new location the goal is to sell 500 pies daily and make the best cocktails in town. The team hopes to be open at the end of this year. The future has never been brighter.

Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Madison, AL

valentinaspizzeria.com
IG @valentinaspizzeria
Year Opened: 2020
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 1,000000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 750,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 33%
How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
Valentina’s has grown more than I ever thought since opening. I opened in 2020 with 7 tables and little staff. In three years we have outgrown our 1000 square foot location and are about to move to a new brick and mortar that is 4000 square feet. I could not have done this without my incredible community and staff.
Why should you be among the Pizzerias to Watch List?
I have been in the pizza community for over 25 years. This community is like no other. I have failed more times than I can count. After years and years, I finally got it right. Valentina’s is named after my daughter. She comes in a works in the store right alongside me. I am incredibly blessed and thankful that after 3 years of opening Valentina’s, I have already outgrown this space by 3 times the amount.

Via Farina, Omaha, Nebraska

Goviafarina.com
IG @goviafarina
Year Opened: 2016
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 1,200,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 875,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 117%
What community outreach initiatives do you organize?
I have organized a cold weather clothing drive for 6 years running. We average anywhere from 1000-1500 pounds to clothing donated every winter. This will be our first year doing pizza across America. We work from time to time with the native American and American Eskimo rehabilitation society to get job placement in a safe space for those that are slowly reintroducing themselves back into the work force.
How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans?
We have grown in the last year with the presence of our mobile pizza oven. We are in plans currently for a second location and hope to be open by early summer 2024.

Wild Ace Pizza & Pub, Greer, SC

https://thewildace.com/
facebook.com/wildacegreer
Year Opened: 2009
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 3,640,924.26
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 3,468,985.4
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 4.95%
What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria?
Wild Ace Pizza & Pub is an aviation themed restaurant featuring a full menu with aviation named menu items, cocktails, and advertising of military Flying Aces. Hanging airplanes occupy the ceiling and entertain both children and adults. The large, dog friendly, outdoor patio is a big draw during most of the year.
What community outreach initiatives do you organize?
We sponsor an Oktoberfest each fall and also host a non-profit benefit semi-annually called The Good Time Benefit that raised money for children with life threatening conditions. We also heavily support Greer Relief and Resources Agency – our community agency that exists to transform neighbors in need to neighbors who thrive by providing services to eliminate poverty and help neighbors overcome barriers for success.

Zio’s Pizzeria, Omaha, Nebraska

Ziospizzeria.com
facebook.com/ZiosOmaha
Year Opened: 1985
Gross Annual Sales July 2022-June 2023: 4,100,000
Gross Annual Sales July 2021-June 2022: 3,900,000
Year-over-Year Sales: Up 5.1%
Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List?
Our establishments have been around since 1985 in the Omaha market. We are long term trusted pizzeria (we have 4 of them in Omaha). We try to focus on community with marketing that includes schools, churches and other local events. Plenty of donations go out monthly to many of the local charity groups in Omaha. We take pride in our daily food we prep with nearly 45 freshly prepped items along with fresh dough daily. We will continue with our table service standards during the evenings as long as we can continue to hire service oriented people that love working with customers and food. That has been a major challenge since the end of Covid. Our restaurants are all recently (within the last 5 years) been remodeled. With patios at 2 of them and a drive thru at 1. With our loyal guests (many of whom we see at least once per week), we hope to bring another set of younger customers with the help of some of the current trends in social media.

New Pizzerias on our Radar

Blue Square Pizza
Hopkinton, Massachusetts
www.bluesquarepizza.com

Coniglio’s Old Fashioned
Morristown, NJ
https://www.coniglios.com/

Double Zero Pie & Pub
LAS VEGAS, NV
https://www.doublezeropie.com/

Hearth & Table
Lincoln City, OR
www.hearthandtablelc.com

Mangia Mangia Pizzeria
Estes Park, CO
www.mangiamangiapizzeria.com

Prohibition Pizza
High Springs, Fl
www.prohibitionpizza.com

Stellenzo’s Pizza
Santa Clarita, California
www.stellenzos.com

Truly Pizza
Dana point, California
Trulypizza.com

Regional and National Pizza Companies and Chains to Watch

Farrelli’s Pizza
Dupont, WA

Home

Piesanos
5200 Nw 43rd st, Gainesville
Piesanos.com

Sal’s Pizza
Lawrence, Massachusetts
sals.com

Via 313 Pizza
Lehi, Utah
Via313.com

The post 35 Pizzerias to Watch in 2024 appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Hot Pizzerias in the U.S.

The Galley, Asbury Park, New Jersey

This Jersey pizza spot lets it products speak. “Fresh and homemade totally defines us here at Galley,” says Chef/Owner Kris Black. “And what makes us stand out is how we do it. What you see is what you get. It’s the same every single time. Consistent, amazing, yet simple food that people love time and time again. Adding items randomly to our secret menu totally keeps everyone on their toes as well. Our styles of pizza — well this is a good one. We’ve perfected them all. So we have a regular thin crust. It’s thin, thinner than most places you’ll go to. It’s available in rounds 12- and 14-inch and square 18-inch. Then we have our “bar pie” and by bar pie we mean the style. Because it’s 16-inch round ultra thin, fantastic pie. Doesn’t get thinner — anywhere. We’ve also perfected a Sicilian style pizza that we double proof and never pre cook like most places would. 16-inch thick, but not too thick and super crispy yet light and airy. But we’re not done. The Detroit style pies. They are just straight savage. Cheese to the edge, no crust, buttery bottom, thick, but light and airy. And all of our pies are always cooked crispy/well done. If they aren’t perfect, you don’t get it. That’s our style. Everyone loves all of our pies so it’s hard to say which ones they go crazy for because we have such variety everyone switches it up. But a signature pizza, you will not find anywhere else I promise.. is called the Station 83. We make it in all of those styles, so depending on your mood, it’s up to you. It starts with our house made chili oil, our perfect mozzarella cheese blend, a spicy salami(not too spicy) and impastata ricotta cheese. After the pie is cut, we drizzle hot honey and a nice amount of fresh basil. Every flavor rocks your palate at different times; we promise it’s amazing.”

Pizzeria Undici, Massapequa, New York

This Long Island pizzeria opened this summer with the mission to bring nostalgic old-school pizza to the community. Guests are greeted by a display case of a dozen pies available by the slice, as well as assorted rolls. The authentic Italian pizzeria serves up classics like the Margherita and Bianco. It also offers an upside-down Sicilian pizza. The menu also features calzones, rolls, garlic knots, salads and ice cream. Undici’s outdoor seating adds to the old school vibe with its large red picnic tables and umbrellas.

Speak Cheezy, Long Beach, California

Speak Cheezy was recently listed in the Washington Post’s “The Best Pizza in America, Region by Region” for its California-style pizza. It received high marks for its squash blossoms and fennel-crushed sausage. The sourdough pizza uses locally milled and organic flours. The pizzeria also focuses on local ingredients. In addition to California style, Speak Cheezy also serves Sicilian, Neo New York and Chicago Tavern style. The shop thrives on its new pie alerts, like the Pumpkin Honey Bunny with mozzarella & fontina, rings of delicatta squash, Weiser Family Farms honeynut squash ricotta, black kale and Julie’s pepitas.

The post Pizza Destinations: The Galley, Asbury Park, NJ; Pizzeria Undici, Massapequa, NY; Speak Cheezy Long Beach, CA appeared first on Pizza Today.

My Top Pizza Business Podcasts

Are you up on all the latest pizza podcasts? There are a ton to choose from and each scratches a different itch. Some are more about pizza making while others are devoted to the ins and outs of running a successful pizza business. These are my top  current pizza business podcasts, in no particular order.

1. Pie 2 Pie

Alex Coons of Hot Tongue Pizza in Los Angeles hosts this excellent longform interview show that focuses on the things that keep pizzeria operators up at night. In addition to the audio podcast, Alex also releases video versions of each episode on YouTube. I love his perspective as a frustrated operator who finds peace by talking shop. Alex leads conversations with a natural flow that cuts right to the chase.

2. Pizza City

Chicago-based food journalist Steve Dolinsky’s bi-weekly podcast interviews a different pizzeria operator on each episode. Steve travels to each location to talk to his subjects in person, so there’s an intimacy you don’t get from remote conversations. Since Steve isn’t a pizzeria operator, his questions come from the perspective of an educated observer. There’s valuable insight from his short episodes (usually under 30 minutes), which are easy to digest on short drives or while walking the dog.

3. What’s Good Dough?

As an extreme pizza enthusiast myself, I connect deeply with this podcast. Host Eidref Laxa is an aspiring pizzaiolo who interviews professionals about how they’ve gotten where they are. He’s perpetually toying with the idea of getting into the business himself, and this show documents that journey. What’s Good Dough is the most inspirational pizza podcast I’ve heard, so check it out if you’re interested in getting back to the basics of what got you into pizza making in the first place.

4. The Hot Slice

If you didn’t already know about Pizza Today’s audio companion podcast, now you do. Pizza Today’s editor-in-chief Jeremy White helms the show with colleagues Josh Keown and Denise Greer. The material they cover is a great supplement to the magazine’s content, with in-depth interviews and previews of upcoming pizza industry events. If you’ve ever wondered what information didn’t fit into this month’s issue or how Pizza Expo works behind the scenes, this show has your answers.

Honorable Mention

I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t mention two pizza podcasts that ignore the business side entirely. Pizza Pod Party is a fun interview show from radio personality Alfred Shulz and food writer Arthur Bovino. Each week they talk to a different media personality about their pizza experiences.

Leave it to Michigan Public Radio to launch the perfect limited series about the state’s significance in pizza history, called Dough Dynasty. Hosts April Baer and Laura Weber-Davis dive into the deep end of chain pizza history, super-trendy Detroit Style pizza, and even the significance of ranch dressing. This is an incredibly well-produced and fun show that uses interviews with industry experts to unroll Michigan’s storied pizza history.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

The post Man on the Street: Pizza Podcasts appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Q&A with Don Clifford, Soulshine Pizza with locations in Mississippi and Tennessee

The first Soulshine Restaurant was opened in February 2001 by Chris Sartin in Flowood, Mississippi via our affiliate Soulshine, Inc. Currently, three Soulshine Restaurants are open and operating, one in Flowood, Mississippi, one in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and one in Franklin, Tennessee. Currently we have two (2) fast casual (Our New Concept) restaurants under construction (Gluckstadt, MS and Gallatin, TN).

The Concept

Our new concept is a fast casual experience that showcases a lot of new technology to better serve our customers. We serve a craft style hand-tossed pizza that comes in three different sizes and a variety of different toppings. We have been serving the greater Jackson area as well as the Nashville market for the last two decades. The new fast casual model we are constructing will change our style by streamlining our operations in a few different ways.

We will be offering counter service, as many fast-casual pizza parlors do, but with some added features. Those features will include the ability to order and pay for your food at the table via QR codes, ordering via kiosk for to-go orders, integrations with third party vendors to help alleviate any wait times, stall QR codes that allow us to know when and where to bring your food when you arrive. This concept is going to be successful through proper marketing and training. We look forward to expanding into the Nashville market and others in the future.

Growing the Brand

Years ago, we saw the market changing. It became more about online ordering and to go and less about full service. Once Covid hit and we had to switch to only being able to do to-go orders we knew we had something. That’s where our new concept comes in. A fast casual version of our old classic that focuses more on speed of service and new and ever developing technologies to make the to go experience enjoyable.

Once we drew it up, we knew we had something. Smaller restaurant with counter service that focuses on to go business but that still has the ability for you to come in grab a beer and a pizza and sit if you want. New integrations with third party delivery, new pos systems to streamline online ordering, kiosks to speed up ordering, status boards so you can track your order all the way through the kitchen. A smaller footprint with a big impact. A smaller footprint and less startup costs will allow us to develop more restaurants quicker.

We focus on families. Everyone’s got to eat dinner and once they see how quick and easy it is to stop by and grab some quality food made by people who care about putting out the best product possible, they will be lifelong customers. We have something for everyone here at Soulshine, calzones, oven baked sandwiches and beautiful fresh salads all made to order. So, get on down to a Soulshine near you, where family, community, and great food is what we stand for.

The post Conversation: Don Clifford, Soulshine Pizza, MS, TN appeared first on Pizza Today.

Andrew Bellucci: memoriam and a call to action

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including: diabetes; overweight and obesity; unhealthy diet; physical inactivity; excessive alcohol use.

I first became aware of skilled pizza maker Andrew Bellucci during the pandemic while living in Japan, my home for the past 13 years. Even though I was born-and-bred in Brooklyn, he was never on my pizza radar. For me, in the pre-internet days, my pizzeria circle was very close to home: Trio Pizzeria on Avenue U; Bella Donna and Armando’s on Kings Highway, and if someone was driving, an excursion to L&B Spumoni Gardens. Even Difara was in a neighborhood far, far away. Lombardi’s in Manhattan was another world entirely.

When I came across the film Untitled Pizza Movie I was immediately hooked. In lock-down with a wife and two young kids, the prospect of a multi-part film about pizza sounded like salvation. There was no indication how watching the movie would be an emotional and exhausting experience. Being exposed to Andrew Bellucci’s craftsmanship and dedication and personal drama was captivating. I immediately reached out to him on Instagram, never imagining he would respond.

Of course, he responded. He was humble and open and brimming with gratitude for another chance to do what he loved. I followed his journey to open his restaurant and the resulting challenges. Andrew seemed like a person who followed his heart. The fact that he finally found a partner who understood his beautiful pizza obsessiveness, gave him the theater to perform his culinary magic, and kept him protected was a godsend.  When I read the news of him dying I was profoundly impacted. Like the majority of people reading this, I never had the chance to eat a pizza he made. I never met him in person. But watching his passion and joy on social media was an inspiring gift. It felt particularly cruel that he was struck down in the midst of his ascension into the pantheon of pizzaiolos. But as I thought about it, looking at the poetic way he took his last breaths making his beloved clam pizza, I had another feeling. He died looking to the future, feeling hopeful and without regrets. He was doing what he loved and was recognized by those he cared about. Absolutely, too soon. But he left on a high note.

Andrew Bellucci’s passing also has me thinking about mortality. How do you stick around longer to keep exploring your craft and enjoy your life?

Being a pizza maker brings health risks that are unfortunately too easy to push out of your mind until it is too late. On your feet for hours and hours every day. Heavy lifting and repetitive motion. A diet that finds itself at the fattier end of the food pyramid. Smoking is not uncommon. A few drinks to wind down every night. And, oh yeah, the stress of making the business succeed. It makes Dom DeMarco’s 85 years seem like the outlier and Andrew Bellucci’s early demise more the norm.

Yet there are people in our midst who exemplify the idea that you can be a master of your craft while maintaining a healthy body and mind.

John Arena is universally viewed as one of the greats of the pizza game: delicious pizza; financial success; longevity in the business. There are not many who can match his achievements. When you add John’s openness, mentorship and support for the community, he is unparalleled.

“I began my professional career in pizza in 1967,” he says. :”Let’s face it- Pizza was largely a boy’s club, comprised of Italian immigrants and their sons.  If you wanted to be known as “a good pie man” (the highest compliment), complaining or even suggesting that you were tired was out of the question. Taking a ‘mental health’ or personal day would have been a sign of weakness that was simply not considered.

“My earliest role model for pizza and everything else was my father. He was NOT typical of his generation. First of all, he never smoked, he drank just an occasional glass of wine, watched his diet, took time every night to relax with his family and to read and continue learning and adapting. The result is that my Dad at 94 years old is still active, healthy, and sharp.”

Rob Cervino, by any assessment, is a striver and overachiever. He is a leading producer and teacher in a rising pizza style in the US at his Taglio Pizza. He put himself out there on national television on CHOPPED, not only showcasing his pizza-making talents under intense pressure, but winning the day.

“I have so many friends in the pizza world, and unfortunately, I would say 90 percent are morbidly obese, overweight,” he says. “I myself was super overweight when I first opened. I got all the way to 260 pounds. I’m 5 foot 11 inches. So, I was a big boy. And my whole life I struggled with my weight, but I always kind of kept it off because I really wasn’t in the pizzeria scene as much as I was…once I opened my pizzeria, it was just a constant; that was just my lifestyle. And that’s the problem; our lifestyle revolves around eating good food. And unfortunately, and fortunately, the food that we make is not the healthiest…bread and cheese with very little greenery, very little lean proteins. It is not sustainable for the average person. And that’s why when you walk around these pizza expos, these guys unfortunately, they’re huge.”

Dr. Ethan Weiss is a cardiologist specializing in acute-care cardiology, coronary artery disease and general cardiology at University of California, San Francisco and a biotech executive. He is intimately aware of the issues and challenges of maintaining a healthy heart.

“I like to focus on things that are modifiable,” he says. “The most important modifiable risk factor remains cigarette smoking…I think the education around … smoking has been tremendous here in the United States. And I think it …largely accounts for the trends we’ve seen in the reduction of cardiovascular diseases. I think that’s one of the biggest — if not the biggest — single impact is the public health effort on getting people to not smoke as much.

I think it’s probably the single biggest modifiable risk factor.

The next things he believes people need to take special care of is their blood pressure and cholesterol level.

“There are three things: are you aware that you should be controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol level; are you trying to control it; and are you actually controlling it?,” he explains. “There’s a strong evidence basis that modifying the risk factor leads to a reduction in risk, which is what we really care about.”

Rob shared, for the first time, his very personal story:

“I went to my doctor for my yearly physical. I was I think 33. I just had a son. My doctor’s like, ‘your blood pressure’s through the roof. Your cholesterol’s up there. You’re a young guy. You just had a kid. You need to do something drastic,’” says Rob. “And he made me go see a weight loss specialist doctor. To which that doctor was like, listen, in the business you’re in, I’ve seen a million times; you need to something drastic.”

Rob went for gastric sleeve surgery, reducing his stomach size by 80 percent. He amazingly lost 70 pounds but now it is up to him to lead a healthy life and not regain the weight.

“I don’t really talk about my surgery a lot to a lot of people… I never really felt comfortable talking about it, only to like my close friends and family. But I think that if some of these pizza guys knew that there was someone out there in their circle that did this for myself, for my son, for my future, to be healthier. I think there are options out there. Because sometimes when you’re heavy the way these guys are, that’s a steep hill to climb, to lose that weight. It’s not easy especially you’re surrounded by pizza all day. But I am noticing a big problem. A big problem. It’s a struggle every day to keep the weight off.

“I fear for a lot of these guys lives because I think that sooner or later we’re going to start seeing these guys, unfortunately, pass away from their lifestyle.”

Unsurprisingly, exercise is a key component to better physical and mental health.

Dr. Weiss adds: “I think the hard part is getting started. Once you start, it’s easier. It starts with making time for it. You have to make it a priority…but make sure it’s something that you enjoy doing. If you hate running, then don’t start running right away. That doesn’t make any sense. There are lots of different ways to get some exercise and I think it makes sense that if you’re going to do it, you better enjoy it.

“I see a lot of guilt. People feel like ‘I should be doing this, I should be doing that.’ Walking is fine. Brisk walking is better.  Walking up hills is even better. People focus on cardio-respiratory fitness, doing things that get your heart rate up like walking, running, jogging, rowing, swimming. People tend to neglect strength training and flexibility. And those are two things that, as we get older, are really important. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it doesn’t have to involve equipment or weights… strength training can be as simple as doing, sit ups and push-ups, squats, lunges.”

Read on for additional insights from our interviewees for this piece.

John Arena:

“I have always been a proponent of exercise and a healthy lifestyle as a vital part of any business plan. When I consult for anyone contemplating diving into the pizza business one of the first things I ask is “are you physically and emotionally prepared for the rigors of operating a pizzeria? Financial uncertainty and time away from family add to stress levels that can be a ticking time bomb for a number of potentially fatal diseases.

“I was fortunate in that right around the time I began to get serious about pizza I also started a lifelong study of martial arts. This discipline and pursuit gave me a foundation physically and mentally providing me with a key component to living a healthy life in and out of pizza. Balance. I found that its vital to have some outlet away from pizza that you can throw yourself into. Pick something that is a combination of physically and intellectually challenging. For me it was martial arts. Brian Spangler restores cars and pinball machines. Giulio Adriani surfs and plays golf. And surfs.

“About 9 years ago I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. I fully believe that building a lifelong foundation of health and good habits has extended my ability to contribute to our industry and helped me to slow the progression of the disease.

“Whatever your present condition it is not too late to start. We say to ourselves “I want to exercise, diet, and see a doctor but I just don’t have time to fully commit” So what? You don’t have time to train for a marathon? Take hold of your spouse’s hand and go for a walk around the block. Lace up your running shoes and do just a little something today and then maybe tomorrow a little more and a little more. You missed a day? Good for you. Reset and start again.

“It’s not easy to directly measure your stress level. But you know when you are feeling it. What you may not think about is the detrimental effect stress is having on you.”

Dr. Weiss:

“There were some interesting observational epidemiology studies done during periods of extreme stress, where after an earthquake or a World Cup loss, or somebody gave up a big goal, that people in that people in that country would have an increased rate of heart attacks.”

Rob Cervino:

“Making pizza a high stress business, right? It’s those dinner rushes and the ordering and the staffing.

“You can’t medicate yourself with alcohol or and cigarettes; it’s eating healthy, going to the gym, taking time off from the pizzeria. t’s not sustainable to work there seven days week, open to close.

“It’s work, work, work and then you die and you never see your family. And that’s not right. And the new age coming up, I think we’re realizing that. I always take time to go on vacation. I always take time for myself. I always take family time. You have to do that. You can’t be stuck in your pizzeria. You need to trust people. You need to delegate it. Unfortunately, like I think that’s where Andrew Bellucci, like if you went to Bellucci’s at any given time he was there. You know, a lot of my customers complain that if they come to Taglio at any given time, he’s like, I’m not there that much or I’m in the basement or I’m doing the business side of things. You have to let other people make the pizza.”

Mental health is key. Some guys are too proud to talk to somebody. Talk to a therapist, talk to somebody, work out those emotional problems because being trapped in a pizzeria all day could get you in a headspace that’s not normal.

Today is a great day to start being aware of the various things that are impacting your life and taking steps to being healthy.

Rob Cervino: “(I have) a blood pressure machine at home. Yearly physicals are super important. It’s every October I go to the doctor. Full blood work, full health scan, full cholesterol, everything.

I feel good. I feel younger, I look younger, I could work faster. Honestly, I’m more efficient now. And I’m healthier.”

Jon Arena: “It’s very tempting to say, oh, my grandmother lived to 100 and she smoked four packs of cigarettes a day. I mean, you know, you can sort of find stories like this. And there’s no doubt that there are people who are blessed with this remarkable ability to get away with things that a lot of the rest of us can’t get away with. But you don’t know that, and you won’t know that until it’s too late.

people tend to find religion around things, around health after it’s gone wrong.

what we don’t want to do is, is wait for that alarm to go off.”

Let’s remember Andrew Bellucci for many things: as a great pizza man; the embodiment that there are indeed second acts in American lives; and that protecting your physical and mental health is the prime responsibility you have to yourself, your family, your staff, your customers and your community.

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A Look at Pizzerias Around the U.S.

Down North, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Down North has garnered national attention for its pizza and its purpose. “Down North Pizza is no ordinary neighborhood pizza joint,” says owner Muhammad Hadi. “We marry top-quality delicious comfort food with the mission of reducing recidivism rates in our community. Down North is a mission-led for-profit restaurant providing excellent food and quality customer service to North Philadelphia. We exclusively employ formerly incarcerated individuals while providing culinary career opportunities at a fair wage and equitable workplace. Our aim is to help erase employment barriers faced by formerly incarcerated men and women, by providing culinary career opportunities. We have a Philly style pizza that was inspired by the Detroit style pizza. It’s a 10x10x2-inch pie that has a crispy external and is nice and warm a chewy inside. People go crazy over our lamb sausage pizza. The pizza has a homemade lemon ricotta base on top of three cheese blend and topped with marinated lamb sausage and a aged garlic honey drizzle and its finished with a za’tar seasoning that gives it the perfect sweet savory balance.”

JT’s Pizza, Pub & Patio, Columbus, Ohio

“Pizza Connoisseurs of Columbus” has dubbed JT’s the best pizzeria in town. The restaurant has it all – a full menu, thriving beverage program, patio scene and hopping live music and events. The apps menu features some bar food favorites like mini corn dogs, onion petals and mozzarella sticks. The menu also highlights calzones, wings, salads and sandwiches. The pizza is the main attraction. It’s Midwest tavern style, cut into squares with several classic and signature pies to choose from. The Mindy is topped with pepperoni, mushroom, onion and tomato. JT’s offers a Pizza of the Month. Recently, it was the Cubano Pizza with a tangy mustard base, mojo-marinated pork, savory ham, creamy baby Swiss cheese and crisp pickles.

Coastline Artisan Pizzeria, Houston, Texas

This Neapolitan-inspired pizzeria is brand new to the Houston area and opened in a previous café. Long-time friends Armando DiMeo and Jordan Kone started Coastline with DiMeo long family pizzeria history and Kone’s micro biology degree and an emphasis on the science of pizza. The menu features two pizza styles, Pizza Napoletana and what the friends call Texas style pizza. The unique oblong pies are oiled, herbed and grilled to create a thin and crispy pizza. The napoletana menu features favorites like the Margherita D.O.P., Diavolo, Marinara and Bianca. Texas style pies include the Motherland with mozzarella, house tomato sauce, pesto, Parmigiano Reggiano and oregano.

The post Pizza Destinations: Down North, Philadelphia; JT’s Pizza, Pub & Patio Columbus, Oh; Coastline Artisan Pizzeria, Houston appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Q&A with Anita Craig, 2 Dough Girlz Pizzeria Birmingham, Alabama

Concept:

We fuse food, fashion and hip hop together to create a fun approach environment. Taking an artisanal approach, we create food that is flavorful, fresh and clean. We use as many fresh products as possible and limit our use of canned products. Hip hop tells a story, and pizza tells a story; combine them together and you will create a story that will last for years.

Pizza Style & Dough:

Our pizza style is artisan hand-tossed Neapolitan inspired. We use whole wheat, organic dough. Due to limited space, we partnered with a family-owned company out of New England for our dough. We tell everyone the secret ingredient is dirty Boston water.

As a new business, how are you building community in the Woodlawn neighborhood?

We have been in the Woodlawn community for some time now, building our coffee brand Trvl Love Koffee, so when the situation presented itself to open the closing pizzeria we jumped on it to do this I reached out to my sister Jennifer Craig , who along with Steve Debrow came on board to create something special for the community. In addition we give back by employing students from the high school, partnering with other local businesses and being active with the local city council.

How have you been able to create the 80s 90s vibe?

That is all Steve. He definitely brings the feel of days of the past, the family environment, the open-arms feeling with music playing in the background and sports on the TV. I will say we are definitely the pizzeria version of Cheers.

Your pizza menu is innovative. Tell us about your combination focus and flavor fusion.

We have your traditional menu items that you would find in any pizzeria. However, we also bring elements like oxtails, fried chicken, collard greens, shrimp & crawfish to create mouthwatering arts of work.

What is your main focus for the first two years of the business?

The main focus the first two years is to create a brand with staying power. We want people to love the product, the concept and the people behind it. We want to grow into new markets within the first year and start to show our true staying power as your local pizzeria!

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A Look at Pizza Places around the U.S.

Silly Al’s Pizza | Quartzsite, Arizona

Robbie Robertson helped his father Al build the restaurant in 1987. “We believe our continued success is because of our consistency,” Robbie says. “We are open every day 10-10, with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas. We have the very best employees, and we use the best and freshest products we can find. All of our Pizzas, salads and sandwiches are made to order. Our Pizzas are hand tossed and our kitchen is open so the customers can watch their food being prepared. We are always willing to adapt to changes in society and technology. We welcome all new ideas and input from employees and customers.” Silly Al’s offers a wide selection of pizza as well as a gluten-free, low carb cauliflower Parmesan crust. A house specialty pizza is Al’s Reuben Pizza with mustard, mozzarella, sauerkraut, pastrami, onions and cheddar. The menu also features appetizers, salads, sandwiches and pastas.

Slice and Dice Pizzeria | Albuquerque, New Mexico

This west side pizza spot just added a second location. The concept focuses on pizza, local beer and board games. Slice and Dice provides an extensive board game library that customers can choose from to enjoy while dining. They offer a wide menu of appetizers, salads BYO and specialty pizzas, subs and desserts. The menu also highlights vegan options. Specialty pizzas include the Blanco, a white pie with mascarpone, spinach, artichoke hearts and mozzarella. Desserts include churro dipped in cinnamon sugar with strawberry, apple or cajeta filling. Take it one step further with churro donuts.

Bird Pizzeria | Charlotte, North Carolina

This East Coast-style pizzeria was just named one of the South’s Best New Restaurants 2023 by Southern Living, referring to the menu as “purposeful and tidy”.  The menu offers a Kale Caesar and three pizza options (plain pie, white pie and vegan pie) to which customers add their favorite toppings. The list includes pepperoni, sausage, portobello/white mushroom mix, red/white onion mix, Calabrian peppers, jalapeno peppers, arugula, kale and hot honey. The quaint pizza spot has outdoor seating and a walk-up window.

The post Pizza Destinations: Silly Al’s Pizza, Quartzsite, AZ; Slice and Dice Pizzeria Albuquerque, NM; Bird Pizzeria Charlotte, NC appeared first on Pizza Today.

One pizza maker’s journey into the business after “analysis paralysis”

I opened up a pretzel vending business in 2017 after finding a gourmet pretzel from San Diego Pretzel company. I acquired an old school pretzel cart from the guy who used to sell pretzels at the Pasadena Rose Parade. Not 100 percent sure what or where was next, my wife suggested, “Why don’t you sell pretzels at the Breweries?”  Genius!

We sold pretzels from San Diego to Sacramento and many breweries in between. As a big craft beer fan, it was a great gig. Beer and Pretzels are a perfect match. I also specialized in homemade mustard, flavored mustard blends and eventually several cheese sauces. It was going great, then Covid hit. The brewery business in California was closed for on-site consumption and events. I was out of business.

After re opening, I knew my model had to shift and grow. Selling “snacks” for $4-$6 dollars was fun, but not very lucrative or even profitable some days.  I decided making pizzas was next to get that average price up to $16-$20. Beer and Pizza are also a natural pairing, plus it’s a meal! 

I went all in on learning the pizza profession. I attended Pizza Expo in Las Vegas and nerded out, learning so much from the stars of the pizza world. I listened to almost 100 podcast episodes. I learned about different doughs, oven types, tomato manufacturers, cheese and so many stories about people rising in the pizza world. I already had a great game making home pizza, but I knew so little about the logistics of going pro for the public. In preparation to going back to the breweries, I followed a suggestion to donate pizzas to a local cause. I did a dozen pop-up events in front of my house to fundraise for my son’s high school football team.

I raised almost $2,500 for the program, got some great experience and received extremely good feedback on my pizza. Several neighbors suggested a local market had a pizza oven that no one was baking in. After talking to the owner of Jackson Market I started making pizza in their wood fired oven.

Some good deeds do go unpunished!

For the last several months now, I have operated Market Pizza by Drew Butler and it has been life changing. As a longtime excellent home cook, I never wanted to make my passion into a profession for fear of it turning into “work.” And I’m sure you all know the saying, “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” It’s absolutely true. I’m doing what I love, and my customers are loving my pizza. The plethora of positive feedback has filled my tank abundantly; more than anything else I’ve ever done. I now live for it, and it has made me very happy.

Of course, any business owner knows it is hard work with long hours that you wouldn’t trade for anything. I trained my son and he improved rapidly. To work beside him was a highlight of parenting. Truly. The pizza world has amazing people, community and consumers. It’s a fantastic industry that I’m blessed to part of.

In closing, may I suggest starting your dream, your passion today. It took me way too long to start while doing “homework” and investigating, etc. All of that is fine but can lead to analysis paralysis. In reality, dreams don’t start tomorrow; dreams begin right NOW!  Go for it. Today.

DREW BUTLER is owner-operator of Market Pizza.

The post Leveling Up Your Business appeared first on Pizza Today.

Q&A with John Tabone, Bar Pazzo Scranton, Pennsylvania

Concept:

Bar Pazzo’s concept is to be “not your average” neighborhood restaurant. With a strong commitment to service, we wanted to create something not only very approachable, but also hip and classy at the same time. The menu is centered around wood-fired pizza, but it also includes scratch-made pastas, seasonal plates and house made gelato. We recently celebrated our 7th birthday and I’m very proud to see our vision unfold.

Pizza Style & Dough:

Our wood-fired pizza is Neapolitan inspired. We utilize the same methods as the iconic Napoli pizza but with a local twist. We bake our pizzas at 750 F, which is slightly lower then the approved temperature of 900 F. This allows the pizza to achieve a bit more structure and a slightly crispier crust. Our dough is 65-percent hydration and is cold fermented for at least 72 hours. We offer four staple pizzas including the classic Margherita. We also offer four seasonal, chef driven pizzas such as our “Bikini Bottom” pizza. This staff favorite has ground beef chuck, kirby cucumber pickles, chopped onion and then finished with comeback sauce!

What is your background that led you to the industry?

Growing up in a close-knit Italian American family has undoubtedly led me into the hospitality industry. Food was always front and center. I witnessed early on in life that food not only curates experiences, but also creates connections. With a curious and creative mind set I entered the restaurant business. Early on I witnessed how food, service and hospitality can have an impact on someone and quickly became obsessed. I’m now doing this over 30 years and it’s become my lifestyle.

Your Sunday Supper Series looks amazing. Tell us about how you execute these special events that draw attention to your culinary focus?

My Sunday Supper Series is an opportunity for me to challenge myself outside the monotonous vigor of running the restaurant. Each theme combines my vision of what I’m researching at the time, coupled with an old-fashioned dining experience. Very much like the clique Italian Sunday dinner where everyone rubs elbows and sits together. This promotes a lot of fun interactions with the guests. The menu and execution has to be well thought out. Without compromising quality, I do as much in advance as possible, including all the baking and pastries. As a chef, everything must be centered around the quality and presentation of the food. I leave no detail unturned, including the table scapes, music and uniforms. I source as many authentic ingredients, wines and spirits to showcase and match each theme. These multi-coursed dinners have gained a lot of momentum over the past two years and continue to be fun for both me and my Sunday Supper family!

More Conversations with Pizza Pros in People & Pizzerias.

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A Look at Pizza Places around the U.S.

Collegeville Italian Bakery & Pizzeria Napoletana | Collegeville, Pennsylvania

Steven and Patrizia Carcarey have continued a family legacy that is more than a bakery. Patrizia says, “My family is from Nusco, Italy in la Campagnia (mountain region), south of Rome. In 1970, my parents, Giovanni and Caterine, moved to America. 24 years later they started Collegeville Italian Bakery and have been baking fresh bread from scratch ever since. My husband, Steve, and I are happy to run our retail store and carry on all of our family traditions.” Since then, the couple has added on a dining room, full menu, catering and a thriving packaged goods business. Collegeville has captured a cross-section of the town’s community. On a recent The Hot Slice podcast with Pizza Today, Steve shares the unique interior flow system that encourages diners to purchase its packaged goods such as donuts and desserts. The menu features a variety of dishes — including wood-fired wings. Collegeville serves up multiple styles like Neapolitan and Detroit. Wow pizzas include the Detroit MVP, Detroit Burrata and the Breakfast Pizza. We love that the Carcarey’s use their customizable signage to celebrate and honor its staff and community.

Halo Pizzeria | Frisco, Texas

This northern Dallas suburban pizzeria recently opened serving New York style pizza. Pizzas are available in 14-inch, 18-inch and slices. The pizzeria has a scratch approach to its dressings and desserts. Halo offers a handful of appetizers, including Fried Cheese Puffs & Half Moons, fried cheddar cheese puffs with fried half moon mozzarella served with Pomodoro marinara sauce. Salads include The Goat with Arugula and mixed greens, cinnamon sugar pecans, strawberries, goat cheese and a red wine vinaigrette. A creative dessert is the Cannoli Cream Dip, which is cannoli cream with chocolate chips, strawberries and blueberries, pizzelle Italian waffle cookies and Nutella. Pizzas include The Scott with garlic butter base, mozzarella, bacon, sauteed spinach, mushrooms and caramelized onions. The Fernando White Pie features an Alfredo cheese base, mozzarella and ricotta dollops.

Mucca Pizzeria | Portland, Oregon

A major player in Italian restaurants in Portland has opened a spin off pizzeria focused on a concise menu of appetizers and Neapolitan pizza. The appetizer menu highlights a unique bruschetta with a choice of house-made ricotta and Calabrian chili; honey meatball, burrata and confit or mushrooms. The pizza menu offers delicious flavor pairings like Spicy Calabrese with homemade meatballs, nduja Calabrese, roasted eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmigiano. The North and South is topped with Prosciutto di Parma, burrata, tomato sauce, rucola, mozzarella, shaved Parmigiano and balsamic flaky sea salt. There is also the Alpina with smoked speck ham, taleggio fondue and mozzarella.

The post Pizza Destinations: Collegeville Italian Bakery & Pizzeria Napoletana, PA; Halo Pizzeria, Frisco, TX; Muccca Pizzeria, Portland, OR appeared first on Pizza Today.

Texas Pizzeria The Grove Wood Fired Pizza offers a unique pizza concept

Retired elementary school teachers turned pizza business owners Suzanne Francis, Ruth Matheny and Katie Agor created carved a retirement business that keeps the friends together. The Grove Fired Pizza in Granbury, Texas, was born. The

1.) What defines your restaurant and makes you stand out?

Our restaurant stands out because the pizza oven is outdoors where the customers can watch their pizzas being cooked. We have a covered pavilion for some of the seating, and the rest is all picnic style with tables and chairs scattered in the yard along with different outdoor games for them to play.

2.) Tell us about your pizza style(s).

Our pizza style would most likely be considered Neo-Neapolitan. We use poolish to make our dough and use 270 grams of dough to make our 12 inch pizzas. We fire them in our 800 degree oven that uses a combination of gas and wood. The pecan grove we are nestled in surely dictates that we use pecan firewood exclusively in our oven, so that’s exactly what we do.

3.) What pizza menu item do your fans go crazy over and describe it?

The menu item that our fans go crazy for is our pizza flight. We divide our regular dough ball into thirds so people can try 3 small sample pizzas instead of one regular size. We came up with this idea because if we personally went to a restaurant and were presented with options we weren’t necessarily used to, we would probably opt for a familiar pizza to be on the safe side instead of taking a risk on ordering an unfamiliar type that we might not be in love with. Our motto is “Try something new. Revisit what you love!” Sometimes people will order 2 or 3 flights so they can try different options and we love to hear them ranking and re-ranking their favorites because that’s what we do too. Our jalapeno popper pizza, with sausage, bacon, roasted jalapenos, cilantro, mozzarella and guacamole cream cheese salsa is usually the front runner for our Texas friends that love their spicy food. 

Listen to a Conversation with The Grove Owners

We met the three entrepreneurs at Pizza Expo 2023 and were luck to hear their story for our Pizza Expo Sessions on The Hot Slice Podcast. Listen to Suzanne Francis, Ruth Matheny and Katie Agor talk about how they started The Grove and its unique concept style. We also learn about those amazing pizza flights, a genius idea to let customers try three different pizzas at the same time. Listen now to Women Redefining Pizzerias.

The post Pizza Destination: The Grove Wood Fired Pizza, Granbury, Texas appeared first on Pizza Today.

Modern Apizza is Pizza Today’s 2023 Pizzeria of the Year

Modern Take

New Haven-style pizza has become synonymous as a best American pizza style. It’s not just pizza, it’s apizza pronounced “AH-BEETS”. One of New Haven, Connecticut’s ‘holy trinity” of the style resides away from the tourist capitol of Wooster Street, the birthplace of the apizza.

Sandwiched between the I-90 freeway and Yale University, Modern Apizza sits on State Street and has created its own cult following. The landmark pizzeria has been called the local’s favorite and the Boston Red Sox’ lucky charm.

Modern holds an intrinsic truth in pizza history. But it’s today’s Modern that has earned the famed restaurant Pizza Today’s coveted Pizzeria of the Year honor.

Pizza Today visited the acclaimed shop one weekday summer morning before the crowds lined its block. Greeted by a marquee awning displaying the Modern logo, it is flanked by “Traditional Brick Oven Apizza” and “Est. 1934”, it makes an impressive statement before you enter the restaurant. The long, dimly lit dining area is lined with booths leading to the counter at the end. A pass-through opening gives diners a peek into the original kitchen and original formerly cole-fueled oven. To the left is another dining area that features its historic menu board displaying prices from 1960. Photos and articles throughout the restaurant reveal key moments in its history.

Modern Apizza owner William “Billy” Pustari stretches dough.

Standing near the kitchen entrance is the man at the helm: William “Billy” Pustari, who took over the business in 1988. He ushered in a new era at Modern, right when New Haven apizza notoriety escalated. His mark will forever be ingrained into Modern’s history. With 45 years in the pizza business, Pustari says, “It was a labor of love. It’s all I know. It’s all I ever did. Never went to college. Restaurant U., that was it.”

Modern was founded in 1934 as Tony’s Apizza by Tony Tolli. The business changed hands to Louis Persano then to Nick Nuzzo, from whom Pustari purchased the pizzeria.

Pustari already owned a pizzeria in nearby Fairfield and was tipped off by his pizza box supplier that Nuzzo was ready to sell. After working in the business for 50 years and with the sudden loss of his son, Nuzzo was ready to pass the reins over to its next proprietor.

When asked if he had any reservations about taking over Modern, Pustari says, “No. Shoot from the hip.” He worked for Nuzzo, learning the ropes, during an eight-month transition, which brought in some much-needed consistency to the operation. As Pustari was being introduced to his new business, New Haven apizza saw a boom. Since Modern had already established itself as a major player in the style movement, Pustari was able to capitalize on the resurgence.

Modern Apizza Invests Back in the Business

In the early 1990s, Pustari set into motion renovations that would be a key driver to the volume Modern outputs today. First, he expanded the dining area to seat 130, added an additional oil-fired brick oven and makeline, as well as a prep kitchen. In the basement, he added a dough room that today outputs 250-pound batches of dough three times a day and converted an old wooden refrigerator into the store’s beer cooler.

Next, he tackled parking by purchasing and demolishing the neighboring fish market to create parking, a high commodity for a Northeaster urban restaurant.   

“We put everything back into this thing,” Pustari says. “We didn’t take the money and run. We threw every penny back into it. That whole side of the kitchen wasn’t there that we walked in on. The Back kitchen wasn’t there. The downstairs wasn’t there. We built all of that. We reinvested constantly.”

Pizza makers work together to make pizza at Modern Apizza in New Haven.

Streamlining Modern’s Systems

Pustari infused a laser focus on the restaurant’s systems. “What I brought was organization, just reorganizing it,” Pustari says. He created an assembly line process so efficient that he consulted with Sbarro to teach the chain how he does it. “I really enjoy that assembly line process of getting the product from here to there,” he says.

Modern sells up to 1,100 pizzas a day on the weekend, so the operation must be running at its most efficient.

Systems had to be dialed in. “It’s flowed as the business got busier because you have to gear up to what you are doing,” he says. “In the past when it wasn’t that busy, you could get away with all this stuff but you’re trying to do the volume that we do here it’s impossible. You must be well-oiled machine.”

The two-makeline setup consists of a dough opener, dresser, oven cook and cutter. You can even find pizza makers tag teaming a pizza to get it topped quickly. “Everyone knows what their job is,” he says. “You don’t have to be told. It just works. I try to explain this to people. They’ll look out there and see a line down the street and say ‘gosh, that’s got to be chaos.’ They come in my kitchen and it’s just like this (a quiet calm).”

The system is fluid and Pustari is always looking for ways to improve it. He insists, “It just happens naturally to me like people are naturally gifted at different things.”

The system depends on Modern’s 62 employees. He’s quick to credit the business’s success on his tight-knit crew. Many of the staffers have been at his restaurant for decades, a testament to the culture Pustari has created, a quiet and calm culture led by example. “If you make it here, if you start working and you’re one of us kind of, you fit in, you never leave,” he says.

There is no shouting or cursing in the kitchen, Pustari says. In fact, as the kitchen received phone orders for 27, 19 and 12 pies in a row, the crew was calm and focused on their tasks. It’s a family affair as his wife folds boxes with the team, while the father and son duo work the makeline and oven.

Modern Apizza’s Product Evolution

Modern still specializes in its charred, chewy yet crispy texture that it was founded on. The apizza was born from its meticulous dough, made from a natural mother starter and its 24-hour cold ferment.

Pustari says not much has changed on the menu since he’s taken over. Modern churns out traditional apizza from its oil-fueled brick oven. The Italian Bomb with bacon, sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, onion, pepper and garlic is still a favorite, as well as the Clams Casino with bacon and peppers.

The menu is streamlined, offering appetizers including salads and its famous garlic bread; apizza and calzones.

Where changes have been made are with the products. “Ingredients have changed from 35 years ago, just buying better products.” Pustari is proud of the  local sausage he sources, which is hand-pinched on every pie. “They bring it every day,” he says. “They call us early in the morning. We tell them how many pounds we want, and they grind it, make it and bring it over.” He would rather do business with products right down the street. Rather than dealing with the large soda companies, he opted to stock a local soda.

The beer menu also features local breweries. He even took it a step further and started collaborating with New England breweries as far back as the early 1990s to do limited edition beers only sold at the restaurant. “We did a Modern Lager, a classic Lager,” he says. “This past Monday, we made an Italian Pilsner with a brewery called Counter Weight. That is the first one I’ve done with them. So, we go down to the brewery and add in all the hops and add in all the grains and transfer it from tank to tank and spend the whole day so it’s a lot of fun. We sell them in 4-packs. This year, we’re doing a 4-pack with a t-shirt as a package. The last time we launched it, we sold 40 half barrels of the beer within two months.”

With the house beer and 10 taps combined with an assortment of wine, alcohol is six percent of its sales. “We go through beer like a bar does,” he says.

Modern Apizza Maintains its Community Reputation

While Modern has an ever increasing stream of tourists flocking to try the apizza, it’s known as the locals’ spot, something that Pustari strives to maintain. He puts his emphasis on the New Haven community. “We’ve done fundraisers for all the local cops,” he says. “Someone gets hurt, injured, you know, we jump on board on it. Fire department eat here every Friday from all the different houses in New Haven and if they need something, they have a tragedy, or something happened, we jump in on it.”

With a busy phone system, locals have also cracked the code to miss the tourist lines. “All the locals, all the people that know me, they all do that.”

Modern’s growth is only limited by time and space. The restaurant draws $5 million in annual sales without delivery or use of third-party services.

Even with all the renovations and systems in place, Pustari says they’ve reached maxed capacity. “Demand especially on the weekend is probably five times than what we do,” he says. “We could probably sell 5,000 pizzas a night if we had the capability of it.”

Pustari and his team focus on optimizing what they can with the set number of hours and 2,800 square feet.

“We’re really good at retaining our clientele. We are really, really good and there’s a big face on it. It’s my face on it all the time and that’s why I don’t try to bastardize it.”

Pustari is constantly asked about opening more locations and new ventures, but his resolve is strong. “It’s not my thing,” he says. “I’d rather just have it nice, mellow and easygoing; you know. I love the restaurant business. I’m a social person. I can’t do office work. I can’t sit down, I can’t write. I can’t spell but I can cook and that’s what I like to do.”

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

New Haven Apizza

Pizza Today overs coverage of common pizza styles in the U.S. New Haven apizza is a favorite American pizza style that has expanded beyond New Haven to cities across the country. Explore more on New Haven-style Pizza:

What is New Haven apizza?

Take a New Haven Pizza Tour with Pizza Today. 

Check out how New Haven style pizza has fared nationally in our Guide to the 2023 National “Best Pizzas” Lists

Learn more about Apizza in an in depth interview Frank Zabski on The Hot Slice Podcast. Frank operates the New Haven Pizza School.

Modern Apizza Pizzeria of the Year receives national media attention

Since we announced Modern Apizza as our Pizza Today 2023 Pizzeria of the year, the designation has received a number of national media stories. Check out a few of the media outlets spotlighting 2023 Pizzeria of the Year Modern Apizza:

Food & Wine: This Pizza Joint Was Just Named Pizzeria of the Year, and No, It’s Not in New York or Chicago

Patch: Pizza Today ‘Zine Names Modern Apizza Eatery Best Pizzeria For 2023

Eat This, Not That!: This Is America’s Pizzeria of the Year for 2023

Parade: The Pizzeria of the Year Was Just Named—And It’s Not What You Expect

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Check out up-and-comers in the pizza industry

We’ve named breakout pizzeria professionals to our 2023 Rising Stars of the Pizza Industry. Find out the talented pizza people who made the list.

The post Rising Stars of the Pizza Industry 2023 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Charlie Webb, Owner

Hudson & Packard, Poughkeepsie, NY

Instagram Handle: @hudsonandpackard

Charlie Webb, Owner of Hudson & Packard in Poughkeepsie, New York, has been named a Rising Star of the Pizza Industry 2023 by Pizza Today. Read a quick Q&A with Charlie.

How did your time at the Culinary Institute of America aid you starting your Detroit style pizzeria?

My time at the culinary helped lay the foundation of my culinary skillset. We learn about so many different cuisines while we’re there and you build this network of great chefs and friends you can always call upon. We try to get creative with our specials and the time I spent at the CIA definitely helped with that. They really push you to think about what your doing and to hold a high standard, and that’s also translated into my pizzeria as well. We try and prep as much in house as we possibly can.

What are the challenges you’ve addressed in your brick-and-mortar pizzeria that didn’t exist in the pop-up?

We opened the restaurant right in the middle of Covid and its been a learning experience every single day. At the popup you don’t own any of the equipment so when it breaks you just call someone to fix it and never have to think about it. Having the b&m everything is on you. You have to be so much more than the guy who makes great pizza. Right now, we’re trying to find a bigger space to grow into. We’ve grown so much in the last 3 years, we’re running out of room and unlike the popup we can’t just rent more space!

With a military background, what role has your service played in your operation and leadership of the business?

People will come in and tell me they could tell I’m a Veteran. We are clean, constantly sweeping and wiping down during service. My time in the Army has taught me attention to detail and i credit my service for instilling my ability to be calm and crack a smile when things are crazy on busy nights. I also understand that most of my employees didn’t come up in the military, so I try and remember that when mistakes are made. I don’t like to yell and think if you treat your staff with respect and show that you value them, it goes a lot further. I’m very thankful to have served and appreciate all that it taught me. It’s definitely helped in running the restaurant.

»» More Rising Stars

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Alex White (34), Dani Garcia-White (32), Cameron White (39), Justin Ford (38), Co-owners

Yukon Pizza Downtown Las Vegas, NV

Instagram handles: @alexcreagwhite, @dani_oakley_69, @cameronsmwhite, @j_pizza_lv

Alex White, Dani Garcia-White, Cameron White and Justin Ford, Co-owners of Yukon Pizza in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, have been named Rising Stars of the Pizza Industry 2023 by Pizza Today. Read a quick Q&A with Dani.

What did it take for you to grow from pop-up to a brick-and-mortar pizzeria?

Patience, vision, and a strong, supportive team. I spent a lot of my early pizza making days solo, doing everything from start to finish on my own. As my little pizza passion project grew and grew – taking on catering jobs and private events – I knew that I needed to scale up my operation. Growing from a backyard pop-up pizza maker to a full restaurant was a daunting task, and we didn’t know exactly where to start or what to do. When the pandemic hit, we started slinging pizzas out of our backyard for all of our friends and family who were suddenly in isolation and out of work. After a couple weeks, we were seeing more new faces than familiar ones, and the word was out about our little backyard sourdough pizzeria.

Jolene Manina, founder of Secretburger.com, had heard about Yukon Pizza from friends and neighbors and approached us with a unique and exciting opportunity – to be a part of a shared kitchen concept that would allow us to sell food to the public in a proper restaurant setting. Vegas Test Kitchen was a 2 year incubator for Yukon Pizza – it allowed us to create menus, dial in training and operations, and build a customer base in our community. This visibility and success led to a meeting with a prominent downtown Las Vegas developer who wanted to see our dreams realized. After a few months of meetings and negotiations, we signed a lease on a space in the historic Huntridge Neighborhood in Las Vegas. After a 9 month build out of our restaurant, which features our wood fired oven in the main dining area, we opened our doors in December of 2022. Truly family owned and operated, we are elated at Yukon Pizza to be open and serving up pizzas to our amazing pizza community.

Tell us more about your 125-year-old starter and the effect it has on your pizza crust?

Our sourdough starter is the key to our pizza. Passed down from our great-great-great Grandfather Gilbert, it has traveled far and wide from the Yukon to Alaska, down to Seattle and eventually into southern California where my parents grew up. Our sourdough has a real history, and we love to keep the tradition alive with our pizzas. We make an artisanal Neapolitan style pizza that blisters beautifully, providing a thin outer crispy shell that gives way to pillowy, soft interior dough. We also make NY style pizzas for our slice window and the thin, crispy, cheesy slices are always a hit. We also have a small bread program where I make sourdough focaccia and sandwich breads for our kitchen menu items. We work hard to deliver a unique sourdough pizza experience, sharing our history and our love for what good bread and pizza can do is our goal every day. As I like to say – Taste a slice of history!

We work hard to live up to the depth and quality of our sourdough. We want to showcase its special characteristics by pairing it with the best tomatoes, cheese, and toppings. When you try Yukon Pizza for your first time, there is a discovery of flavor and balance in all of our pizzas. Letting the quality of the food speak for itself is our goal, so we treat every aspect of our menu with care and thought to the final pizza experience. Our Chef Justin Ford has over 20 years of experience in the industry, providing guidance and devotion to a memorable food journey.

»» More Rising Stars

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Thiago Vasconcelos (38), Owner

Pedroso’s Pizza, Austin TX

Instagram handle: @pedrosospizza @pizzaiologist

Thiago Vasconcelos, Owner of Pedroso’s Pizza in Austin, Texas, has been named a Rising Star of the Pizza Industry 2023 by Pizza Today. Read a quick Q&A with Thiago.

What are the keys to your success as a permanently parked pizza trailer?

Austin Texas is a really friendly food truck/trailer city, here it’s not required to move your trailer/truck at the end of the day making your mobile business kind of a small brick and mortar. This allowed us to have regular customers that know exactly where we are and can locate us when they want, with that in mind, location was everything for us.  We are parked next to a bar called ‘The Night Owl’ and it works like a partnership for us, we get some of their customers and they get some of ours, but most of our clientele comes from the neighborhood.  Once a few locals tried our pizza, news spread like wildfire, local Austianiets absolutely love to support local/small business.  We’re in a residential area that is growing like crazy and having our commissary kitchen located only 8 minutes away from us is a big plus as well.  We produce everything from the commissary and transfer it in our van every morning before opening, it is quite the hussle moving a kitchen in and out of a trailer almost daily.

As a veteran pizza maker turned pizza business owner, what made the transition work for you?

A few different things happened at the right time. The idea was never to open a pizza trailer, we had some people that were going to back us financially and we were looking for a brick n’ mortar. Then one month before we were set to pull the trigger the pandemic started, no one had funds to invest anymore, everyone was saving money. I was frustrated by this but now I had to start my own thing from zero, I came across a company that made these really small trailers and knowing how friendly Austin Texas is to this business model I decided to dive in. My wife Alissa Gibson and I got what little money we had and bought this tiny 7’x12′ trailer, along with the cheapest equipment we could find and launched ‘Pedroso’s Pizza The Trailer’ in the middle of the pandemic. Everyone thought we were crazy, but at the time the idea of just coming to a window and getting your food with very little contact made a lot of sense for us. Experience was a main factor as well, knowing the product, how to get it done and how to get it done with cheap equipment was a test to everything I had learned in all my years of making pizza. This is also a totally ominous environment we’re working in, you never imagine yourself making pizza in monsoon rains and then two days later dealing with triple digit heat. The temperatures in Austin can go from 25 F to 105 F throughout the year, making it really difficult to work with something so delicate like pizza dough and our trailer at that time was two aluminium sheets of metal protecting us from all the elements. This was all very challenging for us but we were determined to succeed.

You upgraded your pizza trailer. What made you decide to invest in a new trailer and how has the new trailer allowed you to grow?

In that first trailer we managed to have everything we needed inside including a 30 qt mixer and storage for our small operation. My wife and I did everything out of that trailer for over a year, and we kind of really just let things happen, no marketing, very little social media, we knew we couldn’t handle too much volume at that time. We were fortunate enough to allow our business to grow organically and the immense support from our customers really propelled the progress of the business. At the time we had no idea if it was all going to work out or not, if we needed a bigger trailer or tried to find people to invest in the business and open a brick and mortar. We just got to the point that we were too busy for our size, with a wait time of over an hour and 30 minutes for a pie and in the end there were four people working in a space the size of a restroom. That’s when we decided to go the easiest and fastest route and it would allow us to grow instantaneously with less investment, so we bought a 8’x20′ trailer and doubled our capacity overnight. We added an extra oven and more refrigeration and now had the capacity of baking 8 pies at a time, that with all our prep and dough now being done out of our commissary kitchen made us grow over 200% in comparison to the previous year. It’s crazy to think that we sell more out of this trailer now than my uncle used to sell at his pizza place, but we’ve also pretty much hit a wall again. Next step, brick and mortar.

»» More Rising Stars

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Drew Butler (53), Owner/ Operator

Market Pizza by Drew Butler, Culver City, CA 90232

Instagram Handle: @marketpizzabdb

Drew Butler, Owner/ Operator of Market Pizza by Drew Butler, Culver City, California, has been named a Rising Star of the Pizza Industry 2023 by Pizza Today. Read a quick Q&A with Drew.

How did you choose to get involved with pizza at a Farmer’s Market?

The market chose me! I was fundraising in the neighborhood for my son’s high school football team when several neighbors mentioned that Jackson Market had a pizza oven in the back no one was using. They had lost a couple chefs, and Covid happened, but we made a deal for me to start baking pizzas! The market is great. It’s original from 1925 and a real neighborhood fixture for food and drinks. They have a nice garden patio with fountains and fish ponds nestled under a vine covered arbor.

You began with a pretzel business. What lessons did that teach you before you got into pizza?

The most important lesson from the Pretzel biz was understanding my costs. And understanding the costs I didn’t understand yet, in other words didn’t know about. There was a factor of 4-5 times my equipment costs to have the capital I needed, the reserves and even back up contingencies. I feel like that ratio works in pizza too. Translation, count on spending 4-5 times as much as you originally think.

Where do you plan to take this dream next?

I am striving for excellence in pizza and service experience for Market Pizza. My highest priority is the uniqueness of my dough and the special time my 67-hour process deserves. It all starts with the crust — the rest is just toppings! Gourmet toppings for sure, but we have a pretty level playing field for tomatoes, cheese, meats and veggies. The crust is my signature. It’s what defines my pizza from everyone else’s.  It’s got my name on it, so it’s got to be great!

»» More Rising Stars

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Jhonathan Naranjo Estrada (37), Founder & CEO

JoJo’s Ny Style Pizza Inc. — Hollywood, Florida

Jhonathan Naranjo Estrada, Founder & CEO of multiple unit JoJo’s Ny Style Pizza Inc. in Hollywood, Florida, has been named a Rising Star of the Pizza Industry 2023 by Pizza Today. Read a quick Q&A with Jhonathan.

How were you able to build your business through the carryout and delivery model?

The key elements necessary to creating this high flow have been staying open late, having a great product an excellent customer service and an easy to navigate menu with lots of options to choose from, also by working side by side with third party delivery companies like UberEats, Doordash, Grubhub, Slice and a few more have been a blessing. We also have great consistency in our product since day one so word of mouth has always played a big part in building our brand & business up.

You have added dine-in. How has adding dine-in helped your business?

On May 1, 2022, we expanded the business to a second location. This time with more space to be able to offer our customers the dine-in experience. Now our customers are able to enjoy fresh pies straight from the oven with their friends & family by doing so they get the best possible experience, with that word of mouth has exploded between the community. The sales for the new location confirm that by having closed the first year of business with $450,000 in sales with 30 percent of those sales being dine-in customers.

What has been key to you growing your business and what’s next?

The key to growing the business has been organization no body its perfect and sometimes we make wrong decisions but when organization its rooted on everything we do its always easier to get back on track if you are organized. As far as the future of JoJo’s Ny Style Pizza our second store has proven to us that whatever we are doing we are doing it right so the goal is to keep replicating this formula by either opening more corporate stores or selling the rights to operate JoJo’s Ny Style Pizza stores to future franchisees.

»» More Rising Stars

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Gemma Cataldo (18), Manager

Antonio’s Italian Restaurant — Elkhart, Indiana

Instagram handle: @gemgemcataldo is my personal handle, however, my sister and I have a joint account for pizza only related content and that is @thecataldosisters.

Pizza Champion Gemma Cataldo, manager at Antonio’s Italian Restaurant in Elkhart, Indiana, has been named a Rising Star of the Pizza Industry 2023 by Pizza Today. Read a quick Q&A with Gemma.

What has it been like following in your father’s footsteps by winning the Traditional Division at the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo?

After winning the Traditional Division at the IPC this year in March, the overall feeling was, “is this real?” Winning the Traditional Division, in particular, was really special to me. Because my dad, Paul, had won the Traditional Division title in 2019. It holds more meaning to me knowing that we both share in this accomplishment. It took several days, even after we had returned home, for the realization to finally sink in that I had won the title of World Pizza Champion. I was both overwhelmed and blessed to receive this award.

You’re pretty new to competing at just 18 years of age, correct?

I have only competed one previous time in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the “Young Pizza Maker of the Year” Competition where I placed third. However, I have been to numerous shows with my dad both here in the United States, as well as internationally in Parma, Italy. I have watched him compete and grow in knowledge about the industry for many years. This prompted my initial entry in the Atlantic City competition.

What’s next for you?

I recently graduated high school early in March and I will be attending Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, this fall. I plan on studying Dental Hygiene, though I have no intention of leaving the pizza industry behind. The pizza industry has always had a special place in my life, and going to college will not prohibit my desire to continuously improve and learn. My sister, Carmela, and I are already working on new pizzas and flavors for the 2024 IPC. In terms of more immediate action, I am becoming more involved with Women in Pizza to support and highlight the talents of women in the pizza industry, especially young women who are just starting.

More from Gemma:

My family business has always been an important part of my life, most specifically with my formation as a young adult. From the time I was ten years old, I have always played a part in some capacity — bussing tables, making salads and appetizers, being a line cook for five years, and eventually landing in the pizza kitchen when my older sister, Carmela, left for college. The past two years have been a constant immersion on honing my skills — namely with dough development and flavor profiles. As a family business, I have spent a majority of my life working alongside my sisters and dad. One of the main reasons that I continue my passion for cooking is because of my family. My dad never forced us to compete or pressured us into continuing the business; my four sisters and myself have all chosen to be present and active in our family business because of the love we all carry for culinary excellence as well as for each other. My hope is to carry on, to some degree, the knowledge my dad has shared with all of my sisters and I, and to apply it to whatever we encounter next in life. And of course that includes making delicious pizza!

»» More Rising Stars

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Neel Vaidya (38), Owner

Troy’s Italian Kitchen — Arlington, Virginia

Instagram handle: @troysitaliankitchen

Neel Vaidya, owner of Troy’s Italian Kitchen in  Arlington, Virginia has been named a Rising Star of the Pizza Industry 2023 by Pizza Today. Read a quick Q&A with Neel.

How are you able to navigate the niche Vegan market?

As vegetarians ourselves, we aim to please all walks of life. We have successfully tapped into our local vegan community and created a reliable and tasty source of delicious vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free foods that are not readily available to many communities in the US. Dietary restrictions, whether for health or ethical reasons, shouldn’t be a reason someone can’t enjoy a restaurant meal.

What is your process when experimenting with adding creative flavors to pizza?

We think of all the different foods we’ve enjoyed, and what flavors really made that dish pop. We then take those flavors and experiment at home until we find a winning combination.

What is your community outreach strategy?

We’re very fortunate to have a community that helps us with outreach. Many of the events we cater, and our customers who visit our brick and mortar are by word of mouth. We also take the time to visit our local Facebook groups to let customers know what we provide. We also love to participate in local events and hold fundraisers for our schools.

»» More Rising Stars

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How I ended up at the White House

So I went to the White House. I didn’t just go to the White House, I saw the President speak in the Rose Garden, which would’ve been an experience in and of itself, but on top of that, while leaving and walking out, I was one of the people who was close by enough to do a brief meet and greet and shake his hand, which turned into the official POTUS Instagram and Twitter sending a photo of us out that night. They reposted it thrice during Small Business Week, which is why I was in Washington, D.C.

The larger story to the pizza community here is not that I had an interesting experience; the takeaway is that this business can provide these experiences to any of us because I am you. I have been in your position if you have one store or a part of a chain. Owning a small business, especially a pizzeria your town loves, can open a world of possibilities. Experiences like competing internationally, speaking at Pizza Expo and winning large-scale Guinness World Record attempts are all an off-shoot of doing what we all do. The more you do it, the more opportunities present themselves. Whichever ones you decide to take on.

I chose early on to do as many cool things as possible while riding this train. It’s possible when you:

• Create systems and KPIs for your restaurants to function without you for a few days.
• Learn how to mobilize these experiences as marketing efforts so the press runs you receive translate into new customers.
• Last but most important, choosing to say yes.
• Yes, to competing in baking competitions. Yes, to participating in local awards. Yes, to getting out of your comfort zone.
• Everyone can turn this path into a rich life full of unique experiences, whether or not it’s The White House or elsewhere.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

So, a little backstory. I applied to be a small business person of the year for the Tulsa Regional Metro Chamber. The chamber leadership encouraged me to do so; I thought, “Oh jeez, I don’t want to fill this thing out.” Even though it was only four pages.

Once I was chosen for Tulsa,  the same application was forwarded to the state competition; they thought our story was interesting enough for us to win for the state of Oklahoma. Mind you; I did nothing more at this point. Then, I get invited to D.C. for a national awards conference to announce the national winner.

Upon landing in Washington, I received an e-mail from the White House asking for my social to do a background check because the award winners were invited to a small business press conference at the White House. I was dumbfounded by how far this simple application had gone.

When I was at this fancy and, yes, also schmancy, awards dinner, I noticed the other 49 states had businesses from across the board.

All types of businesses were represented, but most were mom-and-pop organizations. Whether it was steel manufacturing, coffee shops or Ethiopian food, the goal of this SBA-run awards banquet was to show off all walks of life in American small businesses.

And my grand point here is that you don’t know what will come of anything you say yes to, so say yes to all of it, especially in your first few years of business. At some point, it shifts from what I can do to what I should do, but when the investment of time is just filling out an application, you should always do that. You should apply for every award. You should apply for every nomination, no matter what it is.

If you get the win, great. If you don’t win, nothing has changed. But when you try long enough, you will win, and you can consistently market the win, which puts money into your restaurant. That makes it healthier, which helps your staff get more tips, and keeps tax dollars in your community.

If you think to yourself, “I don’t want to be a braggy beaver on some stage,” you need to get over that because you, as the face of your business, represent more than just yourself.

So take it all on, say yes, stand out, and see where it takes you.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Small Business Person of the Year appeared first on Pizza Today.

Two days in Toronto doesn’t sound like much, but I managed to find enough time to check out pizza from 35 different shops. The bulk of my slice intake was via the judges’ table at the Restaurants Canada food show. Unlike the competitions I’ve judged in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Naples the competitors in Toronto all hailed from the immediate area. That meant I got a major dose of the local pizza scene without leaving the convention center. What I found was a city in the middle of a major pizza awakening.

Most sources point to the late 1950s as pizza’s arrival in Toronto. I’ve seen articles that refer to a pizzeria called Vesuvio in 1957 and a 1956 article referencing a restaurant called Gaggia House, which served “espresso coffee and delicious pizza pie among many Italian delicacies.” This being the case, Toronto’s first wave of pizza popularity was likely a thin crust style similar to that found in New York City at the time. The next big trend followed a wave of Neapolitan pizza with places like Pizzeria Libretto in 2008 and Queen Margherita in 2010.   

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

Since then, the pizza scene in Toronto has exploded beyond the confines of Neapolitan pizza. Based on what I saw at the competition, there’s a real focus on expressing the city’s multicultural makeup through its pizza. One memorable pie transposed the flavors of Khao Soi, the rich northern Thai noodle soup, onto a gluten free base. Another highlighted the flavors of Vietnamese Pho using the neo-Neapolitan format.

One of my favorites of the competition came from a pizzeria called Levant. The pizzaiolo used Sicilian pizza as the platform for a trio of Palestinian dishes. One third of the pizza was shawarma with parsley pesto, the next section had kofta meatballs, fried onions, and cream, then the final section was Mediterranean meat lovers drizzled with garlic confit and oregano sauce. The grand prize went to a pizza that expressed a Persian eggplant dish called Kashke Bademjan on a Detroit style crust, complete with an exaggerated frico edge. Most of the competition entries were just like this in that they paid tribute to the pizzaiolo’s own cultural heritage. 

When I left the show each day, I made my way to some local pizzerias that weren’t involved with the competition. I saw more signs of a pizza scene pushing the boundaries. The clearest example came from a couple local serial entrepreneurs who got into the pizza business a few years ago with Big Trouble Pizza in Toronto’s Chinatown. They welcomed controversy with their Butter Jam Jam pizza, a tribute to the owners’ favorite childhood snack of buttered toast with jam. The pizza has mozzarella, organic raspberry jam, butter cream, a drizzle of balsamic reduction, and lemon zest. It might not read as pizza, but it tastes ridiculously fresh. That’s what I love about Toronto’s pizza scene; it isn’t tied to any one tradition so it allows itself to be teased into any format that works for the consumer.

Toronto is one of the most diverse cities on the planet, with an estimated 250 ethnicities speaking 170 languages across the greater metro area, so it’s no surprise that the cuisine reflects the city’s complexity. What’s most interesting is that some of the best pizza I tasted was presented by newcomers to the pizza business. They’ve learned by watching others on YouTube and Instagram and by reading the barrage of pizza books that have landed in stores over the past few years. It’s just more proof that this is a food that thrives on its ability to be constantly reinvented.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

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A Q&A Mya Anitai, Franny’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, Highlands, New Jersey

Mya Anitai took over a longstanding pizzeria in Highlands, New Jersey in May 2019.

Concept:

Franny’s Pizzeria & Restaurant in Highlands, NJ is a neighborhood, family (and dog) friendly, classic beach BYOB hangout with indoor and outdoor seating. Our goal is to offer delicious food at a fair price with a focus on high quality, fresh ingredients. Franny’s is known for both its pizza and full red sauce. Franny’s red sauce lunch and dinner, featuring rotating seasonal specials, local seafood, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options, is a hit.

Pizza Style:

Franny’s serves three types of pizza: classic, New York style flour-tossed round, oil-pressed, square granny pie and deep dish Sicilian.

What’s been key to successfully offering multiple pizza styles?

Social media has been key to advertising and showcasing our different styles. We have tripled the sales of the grandma pie made w/ Franny’s marinara sauce and the Tipsy Nonna made with vodka sauce since taking over in May of 2019.

How were you able to rebrand an existing pizzeria so effectively?

Francesco’s had been in business for 40 years before I purchased the restaurant and took over. With great bones and a neighborhood of nostalgic support, I worked steadily to modernize the menu and increase ingredient quality across the board. The most popular dishes from Francesco’s stayed as well as specials directly from my Richmond, Virginia restaurant Dinamo (@dinamorichmond). I spent months monitoring sales and learning my customer’s dining desires before fully rebranding and becoming Franny’s.

What advice do you have for up-and-coming women operators?

I purchased Franny’s when my youngest daughter was three months old. She spent days with me, taking naps on my back in a sling carrier while I worked. The home/work life balance is difficult to maintain but not impossible. My advice to women operators is to know the ins and outs of their business. Find and hire trustworthy employees when possible and treat them well. Kindness, honesty and generosity among your employees and customers goes very far.

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Ranger Joe’s Pizza in Kalispell, Montana proves a pizza worth traveling for

Ranger Joe’s Pizza in Kalispell, Montana is a destination pizzeria in Montana centered around what the state known for adventure. The pizza company’s brand is on point with its adventurous theme. But first let’s explore a gallery of photos provided by Ranger Joe’s Pizza showcasing the concept, design and branding.

Ranger Joe’s Pizza Concept & Branding Photo Gallery

Discover Ranger Joe’s Pizza in 3 Questions and Answers

We asked owner Joe Ledwidge three questions about his unique pizza spot to learn more about the pizza company’s concept, the pizzeria’s branding, pizza styles and its pizza menu.

1.) What defines your restaurant and makes you stand out?

Our theme is the outdoors with adventure at the center of our décor. Our slogan is “Adventure is not complete without PIZZA!” It was themed after a hike me, my sons, nephews, son-in-law and friend went on in Glacier National park here in Montana in 2017. It turned out to be more elevated and challenging than we expected. It was 13 miles round trip, the hottest summer in 10 years. Through it all, I kept everyone motivated and led the pack all the way through black bear and grizzly country. Once back the next day, I was ceremoniously promoted to “Ranger Joe” for keeping all motivated and focused on completing what we set out to do. The pizza shop has the original hiking gear from that day adorning the walls. We also have animal mounts, park signs, fishing gear and other adventure decorations to give it that outdoor feeling when you walk-in.

2.) Tell us about your pizza style(s).

We have three styles: NY hand tossed, Detroit Deep Dish and Sicilian style pizzas. We also have calzones, cheese breads and mountain cinnamon sticks desert.

We are the only pizza shop offering Detroit Deep dish and Sicilian style in the Flathead Valley.

We have customers that drive from Missoula, which is over 100 miles away just for our pizza.

We cold ferment our dough in the walk-cooler on average from 2-4 days in order to develop the outstanding flavor of our pizza crust, we cook our sauce in house with a secret blend of spices and we cook our Italian sausage in-house which our customers really appreciate. We’ve been doing it this way since the 80’s when my parents owned their pizza shops.

We have a slice bar that offers all our styles of pizza to get that quick fix for RangerJoe’s.

3.) What pizza menu item do your fans go crazy over and describe it?

The “Big Fork” which is a Detroit Deep Dish pizza with mozzarella, provolone, triple cheese mix for the edges, Pepperoni, Sausage, onions and topped off with pizza sauce, ricotta dollops, parmesan/Romano cheese and Mike’s Hot honey drizzled on top.

The “Honey Bear” which is a NY hand tossed pizza with a white Alfredo based sauce, garlic. Spinach, Italian sausage, mozzarella and provolone cheese and finished off with Rosa Grande “Cup and Char” pepperonis. Once out of the oven it is sprinkled with more parmesan cheese and topped with a light drizzle of Mike’s Hot honey.

The Pizza at Ranger Joe’s Pizza Photo Gallery

More US Pizza Destinations

A look at two other unique pizzerias in the U.S. that people are traveling to. They provide unique setting, pizza products and a concept to make desired “must visit” pizza places.

O’Zone Pizza Pub, Pensacola, Florida

It’s a local haunt, literally. The pizzeria resides in the basement the old Sacred Heart Hospital and is rumored to have ghosts roaming its halls. The gothic 1915 building makes for a unique setting for a destination pizzeria. The pizza pub features a honed in menu of appetizers, salads and pizza. The apps menu highlights the house-made East Hill Hummus topped with feta, tomatoes, and served with house-made flatbread. The pizza menu spotlights the Ponderosa Stomp with cheddar, bbq sauce, roast chicken, bacon, green peppers red onion and a drizzle of honey. The menu also suggests trying the pie with cream cheese and jalapenos. The Pesto Vecchio is topped with ricotta, Roma tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts and basil pesto.

Nicky’s Coal Fired, Nashville, Tennessee

Nicky’s was recently dubbed on of Tennessee’s best pizzas by EnjoyTravel. The coal-burning pizzeria is a rarity in the state and its sourdough starter makes its pizza a standout. The counter-service spot serves up Italian dishes. There is even a bagel shop. Nicky’s offers a special vegan menu, featuring the Be Hive Zaza with red sauce, plant-based pepperoni and mozzarella. The pizza menu highlights That’s Hot with spicy Italian sausage, hot giardiniera, garlic, mozzarella and grana Padano. There is also The Goat with spinach, whipped goat cheese, prosciutto cotto and smoked provolone.

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JoJo’s NY Style Pizza CEO shares how the pizza shop serves some of America’s best pizza

Miami is known to be the hottest pizza scene in South Florida and a major pizza city in the U.S. One rising pizza company in Hollywood, Florida is proving that some of the best pizza resides outside of metro Miami. JoJo’s NY Style Pizza is growing and should be on your pizza radar.

Jhonathan Naranjo Estrada, Founder/CEO at JoJo’s NY Style Pizza in Hollywood, Florida

We asked founder and CEO Jhonathan Naranjo Estrada about the concept, JoJo’s pizza style and pizzas on the menu that customers go crazy for. Check out Jhonathan’s responses:

What defines your restaurant and makes you stand out?

We opened our first shop in March 13 2016 in Hollywood Florida, six years later in 2022 we sold $1.5 Million out of the very same location which consist of only 650 SF in size. The concept of the shop it’s takeout and delivery only with no alcohol sales due to the fact that the spaces next door to us are occupied by other businesses one of them being corporate dominos, with that cutting off our chances of expanding the restaurant to a dine in section. But nevertheless, on May 1^st, 2022 we finally did expanded to our second location in Lake Worth, Florida. It’s been about 11 months since the grand opening, and we already have sales of over $400,000. This time the new shop has twice the amount of space with outside sitting to be able to offer the dine in experience to our customers.

Tell us about your pizza style(s).

The high quality, consistency and freshness of our products along with our outstanding customer service and super-fast delivery service would be the main things that defines us as the best pizza shop in town. What really makes us stand out from the rest would be our ginormous pizza slices that are carved from a 30” cheese pie with the option to fully customize those slices however you want by choosing from an array of over 32 different toppings available like fresh vegetables, meats, seafood to never seen toppings on pizza shops like fried sweet plantains. Another important thing to point out would be that we are the only pizzeria in the area that offers 7 different pizza sizes ranging from 10”, 12”, 14”,16”,18”, 20” and 30” pies by doing so we are able to accommodate patrons with different budget styles.

When it comes to the pizza style we solely focus on the New York Style and by that we mean thin crunchy crust with perfectly and evenly applied sauce and flavorful mozzarella cheese.

What pizza menu item do your fans go crazy over and describe it?

The most popular pizza item we have on our menu that our customers go crazy for would have to be the “Pepperoni Lovers” which consist of our New York style crust overloaded with pepperoni and drizzled with mikes hot honey topped with fresh basil. Our next best seller would be the “Tropical Hawaiian” made with crumbled bacon, ham, pineapple topped with a blend of grated parmesan and roman cheese. Last but not least would be the “Happy Pizza” made with fried sweet plantain, bacon bits also topped with parmesan Romano cheese. Our customers also love our made to order “Calzone & Strombolis” that are also fully customizable to the customer preference of toppings.

Check out more of the pizzas at JoJo’s NY Style Pizza on JoJo’s Instagram.

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A Look at Pizza Destinations Around the U.S.

Robert’s Pizza & Dough Company

Chicago, Illinois

Robert’s Pizza’s ambiance shines on Chicago’s Ogden Slip of the Chicago River with boat access to the restaurant. The artisan thin-crust pizza has a great chew and crunch and a beautifully charred cornicione. Robert’s uses a 25-year-old wild yeast starter that Robert Garvey developed in his downtown Chicago home kitchen – the same place the dough recipe was created – with a long cold ferment. Fan favorites include The Duck a Rita, Robert’s spin on the Margarita featuring buffalo mozzarella and fresh roasted tomatoes and fresh basil with cured duck breast. Another favorite is The Fennel, featuring fresh mozzarella, pickled fennel, braised fennel, fennel salumi, fennel fronds, fennel pollen, and honey. The restaurant recently introduced Detroit-style pizza offered once a week. The Detroit style is made using a two-day ferment, high hydration dough, cooked in classic blue steel pans from Detroit. Some Detroit pizzas featured recently were the Cup & Char Pepperoni; Grilled (house-made) Sausage & Caramelized Onions; Margarita (The Rita); and Roasted Veggie.

Allday Pizza

Austin, Texas

Bon Appétit highlighted Allday Pizza as one of “The Hottest New Restaurants That Opened in March 2023” touting its “super thin, thoughtfully topped pies, followed up by a cup of soft-serve.” The newly opened shop have received a buzz of local media for its New York-style pizza by the slice or whole pies, meatballs and soft serve ice cream. The pizza shop is in a shared space with Flo’s Wine Bar & Bottle Shop to provide a strong patio and sleek interior vibe of wine and pizza. A house cheese pizza is elevated with burrata cheese dollop on top.

Full of Life Flatbread

Los Alamos, California

The bakery restaurant has garnered a national reputation making Gayot’s 2023 Best Pizza Restaurants in the U.S.A. feature at No. 6., praising Full of Life’s use of local and seasonal ingredients. The Flatbread menu features Fire-Roasted Tomato Salsa with wood-oven charred tomato, serrano and garlic salsa, chipotle, roasted corn, black beans, cilantro, red onion, whole milk mozzarella and garlic oil. There is also the Coachella Valley Date and Bacon with walnuts, smoked creamy leek sauce, blue cheese, onion and fresh arugula. The Central Coast Sausage features Heritage Pork, Blue Agave & Fennel Sausage, smoke-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, caramelized onions, garlic oil and whole milk mozzarella.

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What makes a great pizza town?

I don’t think New Haven is a great pizza town. WAIT! Before you throw your magazine across the room or close the browser tab, allow me to explain. There’s a big difference between a great pizza town and a town that has great pizza. New Haven has incredible pizzerias, but they all make the city’s indigenous style of “apizza.” I love New Haven, but aside from a couple exceptions it’s a one-trick pony. In my opinion, a great pizza town has a mosaic of styles and formats that offer unique experiences and tell unique stories.

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

Take New York for instance; this is a city with deep pizza history and style diversity. As far as we know, NYC had pizza before any other city in the U.S., with records showing pizzerias in lower Manhattan by 1894. This alone doesn’t make New York a great pizza town, but the fact that New York spawned multiple pizza styles since the late 19th century sure does. In the 1940s, pizzerias switched from the earlier coal-fired brick ovens to smaller stainless-steel gas-fueled ovens. This brought the advent of the classic New York slice, which has been replicated across the globe. Even today, NYC continues to welcome foreign pizza styles like those from Detroit, Naples, Rome and even Chicago.

Now that I’ve summoned the beast of the Windy City, it’s time to join the choir of voices already singing the praises of Chicago as a great pizza town. Tune out the propaganda about deep-dish being the city’s signature style and listen to the locals telling us how much more there is to their humble Second City. Food journalist Steve Dolinsky has made it his mission to spread the gospel about Chicago’s various styles, namely the cracker-thin “tavern style” served across the Midwest. Just last week, The New York Times ran a detailed article about this style, paving the way for what’s already starting to look like a bonafide trend. It’s crystal clear that we are leaving behind the time of singularism in favor of the depth and diversity these great pizza towns have to offer.

In the past, pizzerias identified themselves as representatives of their city’s respective styles. They claimed to make a similar pizza to the place down the block, only better. That created an atmosphere of competition rather than one of cooperation. Now pizzeria operators are gaining confidence and proudly calling out how they DON’T fit into the same category as their competition. Their differences are their assets!

Diversity in pizza styles helps promote a more collaborative industry. Pizzerias in Las Vegas have formed an association to support one another. São Paulo, Brazil, a city with an estimated 6,000 pizzerias, has at least two such organizations. Portland, Oregon, a city that doesn’t have a storied pizza culture, hosts the annual Portland Pizza Week to encourage the public to try the city’s unique pizzerias. Even in NYC, a city infamous for being gruff, pizzerias regularly lend flour to their “competition” when they run out. It’s only possible because great pizza towns don’t boast about uniformity — they boast about diversity.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

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A Q&A with Charles Webb, owner of Hudson & Packard Poughkeepsie, New York

Concept:

Hudson & Packard is a more slightly upscale Detroit pizzeria. We wanted the customer service to be just as great as the pizza. Somewhere you can go and have great food, conversation and always listen to great music.

Pizza Style:

Detroit pizza is pretty close to a Sicilian style pizza. It’s light and airy but crispy on the outside. Our dough is above 70-percent hydration, which is where I’d say a good Detroit pizza should be. We’re team King Arthur over here and love their Sir Lancelot flour. The best part of a Detroit though is that cheese going all the way to the edge of the pan and frying as it bakes, as long as you have that I’d say you’re doing great.

We like your style. Tell us about your branding and why it works for you.

We put a lot of thought into our brand and identity and we try our best to stay consistent with that. I wanted something retro and funky and I think we achieved that. All the colors gives us lots to play with whenever we’re advertising or just showing off our brand and food. People seem to love it and it really is different from anything else around us so it helps us stand out as well. It was important to honor where Detroit pizza comes from and tying it into the auto industry with the name just made sense. We get some cool pizza names out of it too, like our Ford Fungi, Cutlass Supreme and Firebird.

What has been key for Hudson & Packard to perform well at pizza competitions?

While we’ve only been to two competitions, we’re still figuring out our identity there and where we really stand amongst the best pizza makers in the country. Having a formal culinary education, I definitely think that works to my benefit. I love taking different cuisines and dishes and trying to make them work on pizza. A lot of the time we get some pretty tasty unique creations and I think that definitely helps to stand out. That’s really what the competitions are about, standing out. And I think as creative as we get we’ll continue to do that moving forward. We’ll keep competing until we come in first place that’s for sure!

(Editor’s Note: Charles competed in the 2023 International Pizza Challenge, taking 3rd Place in the Pan Division.)

Your concept started as a pop-up. How were you able to transition that into a brick-and-mortar location?

The goal of the pop-up was always to get into a brick-and-mortar. I didn’t have a lot of money so I pretty much spent my savings on getting the pop-up going. I managed to have the right people come in one night and it eventually led to them investing in me and my concept. We did the pop-up for about a year until we closed down to move into our space where we operate today. It’s crazy to look back and see how far we’ve come and where we started. The pop-up also generated a huge following so when we opened our BnM right in the middle of Covid it wasn’t nearly as scary.

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A Q&A with Kenneth MacFawn, co-owner, Rad Pies, Williamsport, Maryland

Concept:

Rad Pies is a punk rock pizza shop that pushes the limits of pizza everyday. We have a super positive working environment with a goal of making sure our customers receive the best food possible every time they visit us. 

Pizza Style:

Rad Pies’ radical pizzas are two very different styles: Detroit pan and a more traditional, Neo-Neapolitan pie. Let’s start off with Detroit. It’s incredibly light, airy and crispy. The reason? The dough. It’s a 100% hydrated dough made out of a high-gluten, 00 flour. The yeast is extremely minimal and once it goes through its 24 hours of fermentation at room temp, it’s ready to par bake. Our Detroits are 8×10 inches. Now, onto the Neo-Neopolitan pies. These are using the same flour as above, but the fermentation and hydration are much different. These 62% hydration doughs go through a minimum of 48 hours of cold fermentation. However, most of the time, it’s more like 72-96 hours. These are all 12” whole pies. We like to push the limit of pizza. There’s no topping that is off limit. We encourage our staff to be creative and constantly push for new, innovative pies.

What’s the biggest challenge you are facing in the business right now and how are you addressing it?

Labor. It’s an interesting time because of course there’s a labor shortage right now, but at the same time, there’s a lot of new equipment and technology such as conveyor ovens, dough dividers and ballers and even POS systems with kiosks. Everyone in our industry has an opportunity to reinvent our processes by utilizing these new advancements. For us, it’s allowed us to have consistency and efficiency in products and processes, which gives us the ability to invest more in our employees providing quality hours and wages.

How have you been able to capitalize on IPC wins in your market?

When we returned from Vegas, demand was so high, we ran out of pizza dough at both locations for a month. We’ve also been able to hire top talent and are currently in the process of opening our 2nd Rad Pies location and building out a custom food trailer. We will be doing pop-ups and catering, allowing us to introduce Rad Pies to more people in our state and beyond.

In Vegas we also won some other awards; 3rd place in sandwich, 11th in pan, and we also won the whole Northeast in non-traditional round pizza (beating everyone in NYC, yeah that’s right!). Our whole menu has taken off, especially our sandwiches, served on our house made baguettes.

What has been key for you to perform well at the International Pizza Challenge?

Constantly checking the market. Too often you can get stuck in your same four walls and not see for yourself what everyone else is doing. For us it is necessary to meet and try as much pizza as possible.  That definitely helped us gain confidence in the product we are putting out.

We like your style. Tell us about your branding.

We are looking for something a little more punk rock, and edgy.  We grew up in the 80’s and have always liked the freedom and nonsense of that era. We also try to be as ridiculous as possible at all times while also maintaining the highest work ethic and standards for our food.

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A Look at Pizzerias Across America

Graziella’s Artisan Pizza | Sandwich, Massachusetts

Graziella’s Artisan Pizza is a second location of a popular Italian restaurant, Graziella’s. With the tagline “Neighborhood Pizza Done Right!”, Graziella’s offers a hand-tossed, brick oven, New York-style pizza. It features an open kitchen design highlighting a pizza station where customers can see the tossing of dough and some acrobatics. The pizzeria also takes great pride being deeply involved in the Cape Cod community. From sponsoring all local sports teams to being a part of local town events and activities, Graziella’s also holds community events, including Halloween, Easter, Christmas and a Customer Appreciation event that includes bouncy houses, balloon twisting clowns, magicians and a free BBQ. Customers rave about The Margherita with fresh house-made mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, fresh garlic and basil with a pesto drizzle. A hot sandwich is The Cotoletta with crispy fried Italian chicken breast, roasted heirloom tomato, fresh mozzarella and pesto that is toasted and pressed. The menu also features either six spice dry rub or rosemary oil and caramelized onion coal-fired wings.

Bricco Coal Fired Pizza | Westmont, New Jersey

Mental Floss recently named Bricco one of “The 25 Best Pizzerias in the World.” Bricco was created by Vincenzo Barone, who wanted to change the perception of pizza. Made using Anthracite coal, Bricco produces a thin and crispy crust. The Classics menu features a Short Rib pizza with caramelized onions, fontina and finished with arugula. There is also the Bricconello with Buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, burrata and lemon oil. The Panini menu highlights the Farmstead with organic, roasted chicken breast, pancetta, avocado, arugula, tomatoes and rosemary aioli. To end the meal, a dessert option is the Italian Doughnuts with Nutella.

SLAB Pizza | Four Locations in Utah

This pizzeria is frequently named in best pizzas in Utah lists. Its claim to fame is enormous pizza slices and an abundance of slice options. The menu is just salads and pizza slices — a lot of pizza slices. The Luke has BBQ sauce, green chili, chevre and cilantro. The Fennel Sausage + Chevre features a red sauce, sausage, kalamata olives and goat cheese. Then there is the Chicken Enchilada with green chili sauce, chicken, green chile, goat cheese and cilantro. The Breakfast is topped with red sauce, potato, bacon, sausage, green chili, red pepper and egg.

The post Pizza Destinations: Graziella’s Artisan Pizza, Sandwich, MA; Bricco, Westmont, NJ; SLAB Pizza, UT appeared first on Pizza Today.

MOTO

Seattle, Washington

Concept:

MOTO “OddPizza” is a combined expression of all my pizza making experience, mostly inspired by my travels to the night markets in Asia and Europe, where I found unique, quality food from fast, efficient operators with just a couple of people putting out hundreds of plates in a very tiny space. This is the magic that spurred the addition of our popular seafood line of pizza that was part of the night market inspiration and in building the MOTO concept within 500 square feet.

Pizza Style:

We craft a high hydration dough, made into a deep dish, in our odd style combo of Roman, Detroit and a lil NYC “grit” that I like to call an “ODDPIZZA”. The dough is a playful collection of several sourdough starters, some over a 120 years old, that I’ve received from different chefs, bakers and family cooks I have become friends with, some of it in trade. I love to barter, and I love to collect and experiment with “BETTY” my frankenstyle sourdough!

Your preorders are sold out for months. Why did you initially start the pre-ordering and what has it turned into?

Our wait times and demand were so high, right when we opened, so we went to preorders to organize better. It reached three months in advanced for up to 250 pre-orders a night. I’m hoping to pull away from that model after all the hype dies down, but it’s been well over a year now. Our new larger second location has just sold out for two months within a couple of hours, but I don’t think that pre-sale will trend much longer with more expansion growth and as the novelty wears off.

Tell us more about your growth mode.

Our third location looks to open at the end of February, and we are finally implementing our Pizza Robot from PICNICWORKS to showcase the future of robotics and its role in production, and we are using NWFarms indoor vertical hydroponically grown produce and showcasing their farm grow technology on site. I am going to do an L.A. pop up this summer!

We are also in current talks with the sports stadium and have also presented our pitch deck to Venture Capital with some serious interest in our growth model. We are also bringing on a wonderful partner that is in the famous Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana family chain, that is investing and advising us. 2023 is gonna be an interesting year, to say the least. Buckle up!

What’s the biggest challenge you are facing in the business right now and how are you addressing it?

Our current challenge is handling this accelerated growth. We are addressing it with hiring slow, paying well and taking genuine care of our people and our customers. We anticipate mistakes, but find the key to overcoming these challenges is simply a positive uplifting attitude towards each other. We are also rebuilding and tightening our already well developed systems and processes for scale while being able to make quick decisions and keep the ability to pivot quickly as a small, tightknit, fun-loving productive team. I really believe MOTO is going to positively impact our industry in more ways than one!

MORE: Listen to Lee Kindell on The Hot Slice Podcast.

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Pizza Today highlights 25 of the best pizzerias in the America.

When we conducted our most extensive industry survey in fall 2022, we also asked independent pizzeria operators to submit their pizzerias for consideration in our first Pizzerias to Watch feature. We received hundreds of submissions. We present to you 25 standout pizzerias that are making an impact in their communities. While our previous Hot 100 Independent Pizzerias List ranked pizzerias by highest sales volume, our Pizzerias to Watch feature looks at the total operation, from sales and employee programs to community outreach and marketing. We present to you 25 pizzerias to watch as they continue to thrive and grow.

We’re celebrating standout pizza shops serving up success in their communities:

Pizzeria Tascio

North Kansas City, Missouri
Concept: Quick-Serve  — Established: 2021
Owner/President: Erik Borger
Website: Pizzatascio.com 
Social: instagram.com/pizzatascio/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $750,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $250,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? In the last 12 months we have opened 4 locations. With a team of under 10 this has been extremely difficult and yet rewarding. We have opened 3 in the last 90 days. Our growth from here is just as aggressive! But maybe after a much needed couple of naps. Ha!

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? I do not know of many non corporate nobodies who have taken all profits and reinvested them immediately into expanding this aggressively. We are like a grass roots organization obsessed with pizza and bringing good pizza to an overall quality starved midwestern city. We use all grande 100% whole milk mozz, Bianco all organic Tom’s, and central milling organic flour. Long ferments and quick cooks with the pizza master oven. We love what we do and strive every day to be the best. We are also tracking to do $3,000,000 this year.

CRISP wine – beer – eatery

Houston, TX
Concept: Casual Dining 
Established: 2012
Owner/President: Al Scavelli
Website: Crisphouston.com 
Social: @crisphouston
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $2,500,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $2,500,000

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? We provide a work environment that strives to ensure a fun & productive atmosphere. Hiring employees that are eager to give great customer service in turn creates a healthy and productive culture.  Being a Ma & Pa gives us the owners the ability to get direct feedback from the ones on the front line. We provide fun staff incentives that rewards & recognizes our hardworking staff. After all, without our staff, we aren’t able to do what we love 7 days a week.

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? …New renovations have been made to the interior and exterior to our venue plus we recently acquired our liquor license to offer our guests a full bar with delicious specialty cocktails. We plan on introducing seasonal beer / wine dinners coming up at the start of 2023 as well. Focusing on local breweries and wineries in the great state of TX.

Lefty’s Place

Morgantown, WV
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2016
Owner/President: Tricia Kinnie
Website: Leftysplacewv.com 
Social: Instagram.com/leftysplacewv
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $622,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $410,000

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? We’ve faced many adversities since starting our business in 2016, including opening in a town new to us and choosing a bad location, then that location was flooded and condemned. We moved to a new location that took almost a year for construction and it was finished in March of 2020 just as Covid hit. We’ve constantly adapted where we needed to. We’re now at a point where we’ve been open for dine in at our new location for just over a year and we’re in the groove now. There are a lot of mediocre restaurants (pizza in particular) in our town and we pride ourselves on caring about the quality of the food we’re sending out and also the quality of service our guests are receiving. We want everyone to feel like they belong at our restaurant.

Righteous Slice

Rexburg, Idaho
Concept: Casual Dining  
Established: 2018
Owner/President: Cheryl Crawford
Website: righteousslice.com 
Social: instagram.com/righteousslice/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $930,135
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $776,233

What community outreach initiatives do you organize? We love the community we are in! We donate coupons for free food to local summer reading programs. We donate gift cards for other fundraisers. We also host a day for the high school wrestling team to raise money for their programs.  We actively look for ways to help those around us.    Music is a big part of our community involvement. We have hosted a music festival since 2019. Most years, we invite local groups to participate in the free event. When the weather is too cold for an outdoor concert, we host bands on the second floor of the pizzeria. We love supporting the arts.    We also love field trips. Educating future pizza makers about the wonders of cooking in an imported Neapolitan oven is one of our favorite things to do. Looking into the eyes of 30 wonder-filled 2nd graders makes all of the hard work worth it.

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We are proud of our recent growth and excited to get to the next level with our new styles of pizza  – 43% growth in 2021, 17% growth year-over-year to date in 2022, added New York style pizza, which is now 15% of sales, adding  Detroit-style pizza in the next 12 months. We are now preparing to expand into new markets  – Signed letters of intent for locations in Salt Lake City and Saint George, UT.

St. Angelo’s Pizza

Atlanta, GA
Concept: Casual Dining  
Established: 2004
Owner/President: Sean Rowe
Website: stangelos.com 
Social: facebook.com/stangelosvinings/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $3,200,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): 3,100,000

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? We became very focused in the last year even more so than the past. The changes we have made a dramatic effect on the sales.  We continue to improve as an employer as well as the quality of our staff continues to grow. We are always evolving and there is a lesson there for folks who want to get involved in the pizza business.

State of Mind

Los Altos, California
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2018
Owner/President: Lars Smith
Website: Stateofmindpublichouse.com 
Social: instagram.com/stateofmindpub/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $3,161,164
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $2,208,175

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? We work really hard to provide a great work environment for our staff. It is really important for us to have a fun and positive work environment for our staff. We offer competitive pay, tip pooling, health/dental insurance, paid time off, shift meals, discounted meals when not working, and more. But those aren’t what we are most proud of, we make a point to make sure our staff knows that we are there for them even when they aren’t at work. We treat all of our staff like family. They know they can approach us with anything they may have going on in their lives.

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? We are a pizzeria and Public House inspired by the Golden State. We want both the food and environment in our restaurants to be a celebration of all things California. From the food to the beverage to the music we want to share our love of this state with everyone.  While we are active on social media that is not the primary means by which we market our restaurants. From the conceptual stages of our brand we wanted to use our “marketing” to support schools, youth sports, and various non-profits. We believe that if we support our community they will support us.

Pizza City

New Brunswick, NJ
Concept: Fast-casual Build-to-Order  
Established: 2015
Owner/President: Danielle Diaz
Website: pizzacitynj.com
Social: @pizzacitynj
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $3,800,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $3,200,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? Updating our building and equipment to be more efficient and plan to continue to get better.

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? Amazing business with huge output, run by a single mom and her amazing crew. We are constantly growing and looking for new ways to offer the best product possible

Regents Pizzeria

La Jolla, CA
Concept: Casual Dining  Established: 2005
Owner/President: Bill Vivian
Website: regentspizza.com 
Social: instagram.com/regentspizzeria/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $6,000,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $4,700,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? Our restaurant has grown dramatically as we have emerged from the pandemic, as you see from the sales numbers above.  We suffered a 40% drop in sales during the pandemic and now our volume is well above 2019 level. We have achieved this by undertaking a large number of initiatives that radically changed our business.  The most important effort resulted in expanding our trade area to a 5-mile radius. The growth in our pick-up business was so dramatic, that we had to remodel our restaurant. We started by retaining an Industrial Engineering firm by the name of The Productivity Advantage. They focus only on the restaurant industry and have worked with most of the big name restaurant companies in the industry. They were able to help us expand our production capacity and reduce our service times.  Our marketing efforts have been a key driver in this effort.  We currently work with Mari+Gold which is the hospitality division that was spun off from The Raindrop Agency, an Emmy Award winning local marketing firm. We intend to focus on our single restaurant for the next 18 months and believe we will be able to achieve $7,000,000 in sales annually in that time.  We are located in the UTC district off San Diego which is experiencing tremendous growth.  Our marketing effort is also focusing on establishing us as a regional destination restaurant.

Hella Pie Pizza Co.

Tracy, CA
Concept: Fast-casual Build-to-Order
Established: 2020
Owner/President: Marcus Medina
Website: Hellapiepizza.com
Social: @hellapiepizzaco
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $740,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $382,000

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? Our pizzeria is understands that the employees are just as if not more important than our customers. We treat our staff like family. We take care of them and nurture them like we are family. We understand that we take care of each other. We also like to have team building days for our crew. Where get yo have an outside work environment that brings us all together even more. They all have a great time because we wine and dine them. We wish we could do it more. The Thursday before Thanksgiving we started a tradition where 100% of our sales go to our staff. The community shows up and really gives them full support and we are blessed to give them a little slice of the pie!

Sofia’s Pizzeria

San Antonio, TX
Concept: Fast-casual Build-to-Order  — Established: 2019
Owner/President: Alan White
Website: SofiasPizzeriaTX.com 
Social: https://instagram.com/sofiaspizzeriatx
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,300,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,250,000

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? Sofia’s Pizzeria is known for giving back to our community. We established the brand to be able to give back to the youth of our community and developed our Pies for Kids program. We select a different youth organization each month and 35 cents of every pizza sold that month goes to that organization at the end of the month. We have worked with PTA’s, childrens homes and shelters as well disabled childrens organizations. We are currently developing a Pizza and Paletas program for economically challenged schools.  We use social media, door hangars, email, text and website for marketing.

What community outreach initiatives do you organize? Along with our Pies for Kids program we do several kids-oriented activities throughout the year. Our most popular seem to be our Arts program where kids come in and get an 8×10 canvas with a slice stenciled on it. We provide the paints and canvas and they get to paint their most imaginable slice of pizza. Once dry they get to take this home.  We have also done other activities such as a dough stretching class, pizza making class, kids run, father/child pizza eating contest, and others.

Flying Heart Brewing & Pub

Bossier City, Louisiana
Concept: Casual Dining  — Established: 2017
Owner/President: Jeffrey Judge
Website: flyingheartbrewing.com 
Social: facebook.com/flyingheartbrewing
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $3,200,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $2,300,000

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? We offer a shift beer and pizza to every employee. Our Culture is second to none, our owner and management team are highly involved at all points of the business. We offer 401k, Health insurance, dental insurance, PTO.

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? Flying Heart Brewing & Pub’s “brand” is definitely one of a kind to say the least. FHB&P started as a tasting room in 2015. Then introduced the pizza concept in late 2017. In 2018, FHB&P became the brew pub you see today. Our marketing is more of a grass roots, word of mouth style. We are continuously improving our customer experience and quality. FHB&P has consistently won local area “Best Pizza” “Best Wings” yearly. The process began by going to my first Pizza Expo in 2017. After my newfound love of pizza, I began practicing in my backyard every weekend with my friends and business partners. Which led us becoming the “Cool” place to be.

What community outreach initiatives do you organize? We are involved with ST Judes, Autism Society of North Louisiana, Gingerbread House. I also volunteer at our local votech school. This includes mentoring the young students, having pizza days at the school.

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We just opened up our third location in June of 22 and is doing well on all aspects

Verde

Baltimore, MD
Concept: Casual Dining 
Established: 2012
Owner/President: Ed Bosco
Website: www.verdepizza.com
Social: @verdepizza
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): 1875000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): 1650000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? Verde has shown sustained growth during the pandemic and continues to add more community outreach and event coordination. We have hired an event planner and continue to reach out to conventions here in Baltimore city. Catering and on line ordering continue to improve and have added a more substantial revenue stream to our mix.

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? Verde has struggled over the years and our ability to adjust to changing environments has allowed us to remain relevant. The ability to pivot and move in other direction, delivery and on line ordering, has afforded us time to rethink our strategy, change menu items, menu prices and maintain profitability.   Business is all about solving problems and at Verde we have managed to figure our what our community expects of us and collectively we have grown together and pizza to every employee.  Our Culture is second to none, our owner and management team are highly involved at all points of the business.  We offer 401k, Health insurance, dental insurance, PTO.

Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza

Golden, CO
Concept: Casual Dining 
Established: 1993
Owner/President: Jonathan Bortles
Website: woodysgolden.com 
Social: instagram.com/woodysgolden/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $6,381,431
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $4,626,902

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? After almost 30 years in business we have been quietly building one of the busiest single unit pizzerias in the country. It seems like a lot of attention is focused on multi-unit chains… and yet we still managed to make Yelp’s Top 100 Pizza Places in the US for 2022. This shows that not only are we busy, we are making a lot of folks happy – like over 1,000 people per day in our 100 year old building next to the Coors Brewery in little Golden, CO. We are also one of the last places to rock the all-you-can-eat soup, salad and pizza buffets… and maybe one of the only to do it with high quality wood-fired pizza and a scratch menu. All of this while doing right by the community and winning awards like the Sustainability and Innovation Award & the Living Legend/Hall-of-Fame honor (for our founder) from the Colorado Restaurant Association. We are small and funky, but we are mighty!  This is what multi-generational pride looks like.

Spinelli’s Pizzeria

Tempe, AZ
Concept: Casual Dining 
Established: 2004
Owner/President: Christopher Palma
Website: Spinellispizzeria.com 
Social: @spinellisAz
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $7,100,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $6,800,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We have become more efficient, and have grown sales.   We are looking at other high margin items to offer our guests as inflation continues to spiral out of control.

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? We have been offering a consistent product in an evolving world for almost 20 years.   We have been able to scale our business to multiple states in multiple regions while maintaining the core principles that made our first store so successful.

Creekside Pizza & Taproom

San Anselmo, CA
Concept: Casual Dining  — Established: 2017
Owner/President: Pat Townsley
Website: CreeksideSA.com
Social: instagram.com/creeksidesa
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $2,500,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $2,200,000

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? …Our entire staff is comprised of “word of mouth” recruiting, family, and local residents. Our employees, both front and back of house, understand and foster our commitment to quality products, labor intensive prep, outstanding presentation and friendly full-service dining. Everyone takes true pride in their work and their output. The result is a collaborative and very friendly team which has won us Best Pizza in Marin County for 5 consecutive years.

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? …Our mission statement begins “Creekside is a Marketing Company..” … I know that we are creating memories; it’s a multi-sensory experience beyond just food. It’s the lights, the sound, the welcoming, the decor, the cleanliness, the engagement.

Dempseys

Watertown, SD
Concept: Casual Dining 
Established: 1999
Owner/President: Sean Dempsey
Website: dempseybrewpub.com 
Social: facebook.com/Dempseybrewery
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $2,500,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,900,000

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? The main store is Dempsey’s Brewery, Pub & Restaurant, that’s are were we focus on brewing, ( 2nd oldest brewery in the state! ) and a more robust menu. – but 60 % of our sales Is pizza related. We have our brand were expanding on – Danger Von Dempsey’s Pizzeria and Brewhaus. Our pizzas boxes actually have a cool mix logo between the two stores  the sword and the twin axes…

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? Yes, we have grown by leaps and bounds. In 1999 Dempsey’s Brewery Pub & RST was established, in 2018 we established our first Danger von Dempseys in Aberdeen SD, and in 2022 we expanded to the new regional airport location in Watertown. Our future growth is spring 2023 were expanding our brewery operations, fall is a store in Brookings SD ( home of SDSU ) – and were building for a massive footprint in DT Sioux Falls – which is the biggest city in SD.

Detroit Style Pizza Co

Roseville, MI
Concept: Carryout & Delivery Only 
Established: 1958
Owner/President: Linda Michaels
Website: detroitstylepizza.com
Social: m.facebook.com/detroitstylepizza/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): 1833111
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): 1768923

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We bought a new store for the distribution center that is more then twice the size because we grew out of the one we are in now. We are partnering with another company to sell our frozen pizza’s around the country. We partnered with the owner of 89 Buffalo Wild wings and the owner of 8 Black Rock restaurants to franchise our Detroit Style Pizza. The first one opened in Petoskey Mi on 9/20/22. With 2 more in the process of opening.

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? Because we are carrying on 2012 award winning world champion pizza maker Shawn Randazzo’s legacy. We are expanding and growing rapidly with the franchises, pizzeria, and distribution center. And we have a great story of struggles and overcoming obstacles to get were we are at.

Millstone Pizza and Taphouse

Rock Hill, SC
Concept: Casual Dining  — Established: 2013
Owner/President: Brendan Kuhlkin
Website: Millstonepizzaandtap.com 
Social: Millstone _pizzaandtap
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,300,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,150,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We’ve just gotten back to full staff ! We’ve also hit new highs in sales . We are planning an expansion! Bringing in 2 new wood fired ovens as well as. Adding a glassed in dough room . And plan on hiring 10 more team members.

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? We were a first in the charlotte NC / Rock Hill SC area . No one had a wood fired oven 10 years ago . We are pioneers in the Neapolitan pizza style . Our oven is wood only no gas assistance. We’ve weathered many storms from employee shortages to covid to initially gaveling to educate the community on what wood fired pizza is.

Old Town Pizza

Auburn, CA
Concept: Casual Dining 
Established: 1999
Owner/President: Reese Browning
Website: otpizza.net 
Social: facebook.com/oldtownpizza
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $11,263,850
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $8,799,180

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? It is very popular in the communities we operate, and our team enjoys being busy. We are proud of our team, and they are proud of us. We offer very competitive pay and because of how busy we are they are also compensated very nicely by customers via tips.   We offer medical, dental, vision, 401K, anniversary bonus, performance bonuses, company picnics, shift meals and employee/family discounts.

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We opened a new full time outdoor venue at our local Fairgrounds and also moved from our original location of 3000 sq. ft. and 90 dine in seats to a brand-new location of 12,500 sq. ft. and about 350 dine in seats including rooftop dining.

Peels on Wheels

Rochester, NY
Concept: Fast-casual Build-to-Order 
Established: 2019
Owner/President: Luis Perez
Website: peelsonwheelspizza.com/ 
Social: instagram.com/peelsonwheelspizza/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $350,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $61,000

What community outreach initiatives do you organize? My business is located in a lower income neighborhood. I also grew up in one of the poorest communities in the country, the South Bronx. Taking care of the community and adding to meaningful change is core to my business. I saw a community that lacked high quality pizza, but I understand that not everyone can afford such luxuries. I donate pizza and money to many of the local nonprofits that support youth. I have also hired some of the youth in the neighborhood and make it a point to get to know them. One time a group of young kids came in. One told me it was his birthday the following day, and wanted to know if he could have a free slice of pizza. I said, how about a whole pie for you and your friends? They came the next day and enjoyed a whole pizza. I have also provided pizza making kits to some of the local schools. I hope to continue to work with the schools and partner with them for pizza making classes. A fun fact, the high school near my pizzeria, East High has an INCREDIBLE culinary arts program.

Pizza Now!

Albany, OR
Concept: Carryout & Delivery Only 
Established: 2012
Owner/President: Chris Salmon
Website: Pizza-now.com 
Social: facebook.com/pizzanowalbany
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,270,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,030,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We have reached that million-dollar mark in both of our pizzerias. The one that wen opened in 2012 reached that milestone in 2020. Our 2nd location reached it in 2021 after opening in 2018. Our future growth plans would be to open several more locations in Oregon. Currently we are almost as busy as we possibly can be in both stores while still providing excellent service. Despite being a DELCO, our next location will need a larger sized building so we can scale up with our sales, and not be at the point of bottlenecks with production and long waits because we are at our limit, thus jeopardizing our whole Pizza NOW! concept.

Southern Yankee Crafthouse

Houston, TX
Concept: Casual Dining  — Established: 2021
Owner/President: Patrice Porter
Website: crafthousehtx.com/ 
Social: instagram.com/soyankcrafthouse
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,500,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $0

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? In early August 2021, our brick oven was getting installed at the Crafthouse. Our company consisted of the original brewery location team plus the Crafthouse general manager, executive chef, and bar manager who had been working with us for months – about ten employees. When we opened the Crafthouse in September 2021, we became a company with 40+ employees at two locations.    As a result of our team’s success in delivering a quality experience, Southern Yankee Crafthouse was voted Best New Restaurant in the Houston Chronicle Best of the Best 2022 Community Awards and a Top 3 finalist for Best Bar, Date-Night Restaurant, Patio, and Pet-Friendly Restaurant! (And Southern Yankee Beer Company was a Top 3 finalist for Best Brewery!)    Recently we were nominated in Outsmart Magazine’s Gayest and Greatest Reader’s Choice Awards 2022 in several categories including: Best Brunch, Best Lunch Spot, Best Pizza, Best New Restaurant, Best Restaurant for Outdoor Dining, Friendliest Restaurant Staff, Best Happy Hour, Best Cocktail, and Favorite Place for Drinks on a First Date. If things go well and the opportunity presents, we think the Southern Yankee Crafthouse could expand to other locations in the Houston area. Time will tell.

Thunderbird Pies

Dallas, TX
Concept: Fast-casual Build-to-Order 
Established: 2021
Owner/President: Jeff Amador
Website: thunderbirdpies.com 
Social: instagram.com/thunderbirdpies
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,006,929
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): 0

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? Thunderbird Pies brought Detroit-style pizza to Dallas. We started as a ghost kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-2020, operating out of the kitchen of one our sister restaurants, Zoli’s Pizza (Addison/Fort Worth, TX). The third pizza brand from the PILF Restaurant Group (Cane Rosso, Zoli’s Pizza, Thunderbird Pies), and our third style of pizza to tackle in our pizza restaurants. Thunderbird’s popularity quickly grew larger than operating as a ghost kitchen could handle, and we opened our first brick and mortar location in East Dallas in August of 2021. We just celebrated our first anniversary at our casual, counter-service pizza joint, known for our twists on the “standard” pizza offerings. Choose from classics like plain cheese or pepperoni, or go for it with signature pies like the Honey Bastard (Wisconsin brick cheese, hot soppressata, bacon marmalade, and habanero honey). Also offering a beloved “Thunderburger,” appetizers, salads, and more.

Walters303 Pizzeria & Publik House

Denver, CO
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2010
Owner/President: Mike Kienast, Partner: Stacy Turk
Website: walters303.com 
Social: instagram.com/walters303uptown/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $2,856,684
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,828,512

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? During Covid when most of the restaurants closed around us we stayed open. We wanted to maintain some kind of normal in a scary time in the world. We would sometimes see the same customers several times a day. It was comforting to see familiar faces. Fortunately we were able to maintain most all of our employees, and the ones we couldn’t keep we offered meals to those in need. (They have been hired back and are still here working). We started doing pizza breakfast burritos in the morning, selling plants and trying creative ways to keep the serving staff afloat.

Wooden Paddle

Lemont, IL
Concept: Casual Dining  — Established: 2013
Owner/President: Brianna Cowan
Website: woodenpaddle.com
Social: instagram.com/woodenpaddle/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,987,847
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,383,837

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? We pay over industry average in our area. We go as far as paying every server the true minimum wage of $12 per hour instead of the tipped minimum wage. We offer PPO health insurance through Blue Cross, company retirement plan, vision insurance and dental insurance.

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? In the past 12 months we have been building up the people side of our business. Angela Terrafino runs our restaurant operations and we have recently hired on Joelle Beranek to take over our off site event operations. We started running our business on the Entrepreneurial Operating System based off of Gino Wickman’s book Traction. We now have a solid leadership team in place and are figuring out all of the company issues at a rapid pace. We will be opening a new location in March or April of 2023.

The post 25 Pizzerias to Watch — Follow These Best Pizzerias in U.S. appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Around the U.S.

Pizza Fenice | Pelham, New York

This pizzeria thrives on its takeout and delivery. “Even without much seating I’ve quickly become a destination for the variety of slices offered for carryout, from Detroit Style pizza (pepperoni being a favorite) to open sandwich-esque pizzas like the Pastrami Reuben or even Cuban and then there’s always the standards like Grandma pizza and Sicilian,” says owner John Gristina. “I have taken a lot of effort to make my pizza stand out not just by offering items that are not found anywhere near here but also by making those items stand out by using high quality ingredients and not wavering on process even if it requires more effort (such as making gluten free pizza crusts in house). I’ve always believed that a pizza crust is a tasty canvas to be used to paint a picture of flavor and transfer my passion for pizza making to bring a smile to someone’s face.  So when I sat down to write this menu, I thought of all the pizzas we made after hours at restaurants and pizzerias I worked at or owned over the years and they were some of the best ones I ever had — no rules , no structure just, ‘Hey I think this would taste great as a pizza!’ I decided to go with my gut and take some chances on some combinations that are not your first thought when pizza comes to mind, but also keep some of the standards we have all grown accustomed to over the years.” A hot pizza on the menu is the Sunday Sausage and Peppers with roasted sweet and hot sausage sliced into medallions, sauteed tri-color sweet peppers, red onion and garlic in wine, red sauce and topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of oregano, basil and grated Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Dino’s Tomato Pie | Seattle, Washington

Dino’s recently made Thrillist’s list of “The 28 American Pizza Joints You Need to Try Right Now” noting its Jersey tavern pies, its Sicilian, and heralded owner Brandon Pettit, who also owns the famed Delancey in Seattle. Dino’s menu is simply salads, pizzas and garlic knots. A pie that stands out include Weekend at Dino’s with tomato sauce, fresh and aged mozzarella, Zoe’s bacon, pineapple, house pickled jalapeños and Parmesan. The Broccoli and Preserved Lemon is topped with fresh and aged mozzarella, garlic and Parmesan.

The Desmond | Phoenix, Arizona

This new wood-fired gastropub has garnered a strong following in Downtown Phoenix and is already making local and regional best pizza lists. The Desmond is a destination for creative cocktails and craft beer. Its menu highlight is the pizza. The menu features a Special of the Week. Recently, the Cubana was featured with mozzarella, provolone, pork carnitas, ham cotto, pickled jalapenos, red onion and a drizzle of sweet habanero mustard. Its namesake, The Demond, is topped with spicy salami, roasted bell peppers, roasted onions, Kalamata olives, garlic and oregano. The menu also feature panini like The St. Pierre with USDA prime rib roasted beef, provolone, au jus and horseradish cream on a French baguette.

The post Destinations: Pizza Fenice, Pelham, NY; Dino’s Tomato Pie, Seattle; The Desmond, Phoenix appeared first on Pizza Today.

Casa Pizzeria

Ludlow, Massachusetts

Concept:

Inspired by Tony Gemignani a few years back, I was fascinated with the multiple styles of pizza he offered at one of his shops. We wanted to build upon that coolness. Although it’s been challenging, our shop has broken the mold of a typical pizza shop in OUR area.

Pizza Style:

We started out offering the big pie cut 18-inch New York-style crust and the 12-inch slightly crispier Neapolitan crust. Although some styles require special flours, bakes and temps to do different pizzas. Our concept started with our Neapolitan and New York, then we adding the super thin “New Haven crust”. Next it was our “upside down” pie we call “Bostonian.” We then developed four iconic pan styles — Grandma, Sicilian, the Deep Dish Chicago and that wild Detroit…(Roman style to come soon). We are now pushing for our 11th style soon for our pizza Disneyland concept as some of our customers now call it.

Tell us about your pizza that won the Traditional Division at the Best of the Northeast Competition during Pizza & Pasta Northeast in Atlantic City?

We won with our take on a thin New Haven-style crust. It’s a best seller. I focused on characteristics like a super thin charred bake, and even the strange way it was sliced. We even marketed how it is pronounced APIZZA (ah-beetz). Knowing how intense the pros are in this type of competition after watching them compete for years, I knew I needed to bring the best of everything. I needed a crisp char crust texture and to emulate how they strangely cut it in New Haven. We did add some sweetness from caramelized onions and infused fresh basil with two types of oregano into my favorite bold tomato sauce mix. Lastly, we hit it with the fresh chopped garlic with garlic oil drizzle when it came out.

As a first-time competitor, what are your takeaways from competing?

It was cool hanging out alongside so many amazing pizza chefs. I enjoyed watching the process. I didn’t look at it as a competition, but more of a celebration. As a first-time competitor I feel like I was lucky to have made those tough decisions, and to be crafting my pizza without too much practice at the show following the strict show guidelines. I simply had no plans to win. I was in it for the learning process for me and perhaps my son to try next time.

Tell us more about your unique operating hours and philosophies?

We just open four hours a night to develop our pizza passion and skills. We sell what we come up with and enjoy the concept with the locals and now with endless traveling foodies. It’s a part-time boutique hobby shop concept for fun. This works well with my other business obligations to produce music for artists and a handful of reality television shows out of Los Angeles. We don’t plan on opening full time. We’re not in it for the money. We have fun.

The post Conversation: Jimmy Casapizzaiolo, Casa Pizzeria, Ludlow, MA appeared first on Pizza Today.

It’s no secret that the pizza industry is dominated by men. Images of mustachioed pizza makers adorn every menu, coupon and pizza box not just in the U.S. but globally. It’s a reality of the restaurant industry that’s particularly obvious in pizzerias, but that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.

If we look to the past, it’s clear that women have long held a significant role in pizza culture. The most famous pizza in the world was named for Queen Margherita of Savoy. The most popular pizza movies have featured Sofia Loren and Julia Roberts hawking pizza for a living. Nicole Russell of Last Dragon pizza hosts the incredibly successful “Pizza Wars” show for First We Feast’s YouTube channel. Here in New York City, the proprietors of the oldest and most famous pizzerias were brought into the business because of their wives’ families. Some of those classic pizzerias are still run by women today.

Contrary to these examples, the pizza industry still manages to unintentionally exclude women. Male dominance has become so common that we don’t even notice it anymore. We use language like “pizza guys” to refer to one another. When a pizzeria is hiring, I often see a sign in the window that says, “Pizza Man Wanted.” People in the pizza biz often referred to it as a “brotherhood” or “fraternity.” In cases like these, there’s no reason to specify a gender — so when we do, it lands pretty loudly. It’s not hard to figure out why women may not feel comfortable in the business.

By choosing inclusive language, we can open the doors to those who don’t identify as male. Rather than talking about how “some guys use electric ovens,” switch to “some pizza makers use electric ovens.” Instead of hiring “pizza men,” hire “pizza makers.” When you’re excited about the support you get from your peers, talk about it as a “community” or “family” rather than a “brotherhood” or “fraternity.”

Being conscious about language like this isn’t political and it shouldn’t be controversial. As an educator and tour guide, words are my most important means of communication. So, I’m constantly picking apart the way I phrase things. I’ve had to stop myself in the middle of a sentence many times just to correct my wording. It’s not easy to shift out of a way of speaking or thinking that’s so automatic, but that’s the first step.

By reading a magazine like this, you’ve already demonstrated your desire to learn and develop your skills. Think about changing your language as another skill development, just like improving your dough skills or your delivery mechanics. At a time when staffing issues have become a huge roadblock for pizzerias, it’s especially important not to exclude any potential employee.

As male as it looks from the outside, those in the business know there are many women in leadership roles. Just look at the World Pizza Champions membership and you’ll see people like Audrey Kelly, Laura Meyer, Melissa Rickman, Nicole Bean, Brittany Saxton, Floriana Pastore and Tara Hattan. There’s even an organization that supports and promotes women in the business, called Women In Pizza. Representation is the first step toward cultural inclusion and it does look like the pizza biz is turning a corner to lead the entire restaurant industry towards a brighter future.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

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Slice on Broadway

Five Locations: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pizza Style:

Our pizza is a simple New York Style Pizza. We use the tag line “New York Style, Yinzer Made Pie”. A Yinzer is a Pittsburgh local, meaning that we make the best New York style pie with a Pittsburgh influence! For our dough we use a high-gluten unbromated flour and our hydration is about 65 percent. This leaves us a nice, fluffy crust with a perfect crunch and chewy texture.

With five locations, what has been key to your growth?

Our key to growth is keeping focused on what we do best and keeping the model simple. We know our product and how to make it right and we always want to stay focused on it and continually improve. We also try to create a work environment where our team can succeed. Each crew member is an important part of the successes of each location.

Your branding is top-notch. What has gone into creating and maintaining it at every location?

Branding is super important to us. We try to keep it consistent across each location with logos, boxes and even down to paint and signage. We want our customers to go to any location and have the same experience. We also try to engage locally in each community that we serve and really make our customers part of our Slice family.

What are the key factors in location selection for your concept?

I like to know the area and feel comfortable before I choose a location. I take the inward-out approach, meaning that I select an area where we are close to other locations but far enough to not take our own customers. With this thought process, we have a base of customers that already are aware of our product and brand.

What’s the biggest challenge you are facing in the business right now, and how are you addressing it?

Like many pizza shops, we are experiencing difficulties finding people to staff. We have many employees that have been with Slice on Broadway for over 10 years, but we are trying to find the new ones that want to join our team. We have begun to offer benefit packages, matching 401K and paid time off. Our staff is the most important asset to our success and we want them to feel at home in our shops.

The post Conversation: Rico Lunardi, Slice on Broadway, Pittsburgh, PA appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza Chicken Ice Cream, Eat Free Pizza, Kim’s Uncle Pizza

Chicago, Illinois

Concept:

E.F. Pizza started as a home kitchen experiment. We were giving away free pizzas every Friday night from our apartment in 2018. It was a way for us to R&D our product and to meet people in the industry. It’s what led us to our business partners who we would go on to open PFCIC with in April of 2020. 

Pizza Style:

We have a few different styles. We started out of our kitchen with an artisanal style dough. It’s sort of a cross between NY and Neapolitan style. Then we started making our Sicilian pan pizza when we opened PFCIC. Then, shortly after, we switched to a Chicago Tavern style thin crust pizza. 

You have been able to grow PFCIC into two location and add another pizza concept since opening. What has been key to the rapid growth?

 I think our concept is easily repeatable. There’s low overhead and we can make a small space work. It makes it a lot easier to pop up a new location with those factors in place. 

You started out with a different pizza style. What made you switch?

Covid was what made us pivot several times. We opened PFCIC with the Sicilian squares because it was single serving, which made sense for quarantining and social distancing. Then in the fall/winter we switched to something that was more delivery friendly, the tavern style. I think due to the circumstances, our customers were very understanding of the switch. Also, when you do both styles very well it helps! We still bring the Sicilian back in the summer and for pop-ups and events.

With two partners, how are you able to manage leadership roles?

All three of us have strengths and weaknesses. We each recognize what those are, respect it, and end up falling into the roles that best suit us. We are each so different that it honestly happened very naturally.

As you grow your concepts, what’s next?

I think we are interested in expanding with more locations. We want to spread our pizza to all of Chicago and the outer suburbs to start, but hopefully even further beyond that!

The post Conversation: Cecily Federighi, Pizza Chicken Ice Cream, Eat Free Pizza, Kim’s Uncle Pizza Chicago appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Across America

Wheated  | Brooklyn, New York

Opened in 2013, Wheated is a cozy spot with an elegant bar featuring a classic cocktail program and 700-plus whiskeys. “I wanted to create a pizza place with a cocktail focus,” says owner David Sheridan. “We have stayed true to that vision over the years. I try to keep our menu small and allow us to focus on producing a well-crafted drink and pizza for all who visit. Over the years, we have grown and evolved, but the pandemic really accelerated the changes here. Most noticeably has been the pizza. We went from smaller personal pie that was cooked at a higher temp, to a larger, sharing size cooked lower and longer. It helped us grow a to-go side of the business and survive the last couple of years.  I like to think what we are doing now is a throwback to a prior age of pizza from NYC coal ovens. What defines our pizza is the crust. It is sourdough leavened that we focus on fermenting well, but not allowing the flavor to go far into the sour end of the spectrum. When you taste it, you know something is different, flavorful, but might not call out the sourdough aspect. What really sets us apart with the large pizzas is my appreciation for a pizza cooked to well done. There is something magical when the crust gets caramelized without being burnt and the bottom is crisp with some char. I believe our customers appreciate the simple things we do well. By far our most popular pizza is our margherita. We call it the Bensonhurst. Details like doing sliced low moisture mozzarella under the sauce,  or the blend of three tomatoes for that sauce, combined with our crust and how we bake add up to a sum greater than its parts.”

Sfumato Pizzeria  | Alton, Iowa

This rural pizzeria recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. With a reputation for some of the best wood-fired pizza in the region, it’s still a hidden gem in the state. The cozy little restaurant resides in a beautiful timber building in the foreground of a massive grain elevator. The menu is simple. Sfumato serves Neapolitan-style pizza. In addition to the Margherita, Bianca and Marinara, the pizza menu features Fig and Caper with olive oil, garlic, mozzarella, hot sauce, figs, capers, prosciutto, and topped with arugula. There is also the Bar-B-Que with barbecue sauce, mozzarella, red onion, pineapple, cilantro and a choice of either Italian sausage, pepperoni or prosciutto.

Detroit Beach Restaurant and Pizzeria  | Monroe, Michigan

This no-frills, small Italian restaurant and pizzeria has a huge following and has garnered a reputation as a destination location for pizza. A stone’s throw away from the Motor City, the nostalgic old-school spot first opened in 1964. Detroit Beach has a full Italian menu featuring appetizers, soups, salads, pastas, entrées and even party trays. The menu features no specialty pizzas. Instead, customers order personal six-inch, 12-inch or 16-inch pies with their choice of toppings (pepperoni, hamburger, ham, bacon, Italian sausage, black olives, green olives, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, hot peppers, sliced tomatoes, pineapple, garlic and anchovies).

The post Destinations: Wheated, Brooklyn; Sfumato, Alton, IA; Detroit Beach, Monroe, MI appeared first on Pizza Today.

It’s one of the biggest challenges in the pizza industry

To succeed in business, you have to be willing to give all of your time, energy and focus. And in no business is that more accurate then the pizza business. When my father opened up his first store in 1996, my four other siblings and I would rarely see him. He would leave before we were up for school, and he would come home when we were asleep. To build us a better life, and to have something of our own, he sacrificed years away from his family. He missed meals with us, special moments and milestones, countless games, family parties and weddings. He missed a lot. I’ve always admired how much the man sacrificed. Witnessing first hand how his hard work paid off over time really helped shape me into what I am today. When I started opening up my pizzerias and when I started my family years ago, I made myself a promise that I would always try to avoid those circumstances. I didn’t want that for my family or myself. And I’ve actively tried over the years, but realized that when I am succeeding in one area of my life it almost certainly means that I am failing in another area.  

As operators we are torn with how to spend our time. We feel bad and guilty when one area gets more attention than the other. World Pizza Champion Laura Meyer says very often “you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable in the restaurant business”, and a part of us knows that real true balance in this life we have chosen is probably unattainable.  

That’s why you have to make sure you love what you are doing. Paul Giannone of Paulie Gee’s in New York told me he’s doing now what he was doing almost every night at his home, and he’s having a blast. John Arena of Metro Pizza in Las Vegas, a 50-year veteran and icon in our industry, told me that to this day he still loves and enjoys making pizzas, and he could never have pictured himself doing anything else.  

I believe the reasons we struggle to balance work and family in this business are these:

1.  We are the hardest working people in the hardest working industry.

Our jobs may require some of us to work seven days a week, day and night, even holidays. The needs of our customers come first, and those are the times they need our services. Eight hour shifts are a very rare thing for us. We have grown accustomed to working many more on average and have all experienced a 15-hour shift. 

2. To Build a Business takes everything out of us.

To make our operations successful we have to work hard all the time. We have to make sure our food tastes good. We have to make sure our stores look nice and that they are clean. Our customers must receive great service and be happy. We have to know our numbers and be smart about our finances. We have to be good marketers and advertisers. We have to develop strategies short and long term, and make sure they are executed. We are the captains of our ship and can run them into an iceberg or sail them beautifully in the ocean of prosperity. WE MUST WEAR ALL HATS AT ALL TIMES.  

3. We have BIG EGOS.

We have worked so hard, so tirelessly to build our business and believe there is no way anyone can or will do what we do. There is no way anyone could possibly be as smart or as capable as we are. If we were to walk away, everything we did to build this place from nothing would burn up in flames. It would all be for naught.  

It’s not that our health, family and happiness don’t matter to us. It’s that it comes secondary to our business, because we believe our business being successful will make those other areas fall into place. Like a soldier who is away at war on a battlefield, we make all the sacrifices, and are diligent and focused on our mission and will see it through to the end.    

And for some the day never comes, and that is the reason burnout and exhaustion are very common in our industry, and also why we see a lot of alcohol and substance abuse.

All of the successful operators and experts in our field that contributed to this article admitted to having had balance and burnout issues at some point in their careers. The struggle can make us become angry, bitter and pessimistic. So in order to achieve a balance, we need to work equally as hard as we did to build our businesses. Here are some tips and suggestions I have gathered through my experiences and research:

  Learn how to detach.

My first store in particular, but subsequently with all of my other openings, it was really hard to walk away and not be there all the time. And even when I physically wasn’t there, I would constantly be on my phone, watching the security cameras, sending messages and spend all of the time away worrying about the store. There is an indescribable guilt we feel being away from our stores, like we are neglecting a child. But we need to understand that if we can’t detach and balance other aspects of our lives, we cannot fully give our best effort or version of ourselves to our stores. Nicole Bean of Pizaro’s Pizza in Houston recommends putting your phone on DND (Do not disturb) on specific times you step away from work. This allows her to really remove herself from the work life and focus on what she wants to do. 

Involve Family.

Most small businesses in America are family owned and operated. A New York Enterprise Report found that small business owners work twice as much as everyday employees, many hovering over 60 hours per week to make sure their companies stay afloat. All of the successful local restaurants I know are operated by families. Paulie G’s first pizza man was his son. Paulie told me “You have to involve family, otherwise you’ll never see them”.  This also helps spouses and children understand what exactly is going on and why you are so unavailable at times.  

Be Creative.

Accept that you have chosen a lifestyle that will be very different than a normal persons and find ways to still fit in what’s important to you.

For example, if eating dinner with your family is important, but you need to stay at your store, have them come have dinner at the restaurant.

Carlo Bertolli of Pizza Boy in Chicago and hit reality show “Smothered” told me stories that growing up when his father was working seven days open to close, his mother would bring all five kids to the shop to have dinner, and sometimes the younger ones would sleep in sleeping bags if it got a little later than expected.

Communicate.

If you physically can’t be with family as much because of different schedules, call as often as possible and Facetime. It doesn’t take the place of being able to spend time in person, but it definitely helps and would mean a lot to your loved ones. If you are like my father was, and don’t get to see them in the morning or evening, leave little hand drawn notes on the fridge. Your whole family will love and look forward to these. Express to your family that you work very hard and sacrifice so much time from them because you want to make a better life for you all.  

Make the most of your time.

Be very mindful. If you can only get a few minutes in the evening before the kids go to bed, make sure they are uninterrupted quality minutes. Put your phone away, eliminate distractions and focus on the present. You would be surprised at how quality can make up for quantity when in comes to time. If you can’t get away for a week, try a few days or even a day trip, but really focus on all your loved ones. They will treasure all of those memories for a lifetime.

Work when they sleep.

If you need to work from home, try working when everyone is asleep. It will be hard, but wake up a few hours early or go to bed a little later. When you’re home, try to put all of your attention and passion into your loved ones. You will feel less guilt because you will not be missing out on anything when they’re sleeping. I’ll sacrifice sleep, but I won’t sacrifice quality time with them.  

Build a team.  Delegate.

It’s very hard to find help these days in our industry. John Arena told me: “We lose people, and we say ‘I’ll do that myself, I’ll do that myself, I’ll do that myself. Until you’re standing by yourself doing everything!’”  We need to be very intentional on building a team and developing people to be able to do what is required in our absence. Look for people who are independent and able to take the reins when we are not around. Teach them our beliefs and style so we can delegate tasks and get them done the way we would do them.  

Do Less,  Lead more.

We spend so much of our time and energy as operators putting out fires.

Author and Speaker David Scott Peters of “Restaurant Prosperity” says that if our restaurant operation is dependent on us being in it, then we are fulfilling the wrong role as an owner. We need to start leading our employees instead of doing their jobs for them. David suggests making checklists for every aspect of your restaurant. “When you document whatever task needs to get done, you suddenly become in control of everything down to the smallest detail without having to lift a finger to do it yourself,” he says.   

Close once a week.

If you are short staffed and have no way to walk away from your business, close one day a week. To some of us operators that idea is unfathomable. We wouldn’t want to risk losing customers or the business. But you really need to weigh your pros and cons. Carlo from Pizza Boy is closed on Mondays, which allows him to get some personal stuff done and spend time with his wife and three kids. Paulie Gee’s was closed on Mondays as well when he first started, or there wouldn’t have been any other way to spend quality time with his wife. Many operators I know had big staffing issues, and were forced to close one and in some instances two days a week during the height of the pandemic. Surprisingly for some, revenues stayed the same (the customers that were coming on Mondays would come other days), and a few others experienced a significant increase in profit margins because of reduced labor and overhead.   

Take a personal inventory.

Laura Meyer says: “We put our heads down and grind, and we forget to look up.  We are like race horses. We run with our blinders on and only look forward.” Try to take a step back and really assess your goals and your life.  

Nicole Bean highly recommends the book “Pocket Life Coach”, which really helped her put things in perspective and achieve a healthier work and life balance.  

Why did you get in this business? What areas of your life require attention? What changes, big or small can you make to better yourself and be a better version of yourself?  Be proactive at setting boundaries and making changes.   

Pasquale Di Diana is owner-operator of Bacci Pizzerias in Chicago, Illinois.

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A Q&A with Jack Barz, Organ Stop Pizza Mesa, Arizona

Concept:

Organ Stop Pizza is one of only two remaining “Pizza and Pipes” restaurants in the country. In the 1970s and 80s there were Pizza and Pipes restaurants in almost every state. The concept was started as a place to bring the whole family for food and fun. This place is in a very unique situation because the dining room is always full of all age groups, from 2 to 102. Organ Stop Pizza is really the place to be!

Pizza Style:

We have a unique crust that is nice and doughy in the center but has a very crispy outer crust. It’s a medium thickness that really enhances the flavor of the sauce and toppings, without being too over-powering.

How is Organ Stop celebrating its 50th anniversary?

We are celebrating our 50th anniversary with, “50 Days to Celebrate 50 Years!” We have a $50.00 Meal Deal that includes Two Large Pizzas, Two Appetizers, and Two Pitchers of Soft Drink. It’s a great bargain considering you can feed six to eight people for that price. We are also doing nightly giveaways in house and other giveaways on social media. We are so grateful to the residents of Arizona, as well as customers from all over the U.S. and Canada, that have been returning year after year to keep us in business this long.

How has Organ Stop remained relevant to today’s customers?

Organ Stop Pizza remains relevant by providing quality food, great service and amazing entertainment all at an affordable price. We’re also one of very few restaurant concepts that is attractive to the whole family. It really doesn’t matter how old you are, it’s always fun to be at OSP.

Tell us more about the Mighty Wurlitzer and its place in the pizzeria’s history.

Organ Stop’s Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ has always been the star of the restaurant. Originally built in 1927 for the Denver Theatre, it was a much smaller instrument than it is now. Back then, it was about 1,500 pipes played from a three manual (keyboards) console. 

As of today, our Mighty Wurlitzer boasts 82 individual ranks (sets) for more than 6,000 individual pipes. Each rank is sound you would hear in a band or orchestra. We have eight different styles of trumpets, two saxophones, flutes, clarinets, violins, cellos, string basses, etc. 

These organs were originally built to replace the orchestra that was used to accompany silent films. 

As we’ve continued to build and add on to our amazing instrument, it has grown to the largest Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ in a public setting in the world. It is also widely considered to be the very best one ever assembled. Organists from all over the world have come in to play our amazing instrument. We are extremely proud of our Wurlitzer.

The post Conversation: Jack Barz, Organ Stop Pizza Mesa, Arizona appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Q&A with owners of Pizzata Pizzeria in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Concept:

Davide: Our concept was simple — a neighborhood pizzeria with a simple menu where we could focus on delivering pizzas with irresistibly tasty dough. As we opened, the Covid-19 pandemic was unfolding and we pivoted towards creating a product that was better suited for takeout and delivery. 

Pizza Style:

Vinny: Pizzata is more of an homage to New York-style pizza than a direct replica. It has the capabilities of our ovens in mind, and the new Covid-19 market conditions we found ourselves mixed in. Our goal was to deliver a product that pushed everyone’s comfort levels, especially in terms of a bien cuit bake. We like to believe the expression ‘people eat with their eyes and noses first, then their mouths’. In terms of process, we blend several types of flours together at each step to achieve the desired flavor profiles, dough rheology, and to meet our customer’s expectations in the final product. It’s an indirect mix coupled with a long maturation process, stretching up to five days in some cases. The sourdough starter gets maintained several times a day as well.   

What is it about naturally leavened dough that has drawn the attention of the industry and consumers? 

Vinny: No question, the Covid-19 pandemic shook everyone to the pizza bones. With more people at home and in their kitchens, it’s no surprise to us that people went back to how to make bread began. Sourdough starters became all the rage and people found comfort and fascination wrapped up in one.

Harnessing a sourdough starter allows you to achieve flavor profiles that are unparalleled, and limitless, just like individual preferences. For us, a quote by Philly food critic, Craig LaBan, still makes our teeth drool as he describes one of our pizzas. He says, “a crust that crackles with a flavorful chew and roasty tang that reverbs after a slice is gone”. Customers with their two years of hands-on sourdough baking experience have become accustomed to a more robust and flavorful dough. They’re no longer content with bread they find at the supermarkets, and we think the pizza industry has the next staple in their crosshairs. 

How are you able to stand out in Philly’s competitive pizza scene?

Davide: Philadelphians have an adventurous and diverse pizza appetite, which undoubtedly helped us find a footing and develop the mentality that there is no ‘best pizza’, only personal preferences. We stay focused, ensure our product meets our standards, and most importantly, support everyone in the industry. You can always learn from others if you stop and take the time to listen. The pandemic has brought the overarching restaurant community more together in that respect.

How have you been able to stay focused amidst rising prices and a labor crunch?

Davide: The truth is it’s been difficult to maintain a positive mindset through all the sticker shock, and as the EOM approaches, you can’t stop those gut-retching feelings of uncertainty in your stomach. We found ourselves trying to work closer with our suppliers and food purveyors, and simply trying to find other ways to tighten our belts and get through these lean times. 

Also, the whole recruitment and hiring process is costly and time consuming for a small business. If it’s not soaring food costs, it’s the uncertainty of a tight labor market that keeps us awake at night. Fortunately, we’ve been blessed with a fantastic staff. They’ve been loyal and hardworking since day one and our ambitious standards are only rivaled by our unwavering commitment to our staff. They get compensated extremely well, and we do our best to be conscious of their needs and requests. It’s been a team effort, sometimes challenging for both sides, but we’re working together and improving lines of communication to empower one another.

The post Conversation: Davide Lubrano and Vinny Gallagher, Pizzata Pizzeria, Philadelphia appeared first on Pizza Today.

Inflation is wreaking havoc, and a recession is knocking on the doorstep. To survive, we all need to double down on the connection with the customer. In 2009, Tony opened in the heart of San Francisco with many people saying “Little Italy in SF is dead, stick to the suburbs.” Instead, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana destroyed all preconceived notions of what a pizzeria could be.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

The reason there’s still a line today is not because of only good pizza. He would do well living off good pizza. It obliterates sales because the store is living, breathing and ever evolving. The relentless R&D and “Respect for the Craft” never stops with Tony. After my first visit to Tony’s, shortly after it opened, I told him: “This is the restaurant I know you’ve had in your head for the past 20 years. This is a pizza restaurant for pizza makers.”

Seeing a menu with that many styles of perfectly executed pizza left me in awe. The overwhelming thought I had was, “This is going to change everything.” And it did. Especially for me, because I now knew how much more business one store could do and do well. That trip to SF showed that it doesn’t matter how many seats you have or how small your kitchen is. Any brand can connect deeply to its customers through hustle, acumen and constant reinvention. People go to Tony for his school, and many hope to leave there knowing how to make Tony’s Pizza. The truth is you can’t do what he does. But you can take inspiration to do what you do in that vein of hustle, acumen and constant reinvention. That’s how to survive the upcoming recession and current inflation.

Acumen means you’ve tried out everything, KNOW why your menu items work and fixed what doesn’t. You’ve tried it dozens (if not hundreds) of times, without ego, to perfect it. All done with respect for the palate of your audience.

Hustle means that you not only work smarter but also harder, both simultaneously. I’ve seen Tony work until 3 a.m., turn around and be back at it by 6:30 a.m. making dough. All this well after you could classify him as having “made it.” That doesn’t need to be a daily occurrence for you, but it certainly should be within your wheelhouse. You must be willing to sacrifice if you want to thrive this year and not die or wither as a business next year.

And then lastly, reinvention. For Tony, it’s new styles of pizza, books, schools and everything in between to continue the connection. The name reinvention sounds like not being yourself. No, it means you find new ways to keep things exciting, so you never grow stale. So, your customer base is invigorated to come back, no matter what. When a pizza can FIX your customer’s day, like a perfect song on the radio on a long drive home, it’s recession-proof. 

Be like Tony and double down on your hustle, acumen, and ability to reinvent — and you will survive this and any crisis before you. Andolini’s is where we are because I’ve followed his lead but did it my way. If he’s the Michael Jordan of pizza, I’m hoping to be Steve Kerr at best. So, on behalf of my employees, my family, and the entire pizza community: Thank You, Tony Gemignani, for everything you’ve done for and sacrificed to this industry. 

It’s never been done before, and it will never be done again.

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: To Be Like Tony appeared first on Pizza Today.

Famed pizzeria surpasses $1 million a month in sales

Approaching 1570 Stockton Street in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco at lunchtime, a line of eager diners stretches for a half  block. At the corner resides a thriving legend in pizza history, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana. Everyone on that block knew they were partaking in something special. 

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana is a melting pot of pizza styles. The pizzeria excels at an array of them, including Classic American, Classic Italian, Pizza Napoletana, California, Pizza Romano, New York, Grandma, Sicilian, Detroit, Coal-fired, St. Louis and gluten-free. With a full menu, Tony’s applies the same “respect the craft” approach to everything served, from the giant meatball app to house-made pastas, desserts and a comprehensive beverage program. 

“I always said I want to make it an institution,” says owner Tony Gemignani. “There is only one. I always felt like Tony’s could be the best pizza in the U.S. It could be the best pizzeria in the world. Tony’s is like what’s your favorite spot in Detroit and New Haven and New York and St. Louis and let’s all have it in one place.”

Tony’s has experienced a renaissance that has catapulted the famed pizzeria into uncharted territory: one-million-dollar net sales a month. It’s an unfathomable number for even the highest volume of pizzeria. 

Pizzeria of Year Proud Sponsors

The blockbuster sales and Tony’s unwavering reputation as one of the world’s best pizzerias have earned Tony’s Pizza Napoletana the coveted Pizzeria of the Year 2022 honor by Pizza Today.

To grasp the steps Tony took to reach unprecedented sales, especially amidst a volatile business environment, let’s look at Tony’s in its infancy.

Today, Tony Gemignani is at the pinnacle of his 31-year pizza career. He is the chef and owner of more than 30 restaurants and a school. The 13-time World Pizza Champion’s name has become synonymous with pizza making. He has taught some of the industry’s brightest operators and pizza makers. Today’s pizzeria community looks to him as an industry thought leader. It’s easy to forget that Tony’s ascension was gradual and filled with obstacles and those who doubted his vision. But he never did. “Tony’s is the first concept that had multiple ovens and styles,” Gemignani says. “Everybody said ‘why’? Everything has always been ‘what are you doing that for’? Nobody got it other than my wife.”

He spent several years traveling and researching the pizza styles, processes and ingredients that put Tony’s on the map globally. In the mid-90s, he couldn’t simply Google how to create so many styles. Traveling to pizza cities, he immersed himself into every facet of a given style. He also went city to city to experience Italian festivals and soak up every pizza industry-related event. “Before it was Google, before you could just YouTube it, you had to be out there and I always say, it’s the experience of going to Detroit and going to Buddy’s and going to Naples and trying Enzo’s. There is that feel or understanding of it.”

The industry was very different then. Operators held their secrets closer than they do today. Learning a new style was time-consuming. He spent a decade bringing the concept vision to fruition. “There was a lot of sourcing, not only importing ingredients, it was sourcing ingredients that were regional ingredients from America that nobody could get,” he says. “So, there was a lot into Tony’s that took a lot of research, time and being on the road all those years at the conventions and pizza and Italian festivals.”

Tony gained experience and acclaim at his brother’s pizzeria, Pyzano’s Pizzeria in Castro Valley. But Tony wanted to chart a course of his own making. He found partners and just after the economic recession of 2008, Tony found a quiet Bay Area neighborhood that had yet to be revitalized. Vacant storefronts were plentiful in North Beach. Honing in on the Little Italy neighborhood, Tony had his pick of buildings. But as he eyed the corner of Stockton and Union, even his broker warned him that it was a cursed corner. Tony instead followed his due diligence on the block’s history. “For 90 years it was like three places,” Tony says. “After that, it was three to four places in two and a half years.”

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana opened as a full-service pizzeria in 2009 with raving success. Right away Tony saw a void in convenience, pick-up and delivery in his fine-dining pizzeria and wanted to take over the neighboring storefront. Within eight months Tony’s Coal-Fired Pizza & Slice House opened under the same business license.

With the combination of fine dining and a counter-service slice house, Tony’s was designed to hit high sales figures and its rise began gradually.

“Celebrating the first $1 million, it took a lot and then to get to $1.2 and to do a $5,000 night, those were exciting times,” Gemignani says. “Before she was my wife, my girlfriend sitting on the counter and me writing out checks. I don’t want people to think that I was never there. Or you could be there, and it could be gone one day. You never know what could happen. 

“Then you say ‘wow, how can you do a million-dollar month?’  he says. “A million dollars a year you’re always trying to achieve that and then the $2 million restaurant. But with Tony’s the goal was $10 million a year honestly. As we started to go, I would always dream about ‘wow, I could do $10 million’ and now it’s like ‘can you actually do $12 million’ and during a really unstable and interesting time?”

Fast forward, it’s the end of 2019 and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana capped the year with $9.1 million in sales and he anticipated reaching that $10 million mark in 2020 for the first time in its history.

Tony was also eager to be a sole proprietor of his namesake business. He had already bought out one partner and in February 2020 Tony bought out the second partner. “I got the biggest SBA loan I’ve ever gotten, the biggest loan I’ve ever gotten,” he says. “I had never gotten an SBA loan. I had only gotten a home loan. I’ve been able to get private equity. Maybe two weeks after the documents were done and we signed everything, COVID hit.”

The bottom fell out. The COVID-19 Pandemic obliterated San Francisco’s once thriving restaurant industry. The initial blow to Tony’s was devastating, a 56-percent decline in business during that second quarter. 

Tony stepped into the forefront on Pizza Today’s The Hot Slice Podcast and Checking In With series offering other operators the realities of COVID-19 in one of the country’s largest metropolitan cities and the actions he was taking to rebound. Some of those steps triggered the immense growth Tony’s experienced in 2021 and 2022.

But survival was paramount at Tony’s in 2020. The team got creative and innovative to maintain during the grim time, instituting such initiatives as Wine for a Dime, frozen pizzas, take and bake pizza, family specials pizza kits, pizza valet, Easter egg coloring packages, cocktails to-go, and 10 percent customer loyalty pens.

They also took a hard look at the operations, making decisions to decrease menu options and offer better online ordering. They restructured the Slice House kitchen and streamlined to-go and the third-party/pick-up window directly on the sidewalk.

Tony’s had used parklet prior to COVID-19, so as soon as the city approved the outdoor seating, Tony went all in. “I invested in the parklets on both sides of the restaurant with lighting and heaters,” he says. “It was a big investment.” The parklets were completed in phases with roofing added for colder months. The parklets created an additional 100 seats for the busy restaurant. While indoor dining was closed, the parklets, carryout and delivery flourished. 

The initiatives helped stem the damage and triggered a comeback. The efficiencies and parklets sparked Tony and his team to think forward. “What happens when it comes back? During COVID, you didn’t have both open at the same time. So, I’m going to my GM Natale, ‘how are we going to handle it? We could barely handle it at $9.1 and we’re hoping we can get to $10. I remember when we hit $9 and I was like what happens when we hit $11? We don’t have enough refrigeration. We don’t have enough room.” 

As Tony staged a comeback, he was experiencing one of his toughest times personally with the loss of his mother, who always pushed him to do what makes him happy. He also faced his own mortality after serious illness and surgery, giving him new perspective on his living legacy. 

Tony took the gamble and reinvested in his concept and created a concrete strategy to handle the sheer volume that he anticipated for Tony’s. 

In 2019, Tony had started the process of opening a bakery that would also act as a commissary for dough production for Tony’s, as well as other brands. Delayed by COVID-19, Toscano Brothers opened around the corner from Tony’s in May 2021, moving all dough production (mixers and equipment) from Tony’s to the bakery. It doubled walk-in refrigeration and freezer capacity for dough and frozen pizzas — approximately 70 percent more dough for pizza. It also shifted 25 percent of the inventory from Tony’s to the bakery, which now housed flour, semolina, yeast, oil, malt and other dough-making supplies for Tony’s seven dough recipes. 

The bakery also provided revenue generation through breads such as sourdough baguettes, artisan batards and boulé then cross utilized them for menu items at Tony’s like garlic bread, bruschetta, crostini and sour cherry and chocolate caramel bread pudding. Bagels and pastries added extra income.

Using the bakery as a commissary helped free up much needed space at Tony’s. The sauté and fryer lines were expanded to double the space and new equipment was purchased. A double stack gas brick oven was replaced by a triple stack electric deck oven.

With dough being made at the bakery, the prep, refrigeration and storage areas at Tony’s were poised to tackle more products.  

The kitchen areas in Tony’s and the Slice House are compact, something you wouldn’t expect for a million-dollar-a-month business. However, “It’s tiny, right?” Tony says. “Everyone knows their stations. They are good at what they do. They’re great pizza makers.”   

Approximately 100 employees staff Tony’s and the Slice House. A seasoned and tested team has been vital to Tony’s success. “Robvell, JP, Stephanie, Mario, Juan, there are a lot that have been with us since the beginning.”

Retaining his team has been key in a tough labor market. “A big part of it is I try to lead by example,” Tony says. “So, I am in the kitchen still. I think that’s pretty important that employees see you working. I’m able to do that. Pay is important. Treat them right is important.”

Tony takes a sports team dynamic approach with his crew and hiring. “It’s a game every night. You have to be better at something. I’ve been pretty fortunate enough to keep some really great core employees. I think the core is important. The infrastructure is important. You can always get people to leave and come but it’s that GM, that chef, wine director, lead bartenders, lead servers.”

Another key factor in the concept is creative marketing, often unorthodox campaigns. While Tony’s currently does not use a marketing or PR agency, the pizzeria is able to drive traffic with fresh stories that keep Tony’s top of mind in the community and beyond. During Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Tony put a special pizza on its menu for a month to help raise funds for two badminton players to advance in the sport. A teen badminton champ himself, Tony even challenged the rising stars to a friendly match and taught them how to make pizza. It garnered media attention and generated funds for the athletes. 

Cause marketing is close to Tony’s heart with three major charities: George Mark Children’s House, Family House, and SF Marin Food Bank, as well as regular pizza donations to St Vincent de Paul. 

To grab attention, Tony has collaborated with artists to create custom, limited-edition pizzas and boxes with Ed Hardy and renowned artist and North Beach neighbor Jeremy Fish.

Tony is all about creating buzzworthy marketing. He is currently collaborating with Fish on a creative project with a local cannabis dispensary. Tony has created an out-of-the-box slice/cannabis pairing. “We do millionaire’s bacon, it has basil and tomatoes,” Tony says. “I do it in the wood-fired oven.” The pizza goes into Fish’s custom-designed box. “You bring that box up to the dispensary, you have a Tony’s preroll called the ‘Pizza Joint,’” he says. “It has notes of the basil and the tomato and that earthiness and smokiness of course of that pizza. So, it’s kind of cannabis world, pizza world and artist.” 

Tony says when you’re up against pizza companies with million-dollar ad and marketing budgets you must find ways to stand out from the crowd. 

At the end of the day, it’s the personal connection. “When you have a personal connection with your restaurant and a personal connection to your customers and the food and what it’s like…those moments of purity are important to share,” he says. “Tony’s has always been about that. I have a story about every single pizza that lands on that table or the flour or the oven it came out of.”

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post 2022 Pizzeria of the Year: Tony’s Pizzeria Napoletana, San Francisco, CA appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzeria Across America

Talula’s | Asbury Park, New Jersey

Talula has garnered a reputation for the care and love they put into every aspect of the business. “We source the best possible ingredients and make as much in house from scratch as we possibly can, including our sourdough bread, ice cream, vegan cheese, pickles, preserves and other ferments,” says co-owner Shanti Mignogna. “We put the same level of thoughtfulness into our beverage menu with a unique natural wine list, local beers on draft and in cans, rotating craft cocktails, high quality coffee and loose-leaf tea program, and house-made soft drinks, including seasonal shrubs and herbal tonics. We make a 12-inch sourdough pie that could be compared to Neapolitan although it’s definitely #notNeapolitan. We use a combination of organic and farmer ground. We use a gas-fired stone hearth oven. We also do high hydration square pies on Wednesdays and also offer them for catering orders. I like to describe them as a mix between Detroit and Sicilian, but high hydration (like 90%+) and sourdough. We also make a gluten free sourdough square, which we’re so so happy with. Right now, our customers are stoked we brought back Show Me Your Bloobz which is a summer pie with pickled blueberries, fontina, feta, honey caramelized red onion, lemon and micro mint. Some favorites on the lunch menu are our vegan kale Caesar and smoky tofu sandwich. And during brunch it’s our pastrami hash bowl and lemon ricotta fritters. Hands down most ordered cocktail is the Gin & Jam which has been on the menu since we opened in October 2014.”

Partenope Ristorante | Dallas, Texas

Partenope was recently ranked 17 in Top 50 Pizza in the USA in a guide reflecting 1,000 anonymous inspectors from five continents. And we can see why. Chef/owner Dino Santonicola has brought southern Italian cuisine to Dallas. Appetizers include Burrata e Cavoletti with crispy sprouts, burrata, Parmesan, balsamic reduction, basil-mint pesto, house bread. There is also the Mr. T with toasted house bread and whipped ricotta smothered in Calabrian chili honey. The main attraction pizza menu includes Italian classics like Margherita and Montanara, but also includes unique finds like the Meta di Sorrento with mozzarella, zucchini, whipped ricotta, lemon infused olive oil and mint. The Gladiator features smoked mozzarella, tomato sauce, pancetta, sautéed peppers and onions, Calabrian chili and basil. The menu also features an assortment of salads, sandwiches and pastas.   

Flour House | San Luis Obispo, California

The pizza bar and pastaria also made the Top 50 Pizza list. Opened in 2016, the restaurant is the creation of husband and wife team Gessica and Alberto Russo. The menu includes antipasti, pasta and dolci. Pastas include Gnocchetti alla Milanese potato gnocchi, shallot saffron cream, carrot dust, veal reduction and pork osso buco. The pizza menu is divided into Classic Red, Classic White and F.H. Originals. Pizza House even created an original in honor of its Top 50 ranking featuring roasted potato cream, fior di latte, porcini mushroom, wild boar sausage and torched provolone. A divine dessert is the Sfera di Stagione made of layers of yogurt semifreddo, milk chocolate, seasonal fruit, butter cookie crumble.

The post Destinations: Talula’s, Asbury Park, NJ; Partenope, Dallas; Flour House, San Luis Obispo, CA appeared first on Pizza Today.

Rascal House

Cleveland, Ohio

Concept:

Rascal House is an elevated quick service restaurant featuring all of America’s favorite foods. At Rascal House you can get pizzas featuring pizza by the slice, a burger, chicken sandwich, wings, fries and milkshakes.

Pizza Style:

Our pizza is a traditional pan pizza. Not thin and not deep with a soft body and crisp crust. Dough is made fresh daily with our own recipes of dough and pizza sauce. We use 100 percent provolone cheese instead of the more commonly used mozzarella, which is cheaper and not as rich tasting.

With six locations, how have you been able to keep staff?

Short answer is engaged leadership and vision for the future. It’s important for us to share where the brand is going and how each of our team members can be a part of an exciting future with Rascal House. We’ve had our challenges with identifying the right hires but we’re fortunate to also have very committed and tenured team members.

Your growth plan includes franchising. Why franchise?

Franchising done right allows new owners and entrepreneurs to individually grow an exciting business of their own while also benefiting when the overall brand expands and is successful. There are economies of scale which make franchising very powerful as a model. Also, the opportunity to bring other owners into the brand who share their passion, expertise and a common vision to see their brand grow is a very powerful part of franchising.

What was the process like to prepare the pizza company to be available as a franchise?

It does require a lot of work — mostly in planning, support infrastructure and learning about how successful franchising works. Partnering with subject matter experts and good franchise consultants who’ve helped build other successful brands is very important. There are a lot of moving parts that if done well, require deliberate planning and decision making around what type of franchise company model you want to follow. There are many great ones and many not so good ones. We are striving to be a world class brand with a world class system.

With a full menu, how have your offerings shifted in the wake of supply price increases? How have you approached current operational increases?

While we do have a diverse menu, it is also a simple menu. For example, we have pizza but we don’t have multiple crusts. We offer a burger. It’s oversized, but we don’t have mushroom burgers, lots of cheese options, etc. Our simplicity has helped us with supply chain issues. However, we’ve not been immune to supply shortages and having to pivot to find similar products which are acceptable to our standards. With regards to price increases, we’ve had to increase price in the product categories that have seen the most inflation. Wings have been an example where the costs were so high that we had to decide to either raise prices high enough to cover costs or remove them from the menu. We opted to raise prices knowing that some customers would not buy and some who truly wanted the product would buy. We also closely monitored what others in the industry were doing with pricing, which informed us as to what customers were experiencing with other brands.

The post Conversation: Niko Frangos, Rascal House, Cleveland, OH appeared first on Pizza Today.

Eureka Pizza Company

Yorba Linda, California

Concept:

We started in Seward, Alaska, considered as the “Gateway” to the Gold Discovery Regions. It still celebrates itself as the Last and Great Frontier! “Eureka” is translated from the Greek as “I have found it”. It is used as an exclamation to celebrate a discovery. Our goal was to capture a piece of Alaskan History. We possess a strong commitment to serving hearty, delicious food in a warm, friendly, rustic environment — as well as delivering premium hospitality to our customers.

Pizza Style:

New York-style thin crust has always been a favorite of mine, as well as our customers, with no plans to change it up. I’ve been quite happy with the same flour for over 16 years. I use a high-gluten flour. It’s a daily routine with us and that is why our dough recipe and crust is so consistent. The quality of our dough has always stood out and is somewhat different from any of our competitors in the market. What makes our dough and recipe all the more interesting is that I use a pint of Alaskan Amber Beer in my liquid mix…Nothing like adding a true Alaskan experience with our ingredients!

With a nearly 4,000-mile move from the original Eureka, what were some of the differences in opening Eureka in Seward, Alaska versus Yorba Linda, California?

The contrast between the two markets and regions were vastly unique. We came from a town populated by roughly 3,000 (year-round) residents. During the summer months, or 100 days, the town would swell to close to 20,000+ people. Tourism was a major draw to the town of Seward. People traveled from all over the state, country and world to dine with us. It was humbling and overwhelming at the same time. But it was a very seasonal business, and this meant you made a decent living for the summer, then you worked for free the next eight months. However, the strain of trying to maintain a business in one state and family in another — in California and Alaska — eventually brought the family back to Yorba Linda full time. 

You reached out to your customers about rising prices in your small business community. What message did you convey, why was it important to reach out to your customers and how was it received?

Call me a late bloomer, but I’ve had to be very aggressive on social media at a late age. My kids tease me a lot about not deserving technology. But without their support, guidance and assistance, I would not have made it without them.  I have no problem now jumping on Instagram and Facebook and saying it like it is…always sincere but to the point! My most recent post, shared by many, conveyed a very transparent reality check. I asked our customers, both new and existing, to please keep this in mind: “When you come in and see us and other stores raising their prices now and in the coming months, it’s NOT so we can make money, it’s so we can survive and stay open and continue to serve customers (like you). We remain committed to your patronage, are happy you chose to shop with us and support A LOCAL BUSINESS during these times. WE ALL need to get through this.”

The post Conversation: Steve Bangos, Eureka Pizza Company Yorba Linda, CA appeared first on Pizza Today.

Tara Hattan (25)

Zasa’s Pizza & Wings — Tulsa, Oklahoma

@ zasaspizza

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

I will always keep improving my style, my knowledge and technique. But if I were to pick one thing that I need to focus the most on, it would be being an actual Pizzeria Owner. For the past nine years I have been on the front lines making pizza, and most times I forget how important it is to take a step back, SIT DOWN (weird) and focus on the logistics of making us grow more. 

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

There is always so many great things; it’s hard to say just one! One thing I realized this past year is that Pizza Expo is a ticket to unlimited amounts of knowledge and access to the BIGGEST support system in the Pizza Industry, and it only grows each year! Those connections established with people that were in my exact same shoes and had the same questions is what helps me the most. I can call those friends at any time of the day, and I know they’re going to walk me through the do’s and don’ts  

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times? 

I’m a firm believer in acting like the boss you would want to work for. The greatest advantage I have from working my way up is that I know exactly what it’s like to be in their shoes. The best way we keep people motivated would have to be simply giving back to them and showing how much you appreciate them. Whether it’s our treasure chest full of goodies and stickers for when they need a little boost, or when we profit, they profit! If it’s a much-needed raise, or those fresh new kicks they have been dreaming of. Growing staff into a pizza family motivates everyone at the end of the day. We all have the same goals and that’s to make pizza, make money and have fun!

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs? 

With costs rising everywhere we finally had to cave and do a three percent increase on some items, and charge for things we typically could get away with not charging for (ex: ranch). The most important thing in pulling this off is definitely educating your staff to be able to talk about the “why’s?” if the question arises.  

David Lee (42)

Pizza Jawn — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

@pizza_jawn

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

While we have a great social media following, I need to get better about changing with the times and doing more videos/reels and live stories that will allow us to interact with our customers more.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

During a seminar with Tony G, he talked about consistency over quantity and that has always stayed with me.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

Treat them as equals and value their opinions and input.

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

On certain items we have had to increase prices as we would rather do that than cut quality, keeping our product consistent. We do special events and partner with other local business in the neighborhood that brings in added revenue.

Janet V. Duran (35)

550 Pizzeria — Laredo, Texas 

@550pizzeria

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

I currently feel like I need to expand my dining area and finally get a beer and wine license. Oh and delivery! It’s hard to get delivery with insurance costs and also third-party companies and their rates just for a pizza to get delivered. 

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

Attending pizza Expo for the third time has taught me a lot! I was able to compete, something I never ever thought I could do! I was able to taste many kinds of pizzas, and then I started using some of those ingredients on mine.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

My staff are my everything! I have meetings with them to talk about how they feel, what problems can we fix. I celebrate every birthday once a month, and I try to do free money Friday once a month! 

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

We understand the value and the hard work that goes into making our product. Even though most of our ingredients have gone up in price, we anticipated it before we opened. We aspire to keep our product of the same or better quality no matter what. And with this mentality we try to keep prices fair for the customer, and yet that also allows us to compensate our employees for the work they do.  

Andy Brown (32)

Andy’s Pizza — Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland

@andyspizza

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

We focus on quality every day. It’s a never-ending battle to make the best product we can. But I’ll also say that digital ordering has become an enormous nightmare in the industry. Third party tablets, integrators, hidden fees, slow delivery drivers, it can’t go on like this forever. Someone will come in and shake it up again. That can’t come soon enough!

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

Pizza Expo is invaluable to any growing pizzeria. We have our heads down all year long, working hard and doing our best to get better at what we do every day. The expo is a chance to pick your head up and take a look at what’s going on in the industry — innovations that help us scale, new equipment to make life easier for our team, and a chance to catch up with vendors we know and love to see what they have going on.  

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

We start with fair compensation — minimum wage or a few dollars more just doesn’t cut it. It’s hard to work in a restaurant and by no means should it be considered “unskilled labor”.  We also focus heavily on being proud of the work we do every day. Our entire team challenges each other to get better, with higher and higher standards set. If you do a job you are proud of, and are paid fairly for it, generally people are motivated to come in and do their best every day! 

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

We are constantly pitting our vendors against one another — costs are rising like crazy and you need to keep people on their toes. At the end of day, it doesn’t matter how much “shopping around” you do, we increase our menu prices. Our customers have been very understanding with us, because even the big fast-food chains are raising prices.   

Rob Cervoni (34)

Taglio — Mineola Long Island, New York

@tagliopizza 

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

Nobody is perfect and I certainly am not perfect. I strive every day to better my business and myself. Currently I am focused on consistency. Consistency is crucial to running a food business. The customers want the same food they know and love every single visit. Unfortunately, when dealing with dough there are so many factors that can affect consistency. I specialize in Roman-style pizza, which is notoriously one of the more difficult doughs to manage due to its high hydration and long fermentation times (sometimes over 96 hours). So I have been laser focused on getting a consistent product so I can expand Taglio all over New York.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

The best part about the Pizza Expo in my experience is meeting pizza enthusiasts from all over the world. It truly brings some of the best pizzaiolos together in one room. I take full advantage of these situations by becoming a sponge and absorbing all pizza information possible. Whether you are a home baker or a multi-unit operator, Pizza Expo is the best opportunity to ask questions, listen and learn. Don’t be scared to ask your fellow pizzaiolo questions about techniques, recipes and business practices. I can’t overstate how valuable this information is and how it will help your business in the long run.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

The biggest issue I’m seeing with most businesses is staffing issues. The shortage of skilled labor is most definitely real! Retaining existing staff and keeping them motivated is always a challenge. The one thing I truly believe and practice is communication. We are all human, things come up and work is work. The pizza industry isn’t difficult, but it is a repetitive grind. It’s waking up and doing the same thing over and over day in and out. Treat your staff with respect, treat them as if they are family. If they need some personal time let them have it. Always keep that line of communication open and hopefully that daily grind won’t feel so bad.

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

Prices keep going up, when will it stop? I don’t know! Nobody does! Unfortunately to combat inflation the simple answer is raise your prices. It is crucial to cost out every item on your menu and keep your food cost around 30 percent. Keep an eye on inventory and keep your distributors honest and competitive with their prices. The one thing you don’t want to do is switch to a lower quality, less expensive ingredient. Ingredients matter and the average customer is evolving and getting more and more educated on the quality of ingredients used in your pizza.

Ismaele Romano (46)

Via Focaccia — Inside at Ellis Island Casino — Las Vegas, Nevada 

@ViaFocaccia

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

Given the moment in which we live and certain that managing a business is not easy, there are aspects to be fixed and straightened to introduce new products.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

That there is not only one way of seeing a product. If we take pizza as an example there is not only one way of making it or seeing it. Each of us sees it in our own way. The important thing is to respect the product. As an Italian, we often make these mistakes. We think that pizza is only one way, but it is not so. I had the opportunity to taste pizzas during Pizza Expo that I never would have imagined. Behind there is a huge work and respect for the product, for example Sicilian pizza or the Detroit pizza — pizza for which I have absolute respect and I like a lot.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

I try to be as flexible as possible, while teaching them respect for work and what we produce every day. Remember we are artisans of taste, artists of flavor, sellers of happiness.

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

Of course, we are in a moment where everything has become very expensive, so I try to use genuine ingredients, simple recipes and, if possible, local products. 

Andrew Gregory (43)

Post Alley Pizza — Seattle, Washington 

@postalleypizza

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

Most of our energy has been focused on improving our pizza to the detriment of all other aspects of the business. We need to be more consistent. Our small shop and corner of Seattle has been under construction since the day we took ownership four years ago. It has been confusing for everyone. But we’re making progress and that’s the fun part.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business? 

We have yet to attend but look forward to next year. Our first visit was planned for the cancelled event in 2020

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

We were forced to cross-train everyone on everything. That, in turn, has kept people excited and also made them more versatile and allows us to operate with a leaner staff. But we could still use some more help!

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs? 

Probably not enough. Our commitment to local food products and vendors has helped insulate our costs to some degree. We’ve explored offering breakfast sandwiches with some success. We did raise our prices. But we have also leaned into our “alley” location and focused on takeout. We installed a take-out window and reduced our dining room to only a few barstools. 

The post Rising Stars of the Pizzeria Industry 2022 appeared first on Pizza Today.

We’ve all had that moment when it feels like the rug has been pulled out from beneath our feet. It happened to me last week in the form of a text message: “Luzzo’s has closed.” Besides having some excellent pizza and a staff that had been there for decades, Luzzo’s used one of the few
remaining coal-burning ovens in New York City. Since Luzzo’s didn’t own the building (it’s extremely rare to find pizzerias that do), the fate of the oven remains in the hands of an East Village landlord. So it’s essentially doomed. 

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

New York’s coal-burning ovens have become things of legend. They were the first ovens used for American pizza making in the early 1900s because coal was cheaper than wood. Since coal needs a constant flow of oxygen to burn, the ovens have to be built in a way that takes up lots of space. The oldest ones are built directly into the foundation of the building or as extensions from the first floor. 

Once natural gas became available in the 1930s, owners retrofitted their coal-burning ovens with flame throwers. When the stainless steel pizza ovens entered the picture in the 1940s, coal-fired ovens became relics. After Arturo’s opened on MacDougal Street in 1957, there were no new coal-fired pizzerias
until Patsy’s (now called Grimaldi’s) opened under the Brooklyn Bridge in 1990. That’s when rumors swirled about coal ovens being illegal, that one must have been built before restrictive laws in order to be “grandfathered in” for use. 

While it’s entirely legal to build a coal-burning oven today, most business owners don’t want to deal with the confusing regulations of the Department of Buildings and the fire commissioner. Building owners find the old ovens to be more of a liability than an asset. They can make much more money by ripping out the old structures and enhancing their buildings’ living spaces. When a coal-fired pizzeria closes, the oven’s fate is sealed. 

Just a couple months ago, a worst case scenario played out in Little Italy. Lombardi’s paid rent on two neighboring properties, one at 32 and the other at 30 Spring Street. The pandemic crippled their business, so they decided to step away from one of the two leases and shrink the restaurant. They chose to ditch 32 Spring Street, which just so happened to house an old coal oven built in the 1910s. Lombardi’s moved to this space in 1994 specifically because of the old oven and within a year of them relinquishing the lease, the building was sold and the new owner demolished it. It’s gone. Every last brick. 

Coal-fired ovens represent the earliest version of pizza in the United States. On one hand, we see chains like Grimaldi’s and Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana spreading the gospel with new locations. On the other, we’re losing the physical pieces of history that connect the present with the past. Change is inevitable, especially in the face of an industry that’s embracing the efficiency and quality of new technology. Still, I think it’s important to respect history and it makes me feel helpless to witness the loss of such beautiful pieces of our industry’s past. 

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

The post Man on the Street: Losing NYC’s Coal Burning Ovens appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Q&A with Gabriele Lamonaca, Unregular Pizza New York City, New York

Concept:

Unregular Pizza is a fast casual Roman-style pizzeria by the slice located in the heart of NYC in Union Square. The pizzeria offers a wide range of creative and delicious pizzas, sandwiches and salads available in gluten free and vegan options.   

Pizza Style:

Our Roman-style pizza dough is made with imported Italian flour and it’s fermented for 72 hours, making the dough airy, light and digestible. 

What is the story behind your pizzeria’s name?

Our pizza project was born, in fact, in an Unregular way. I started making pizza at home during the pandemic in 2020, experimenting with different combinations of toppings in a creative and unusual way. After posting pictures and videos of my creations on Instagram, I grabbed the attention of my friends who wanted to purchase my pizza. However, instead of selling, I would give it out for free, so that I could get as MUCH feedback as possible. When I delivered a potato pie (a staple of the Roman pizza tradition) to my friend Federica, she gave me homemade cocktails in return. 

This brought me back memories of my grandma, who back in the 1950’s used bake goods that she exchanged for other goods.

So I began bartering pizza from home — which immediately created a community of barters — while my pizza was being constantly fine tuned and shared over and over with future potential customers. We then decided with my business partner and master pizzaiolo, Salvatore Gagliardo, to open up a shop.

We found the perfect location in Union Square, in the heart of Manhattan. 

“Unregular” is an intended grammatical mistake (should be “irregular”), and was chosen to distance ourselves from the low-quality $1 “regular” NY slice. This was done to convey the originality of our product. 

What is this barter program and how does it work?

Since we opened our brick and mortar store, we have bartered pizza from it with anyone who has something to share that he/she is passionate about. People may go on our website, unregularpizza.com, and sign up to barter. Our team will get in touch to organize it. 

Unregular Pizza has a unique design in the pizzeria and its branding elements. Tell us a little more about how the design was created?

Our pizza project was born out of the pandemic, which was a very sad moment for everyone, including the city and its restaurant scene. We wanted to create a pizzeria that was different from the traditional ones, and at the same time was colorful and happy. We chose a throwback 90s design for our store in order to convey that feeling. The final product is a combination of three main artists. Italian street artist Federico Massa (a.k.a. Lena Cruz) is known for his spray-painted stencils and precise brush work. Melding imagery of iguanas, landscapes, cultural artifacts, and local graffiti gathered from trips to Mexico and across the world, Massa has developed a unique visual style. Indian born, New York-based multidisciplinary designer Sourabh Gupta works at the intersection of art, design and architecture. And last, but not least, Italian store designer Federica Teso, founder of Lessthan3studio, which blends perspectives and fabrication techniques with European and American design sensibilities in order to provide unmatched elegance and quality at any scale. 

ONLINE BONUS QUESTION: NYC has a very competitive pizza scene. How are you able to grab a piece of the NYC market?

In the radius of one street block from our store there are 4 other pizzerias! NYC is literally the most crowded pizza scene in the world. The only way to succeed is preserving quality, convenience and originality. Our bestseller is called the BURRAPIZZA CAFONATA which is a crazy creation which came up through deed bartering research, if so we may call it. Obviously this pizza a 72h leavened dough (like all our pizzas), rigorously Italian Mutti tomato sauce, a whole Lioni Latticini burrata on each slice (hence the name Burrapizza), spicy n’duja sauce and finally spicy hot honey. Each slice is a bite of sin which has captured the hearts and taste buds of thousands who travel all the way to us to grab a bite of it. 

We also continuously produce new products with the aim of keeping creativity alive while respecting the high quality of Roman-style pizza. Worthy of note is the golden burrapizza (24K burrata on each slice) which we launched on National Pizza Day with the objective of raising money for charity, the Welcome to Times Square burrapizza which was made for our World’s Biggest barter event where bartered 162 times from a pizza truck in Times Square back in November, the best barters were displayed on a billboard in Times Square offered by our partners at Welcome to Times Square, our Trojan Horse pizza which featured gyro and souvlaki on a pizza with a maxi burrata on top filled with mini mozzarellas (hence the name Trojan Horse…), a sweet Bronte Pistachio and nutella multilayered burrapizza which we made customized for a birthday… everyday there’s a new idea. Something that spikes our creativity and that might make people say “I wanna try this” because it’s all about the quality and inventiveness of the pizza!

The post Conversation: Gabriele Lamonaca, Unregular Pizza New York City appeared first on Pizza Today.

Stellar Pizza

Los Angeles, California

Concept:

Stellar Pizza is a new, next-generation pizza company powered by automated, mobile restaurants. The robotic pizza vehicle can cook a touch-free pizza from start to finish in less than five minutes. The technology fits on the back of a truck, which allows end-to-end mobile pizza cooking for delivery to customers. Using only the finest ingredients available is an unwavering priority to ensure Stellar Pizza produces delicious pizza for our customers. The cost savings through mobile automation allows us to sell pizzas at an affordable price, while delivering a stellar experience that is both fast and consistent.   

Pizza & Dough:

Stellar Pizza offers a 12-inch thin-crust dough paired with an in-house sauce and some of the most classic of pizza toppings. The dough is made in-house, combining strong American wheat that gives it a signature “chew” with softer wheat that provides a light, airy texture. The dough is fermented over a few days for heightened complexity and flavor.  

How was this advanced technology developed? 

I worked with my co-founders, James Wahawisan and Brian Langone, at SpaceX for five years developing power systems for Dragon 2, Falcon 9 and Starlink. We were all foodies and wanted to create a food brand that could benefit from advanced automation.  

The technology development started with building ovens and smaller bench-top versions of the subsystems in my living room at home. Through much trial and error, the machine evolved into what it is today with help of the team’s space-grade design process.  

Today, Stellar has over 23 ex-SpaceX employees working for us along with people from UberEATS, Sweetgreen and Fresh Brothers. Our offices, coincidentally, are right near SpaceX. We have lots of our friends from SpaceX serve as our unofficial food tasters! Their feedback has really helped us dial in a great recipe. 

How does the touchless, robotic machine work? 

The machine was designed with in-house electronics and mechanisms to make the perfect pie. Custom software is used to control the entire system that will take a dough ball, open it, add toppings and finally cook it.   

What is the pizza-making process like? 

When a customer orders a pizza using our custom-built Stellar Pizza app, the dough storage system produces a dough ball. The dough ball is then transferred to an automated dough press that opens and flattens the dough. Next, the dough ball moves into the topping line system, where the machine adds sauce, cheese and any other toppings that customer desires. Finally, pizzas are moved by an automated pizza peel that launches the pizzas into one of four ovens. Once cooking has finished, the pizzas are sent into the hands of our employees to be handed off to a customer.   

What are the growth plans for Stellar Pizza?  

As with any restaurant business, growth will depend on our initial/continued success. A bright future involves hundreds of Stellar Pizza trucks on the road, across the U.S. in the next five years.    

How do you see Stellar fitting into the future of the pizza industry? 

Stellar fits into the pizza industry as a new brand that delivers on the promise of fast, fresh and affordable pizza. As the brand grows, Stellar Pizza strives to be the obvious choice for any hungry consumer that is craving delicious pizza.   

The post Conversation: Benson Tsai, Stellar Pizza, Los Angeles, CA appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Around the U.S.

Hella Pie Pizza | Tracy, California

Beginning as a food truck in 2017, Hella Pie opened as a slice house and takeout pizzeria in October 2020. “We are locals cooking for locals,” Owner Marcus Medina says. “Because everyone is picking up their pizzas we get to have a relationship with our customers. We get to know them. Our customers know that we care and those actions are what define us and also make us stand out. Our pizza style is an expression of all things that we enjoy about pizza — long-fermented dough, freshly made sauce, melty flavorful mozzarella, and balanced toppings. It could be considered New York inspired. We like to think of it as Northern California pizza because that’s who’s making it and that’s who we’re making it for. The holy grail would definitely be the Taco Pie. It’s a chorizo refried bean base with shredded cheddar, ground taco beef, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and taco sauce. It’s basically my Mom’s Tuesday tacos on pizza dough. I think a lot of Mom’s had similar ways so it connects with everyone.” 

Santarpio’s Pizza | Boston, Massachusetts

This old-school pizza shop is a no-frills spot serving up New York-style pizza. Santarpio has a long history in Boston, first opened as a bakery in 1903. People rave about its cheese pizza. Another favorite is the Shrimp Scampi. Another killer combination is the chicken, broccoli and garlic white pie or one featuring pepperoni, garlic and hot peppers. Santarpio’s also highlights barbecue meat skewers with choice of steak tips, chicken, sausage or zesty lamb sausage. Skewers are served with hot cherry peppers and fresh baked Italian bread.

TriBecca Allie Cafe | Sardis, Mississippi

Rebecca and Damian (Dutch) Van Oostendorp have streamlined to operate during peak times, which works well their small Southern town. The pizzeria was born as a farmer’s market offering and dough for its wood-fired pizza was five years in the making. Pizzas are meticulously crafted. A featured pie includes Bianca Verde with ricotta cream and whole milk mozzarella cheese, with choice of spinach or artichoke hearts. Another specialty pizza is the Florentine with ricotta cream, whole milk mozzarella cheese, spinach, mushrooms, red onion and prosciutto.

The post Destinations: Hella Pie Pizza, Tracy, CA; Santarpio, Boston; Tribecca Allie, Sardis, MS appeared first on Pizza Today.

In March 17, 2022, we lost a true legend. Domenico DeMarco was the co-founder and head pizza maker of Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn. Dom inspired a generation of pizza makers and elevated, maybe even saved, the New York slice.

Visiting Di Fara wasn’t just about the food, it was about the experience. I’ll never forget my first time. We made the hour-long trek from Hoboken, New Jersey, into the center of Brooklyn, where we found a small storefront on the corner of Ave. J and E. 15th Street. The windows dripped with condensation because it was so packed inside. We elbowed our way through the crowd and found the counter, behind which stood Dom DeMarco.

Everyone in the room watched him intently. Dom’s motions were thoughtfully slow, soaked with intention. He moved at his own pace, which seemed to sync with the Italian opera emanating from a small cassette player in the corner. His back turned to the audience, Dom appeared to ignore the crowd of hungry customers behind him so that he could focus on the pizza.

His inefficient process played into Dom’s performance. He sliced cheese directly onto the sauced dough. When he was using buffalo mozzarella, Dom would cut open the bag (imported from his native Caserta, of course) and let the brine slosh into a bucket before applying chunks of cheese onto the dough. When someone ordered a topping, he’d have one of his kids prep it in the back and bring it out on a small platter. Placing the pie into his oven required him to stand on a case of tomato cans. To turn or remove a pizza, he’d often stick his hand directly inside the oven.

After pulling a pie, Dom let it settle as he shuffled across the room to grate some Grana Padano cheese, which he’d cart all the way back to the bubbling pizza. Next was his most famous move, snipping fresh basil directly from a bouquet onto the pie. Finally, a swirl or two of olive oil. This final move triggered oooohs and aaaahs from the audience, inspiring him to add a bonus drizzle or two for good measure.

As all this happened, everyone in the room anxiously waited to find out whose hunger would be quenched. Just as Dom repositioned a stray snip of basil, he’d look up and make eye contact with the lucky recipient – the first real acknowledgement of the audience. All you could do was thank him, even after hours of torture. Dom changed ingredients and tweaked his methods constantly. Every other pizzeria in New York repeated their routine every day. They followed the procedures taught to them by their predecessors without question. They didn’t change anything unless it was to save a couple cents. That’s why so many slice shops fell into a trance and went out of business. In the late 2000s, pizzerias offering $1 slices knocked out the mediocre spots and threatened to take over the city. Dom’s pie evolved over time into the symphony it is today and essentially saved the New York slice.

For the first few decades after opening, Dom made typical New York-style pizza. It only became what we know and love today because Dom wasn’t interested in merely maintaining — he wanted to evolve. By doing so, he gave other pizza makers a license to do the same. He proved that there’s value in the details and that people will wait for quality. The man may be gone, but his memory will survive as long as there are pizza makers looking to improve. Every snip of basil, every handful of Grana Padano, and every swirl of post-bake olive oil will be a reminder of Domenico DeMarco.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org Instagram: @scottspizzatours

The post Man on the Street: In Memory of Dom Demarco appeared first on Pizza Today.

Culture and Community

Nashville-based Slim & Husky’s focused on growing its brand

Culture and community aren’t just buzzwords for Slim & Husky’s. Far from marketing-speak, those focal points guide nearly everything the trio of founders do when advancing their Nashville-based fast casual brand. And that genuine approach is exactly why success follows them.

We sat down at the original Slim & Husky’s location over the winter with co-founder Clint Gray, who started the company with friends Emmanuel Reed and Derrick Moore (neither of whom were available for our interview that day, unfortunately). Gray graciously brought us up to speed on what the growing chain is all about.

But first, a little backstory. Gray, Reed and Moore lived together at Tennessee State University in Nashville. As college roommates tend to do, the pals often dreamed big of a future that saw them running a successful business venture together. And that’s exactly what they did. But the business they started couldn’t be further from where they have now landed. “We started a moving company first,” Gray says.

“We started it from scratch, built it up over seven years and sold it in 2017.”

The three took on quick-turnaround cross-country moves other companies didn’t want and found a niche — as well as profits. When it came time to sell, they already had an inkling of what was next.

“In the process of selling it we talked about starting up a restaurant,” Gray explains. But there was only one problem: they didn’t know anything about running a restaurant business.

“The restaurant industry was booming in Nashville right then,” says Gray. “And being local guys, we wanted a piece of it. When we had the moving company and were driving all around the country in our trucks, one thing we always did on the road was eat pizza. It felt like we were professional amateurs when it came to the pizza game. We could talk pizza all day. We were always seeking out the best pizza shops.”

Turning their love of pizza into their next profitable business became the plan. The trio bought an old garage in a neglected neighborhood and went to work experimenting and learning.

“We turned it into a science lab for pizza,” Gray says. “We didn’t know how to make pizza. We never worked in a pizzeria. But we knew a guy who was a chef. He didn’t know how to make pizza either, but he was a chef and knew he could figure it out. We bought some refrigeration units from an old Quizno’s franchisee and some old sandwich tables, plus an old mixer and a new oven and got to work learning. Our garage had no hot water and no heat. But it had lights. And we installed a three-phase electrical into the building to run the oven. We literally had to run a hose from the bathroom sink to the mixer. We microwaved our water to the right temp to mix the dough and we figured it out like that over time.”

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Beginning with microwaved water and a hose running from a bathroom sink in an old garage … the three business partners figured they had nowhere to go but up. And they were absolutely correct.

As they were figuring out a dough formulation and experimenting with a menu, they were also planning how they could become an integral part of the community, help turn around a neighborhood’s fortunes and build a lasting brand.

“We saw an opportunity to come in and make a difference in an underserved community,” Gray says. “This neighborhood you’re sitting in right now is a testament to what happens when companies invest in neighborhoods that need it. There wasn’t an open business for 16 blocks here. There was nothing open. It was all boarded up. Old homes and old grocery stores that had been closed down. But being from here, we remember the street when it was really something. When there was commerce. But just like every city, crime and a lack of resources and a lack of support from the city turned this neighborhood into what it became. And we were on a vengeance to bring it back.”

Before Slim & Husky’s ever even opened, there was demand for the product. Word got out about what was going on in the garage. The neighborhood, meanwhile, was going through a tumultuous time and a community leader asked Gray, Reed and Moore to drop by a community meeting with some pizzas.

“We walk into the community meeting, and they were literally bumping heads when we walked in,” says Gray. “People were screaming at each other, cussing each other out. Just two different visions of the community within one meeting. Here we walk in with these pizzas. We don’t even have branding on the boxes. They were just plain boxes. And they were looking at us. We told them we wanted to see what they thought about our pizza. They started eating and before long the tension started calming down. Next thing you know they were discussing issues and we became part of the meeting. At the end they wanted to know if they could have the next meeting in our garage. They started having the meetings in our pizza lab.”

The momentum built from that not only fortified the Slim & Husky’s bond with the community, but also gave the trio plenty of feedback on their product as they made tweaks along the way.

“When we finally opened, all these people were invested and they showed up in a big way and were behind what we were out to do,” recalls Gray.

Slim & Husky’s opened with a hip-hop theme because the three founders grew up on hip-hop artists and movies such as “House Party,” but that theme also resonated well beyond their personal tastes. It seemed to appeal to almost everyone. And it fit right into the fast-casual dining focus as well.

“The simplicity of fast casual, build-your-own-pizza appealed to the neighborhood we were trying to support,” says Gray. “If you drive just a few minutes from here into Germantown, you can get plenty of high-end places to sit down with wine and spend a few hours. You can get coal-oven pizzas. Whatever you want. We were serving a different community. We knew a fast casual would work here. What we noticed around the country when traveling with the moving company, a lot of places that were doing fast casual seemed to be focused on volume but weren’t so focused on flavor. We thought there had to be a way to merge the two.”

Slim & Husky’s now finds itself in growth mode.

The company has nine stores at the moment — six in Tennessee, two in Georgia and one in California. Being a southern-flavor focused brand, Gray says he and his partners will look to grow in the south and southwest. “We’re slow rolling it and playing the long game,” Gray says. “We have different views on who we are as a pizza company compared to other pizza companies. It’s going to take us a little longer to get to where we’re going because it’s not just about the pizza for us. If I had somebody right now who wanted to write me a check for $20 million and they were the right fit for our brand, then maybe we would go out and open 30 or 40 stores. But we’re growing slowly and intentionally.”

JEREMY WHITE is Editor-in-Chief at Pizza Today.

The post On the Road: Slim & Husky’s appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Good Reset

Atlanta-based St. Angelo’s Pizza has transformed itself again and again to meet the needs of its customers

St. Angelo’s Pizza in the Vinings neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, didn’t become a multimillion-dollar pizzeria by sitting on its laurels of past successes. The pizza company is constantly evolving and transforming to stay current and relevant to its customers and staff.

“I always joke we’re 60 percent there,” says owner Sean Rowe of the nearly 20-year-old St. Angelo’s. “This has been how many years now? We are never going to arrive. This is a boat that is never going to reach the harbor. It’s never going to dock because I’m always trying to figure out what’s next.”

Rowe’s tenacious mindset helped him turn a failing DELCO unit into a high-volume pizza company with two Georgia locations, serving up New York-style and pan pizza. 

Owner Sean Rowe, St. Angelo’s Pizza in Atlanta, Georgia

Pizza Today met up with Rowe at the Vinings location this winter. Arriving during the construction of a new phase for the pizzeria, we witnessed to the evolution St. Angelo’s had embarked on firsthand. The interior was in the beginning stages of a remodel — not just a refresh but a new flow and concept style for the front of house.

Where patrons had walked through a small dining room to a carryout counter, soon they will be greeted with a fast-casual counter. The new design will match the service style without the full-service approach they were accustomed to. It’s something that St. Angelo’s had already shifted to since the beginning of the pandemic. 

It’s a lasting revelation from the great pivot of 2020 that Rowe sees as the restaurant’s future. His version brings the dining experience that St. Angelo’s is known for into a fast-casual setting with the creation of a host position and food runners. The host is not there to seat customers. Instead, the individual will float the dining area and outdoor seating with a hand-held ordering tablet, ready to add beverages and more food items to tickets. “We used to operate on a Friday night with 10 to 12 front of house people in here,” he says. “We can probably do it with five to six at the most with that process.”  

Just before the COVID-19 shutdowns, Rowe made a quick decision that would have a lasting implication for not only the remodel but also the labor crunch. “We just raised (wages for) everyone in January of 2020 and it saved me a lot of grief in July of 2020 and later on,” he says. “If I hadn’t done that, who knows what would have happened.” Server positions were eliminated, staff shifted to carryout and delivery and tip sharing began during the pandemic. “So now that everyone shares — they’re revenue sharing so to speak — everyone is happier. I’m trying to make it as egalitarian as possible and it has worked out.”

The key to St. Angelo’s success also has been the teams at both locations. Key positions have been with the company for several years from managers to the kitchen crews. Over a year ago, the Vinings general manager of eight years was ready to move on. Ansley Walden stepped in and stepped up. Since coming on board, St. Angelo’s hasn’t skipped a beat. The GM is such a vital position that Rowe says, “You take care of her, and you support her. But also, I can tell her ‘Listen if something goes wrong, let me show you how to fix it. Running that cue with 160 deliveries on a Friday is no joke, matching up doubles and knowing the area on how to match them up.” 

In addition to higher wages, Rowe has instituted several employee programs. “We do involved things where they get together a lot,” he says. “We do some bonus programs for them. 

“We’re actually about to roll out some insurance stuff,” he says. After years of seeing extremely high rates, Rowe says now is the time. “The pricing is right, and the plans are right,” he says. “They’re affordable enough for me to help compensate for some of it and then put a little skin in the game. We have roughly 70 employees. We’ll have 100 when summer rolls around between the two.”

Transforming in the face of adversity isn’t new to Rowe. It’s been his challenge since St. Angelo’s infancy. What began as a simple investment turned into a 20-year career for Rowe. “I definitely fell into pizza,” he laughs. 

Rowe grew up around his great uncle’s pizzeria (St. Angelo’s Pizzeria) in Grand Island, New York. “I worked for him during my summers,” he says. “So, I was always around the pizza business. And I never thought in a million years I would be in the pizza business.”

Very successful in the software business for six years, Rowe was ready for something new. His uncle approached him in 2002 to invest in a carryout and delivery pizzeria. “Well sure, how hard can that be as I’m strutting?” he says. “Big mistake.”

But hindsight being 20/20, Rowe says, “The place is a disaster. The food is horrible.” His only recourse he felt was to open a new location and change everything. Wait, what?   

“The definition of an entrepreneur is to be able to pay for your mistakes,” he says. “But the ego will not let me let this go away. So, I find (a location next to the) Kroger. It’s $35 a square foot in 2003. But it’s not more than 1,000 square feet.” Rowe eventually bought out the business from his uncle.  

“I upgraded the cheese, pepperoni and sausage,” he says. “I didn’t change everything immediately, but the dough did change and slowly then the sauce. Everything was wrong,” he says. 

“The first day we opened over there we did like $850, and I thought it was made from Heaven,” he says of St. Angelo’s 2004 launch. “Then we started tweaking the menu and then I developed those garlic knots.”

He tackled reformulating the pizza dough. “I must have made 300 to 400 batches of dough that I threw out in the course of a few months,” he says. “With enough of the expertise from the guys I had working for me, we sort of came into figuring out the dough. That took a good year or two.” 

The small Kroger takeout and delivery spot became a draw for the area. As Rowe saw the need for more space, he approached a restaurant owner about a location that wasn’t even available. But this was 2008 in the midst of economic recession. “This (space) was potentially coming available,” he says. “If we’re going to do this, let’s go. Let’s see what happens. It was great to think that it had become a part of everyone’s lives. Hence, we did the tagline: ‘family, pizza, friends.'”

The new space provided an opportunity to optimize back-of-house operations for increased deliveries and also create a full-service experience with a fun atmosphere with family and trivia nights.  

Enclosing the patio added more seating, giving the restaurant 30 to 40 seats inside and another 40 to 50 outside. 

Rowe created a partnership to be the concessions vendor with four kiosks at the Lakepoint Sporting Complex in Emerson, Georgia. The complex is a 1,300-acre state-of-the-art sports venue. It wasn’t long before he was approached by the adjacent Lakepoint Station to open a full-service St. Angelo’s in the family activity center that features indoor rock climbing, an arcade and bowling. The second St. Angelo’s opened in 2016.

The Lakepoint location operates a bit differently. It is a full-service restaurant with huge seasonal swings. The restaurant also acts as a commissary for its complex kiosks.

In the past year, Rowe and his team have worked to streamline and operate fast and efficiently with impressive output at both locations. 

Rowe has continued to evaluate and shift St. Angelo’s menu with staff productivity in mind. But occasionally there’s an item like The Ringer that takes a bit longer to prepare but gives the pizzeria a solid party tray option. The Ringer is made with its pizza dough rolled with a variety of ingredients into shape of a ringer and cut in slices. 

St. Angelo’s has a wide menu of pizzas, appetizers, salads, calzones, pastas and desserts. But the pizza menu is the star of the show with 20-plus pies to choose from. Hotlanta features its house BBQ sauce, fresh grilled chicken, mozzarella, Gouda, onions and cilantro. The Capricciosa is topped with tomatoes, mushroom, ham, artichokes, kalamata olives and mozzarella.  

Rowe feels the momentum shifting with the pandemic. “The goal for everything is April,” he says. “The music comes back. Family night comes back and a trivia night.

“We’re going through another, I call it, renaissance,” he says. “I feel like we are hopefully coming out of COVID overall. There feels like there is a renewed energy for the staff.”

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post On the Road: St. Angelo’s Pizza, Atlanta, GA appeared first on Pizza Today.

Family Strong

The Terrence Family build a legacy business from food truck to pizzeria

Lasonia and Jay Terrence, Triple Jay’s Pizza, Atlanta, Georgia

There is a side street in the trendy Midtown District of Atlanta, Georgia. A brick façade building features a large bank of windows, abundant patio seating and a well-branded storefront emphasizing Triple Jay’s Pizza Bar. 

You expect to walk into a bustling pizzeria. But on this day like the many days before that since March 2020, a wall of tables with menus and hand sanitizer and a smiling worker greeted patrons at the front door. No indoor dining was permitted. The teeming operation instead took place back of house with a thriving carryout and third-party delivery business.

Jay and Lasonia Terrence, along with their sons, operate the young pizzeria that opened a mere month before the COVID-19 shutdown of 2020. “We had our anniversary on March 1st and the next day they shut the city down,” Jay says. “In one month, it went from a dream to a nightmare. But it worked out to be a blessing for us because we were a truck, so we were used to just passing out a window and keeping it moving.” Pizza continued to be popular and persevere. And from a financial standpoint, the family had no comparison to sales history pre-pandemic in Midtown. 

Triple Jay’s features New York-style and Detroit-style pizza in whole pies and slices, wings and fries. Specialty pizzas include Da Meat, Buffalo Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Vegan Cheese and a very special “B Side” that you’ll read more about.

Amidst a turbulence few years, Triple Jay’s has garnered a local and national pizza following. Triple Jay’s has a commanding following on Instagram and TikTok at 12K and 38K respectively. “Our brand is family, fun and light,” Jay says, adding that he and Lasonia do funny TikTok videos that have resonated well with their audience.. 

The pizzeria has appeared on the Cooking Channel and has made best pizza lists in the local and regional media and nationally. Triple Jay’s was among The Tamron Hall Show’s black-owned restaurant owners that she awarded $15,000 in a 2020 Restaurant Love series.   

The Terrence family had a prospering pizza business long before opening the brick-and-mortar restaurant. Its infancy began with Jay’s weekend tradition of making pizza on the weekends with their sons in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pizza making weekends ramp up even more when the family moved to the Atlanta area where they couldn’t find the pizza in town that they craved from back east. The family recognized that they were making some of the best pizza in Atlanta in their home. 

As their youngest son Justin got his driver’s license and newly found independence, Lasonia started to look to her future. A stay-at-home mom for a decade, Lasonia was ready to transition into something new. 

“She came to me and said, ‘I should sell your pizza,’” Jay says. With a bit of trepidation, Jay was onboard. First, Jay began perfecting his pizza, production methods and teaching Lasonia and the boys to make pizza. They started feeding more people, giving pizza to their church and sports teams with rave reviews.

Jay pulled funds from his retirement and bought a food truck for $4,000 and sent it to Florida for its $30,000 buildout. While the truck was in development the Terrence’s looked at how to scale up the operation. One of the biggest hurdles was dough consistency on the truck in the hot and humid south. They ultimately decided to source the dough from New York, allowing them to focus on the other aspects of the operation.

While Jay worked full time, Lasonia and son Jeremiah worked the truck. Lasonia is “the engine”, Jay says. She admits there was a huge learning curve, first with learning to drive the manual transmission truck. Overcoming that was a confidence boost for Lasonia. 

Taking the reins was a challenge for Lasonia. “I was just so used to him leading and I felt comfortable letting him do what he does for our family,” she says of Jay. 

Jay adds, “I want to give a nod to Pizza Today. We went to the (Pizza Expo) conference and they had a class on working with your wife and running a family-owned business. The hardest thing was changing roles. I’m a A-type personality. I’m dominant. And we had to learn that.”

Lasonia picked up the business side as the truck gradually rolled out and she progressed from there. “The first two years it was Jeremiah and I,” she says. “We jumped from $7,000 the first year to just over $100,000 the second year (with just the two), I thought that was quite amazing.”

An auto accident in 2017 shut down the truck for six months. But it, in turn, gave them the opportunity to switch to a massive shipping container food truck. “We can open up all three doors to let people see,” Jay says. “It’s the biggest truck wherever we go. It draws attention.”   

Business continued to climb with the shipping container. The Terrence family were content with the pizza truck business and were even advised by their peers to not open a restaurant. 

The Terrence’s hadn’t even thought about opening a brick-and-mortar location until they kept receiving
phone calls at random times asking where the truck was. Jay and Lasonia’s wheels started turning (pun intended) about miss opportunities to capture business.

After two locations fell through, Jay and Lasonia jumped at the opportunity with the Midtown spot that is a condensed 1,169 square feet, but just the right size, Jay says, for the pizzeria. 

The Terrence’s applied ingenuity to their $50,000 buildout, finding most items secondhand, like the banquet, tables, chairs and stools. They added metal elements to tie in the food truck. Its focal point was a happy accident. The large neon logo sign on its brick wall was meant to go outside but was restricted to interior use due to local zoning. 

Parking is limited so they weren’t able to park the truck at the location like they had hoped. But Triple Jay’s location is in a walkable neighborhood that blends young urbanites and families. A block away is Atlanta’s Peidmont Park which hosts the city’s biggest events. It is a vibrant and hip community and LGBTQ+ friendly. 

Triple Jay’s is a designated Safe Place. Jay says the pizzeria welcomes everyone. In one instance, Jay says, “We had trans couple customers in and there was this guy out there just giving them hell and I’m like ‘We can’t have that. You’re not going to treat people not right because you have an issue.’”

Atlanta and especially the Midtown District is a diverse and connected community. “I think it’s a hotbed for supporting minority-owned businesses and female minority-owned businesses,” Jay says. “It’s an entrepreneurial spirit here. And here even during COVID we had people coming by, ‘We’re going to keep you open.’ It is something in the air that you can pick up on that they really want you to succeed.” 

Lasonia concurs, “A lot of the community around here just literally came up to us to give encouraging words how much they appreciate us and want us to remain in their community and how much we are an integral part.”

It’s not just community, but there’s also a sense of family. Lasonia says, “That’s the one thing that in the beginning we really connected with the community knowing you and you knowing the community. I think getting to know the customers on a first-name basis is pretty important.”

Jay and Lasonia brought it to an even more personal level by revealing a heart-breaking and touching tribute with their community on social media. In 2014, their oldest son Brandon lost his three-year-long battle to cancer. Through the devastation and loss, the Terrence family have found a way to honor Brandon in the business. That B Side option on the specialty menu allows customers to mix and match any specialty pizza half and half. “I never really told the story (of the B Side),” Jay says. “But once I told the story on Instagram through videos we had together, and it seemed like people knew me more and knew why it was the B Side. I explained why it was called B Side for my son, they get it now and they know my story better. I think it translates. I think, social media you can tell your story without it really being filtered. You can go directly to the people. You can make them laugh or cry. Then they can come support you and there’s strength in that.”

Lasonia and Jay have a built a lasting memorial to Brandon. And they’ve created a continuing legacy for sons Jeremiah and Justin, as they grow the business together.

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today On The Road: Triple Jay’s Pizza, Atlanta, GA appeared first on Pizza Today.

Tucked in the city’s Shelby Park neighborhood is this Roman-style pizzeria. “I lived in Italy for 10 years, and when I started as a cook what I could afford to eat was Roman style pizza,” says owner Emil David. “The culture of true Roman pizza is so delicate and profound in Italy. The pizza itself is light and airy, and the toppings are simple but flavorful. Our pizza is light and airy, so when you eat it, it doesn’t sit in your belly and is not heavy. We focus on quality, technique and flavors to bring Roman culture to Louisville.” The pizzeria has a chef driven approach to its menu.  Three large curing cabinets highlight the dining kitchen to include house-made charcuterie. Starters feature the house-made Ricotta with sun-dried tomato, pine nuts, raisin, pickled celery and oregano. Another starter is Mixed Olives with herbs and citrus. 

The pizza menu is concise with seven offerings. “Two of our most popular pizzas are the nduja pizza and the clam pizza,” David says. “Nduja is a spicy spreadable salumi that originated in Calabria (southern Italy). We use butternut squash as the base, smoked mozzarella and nduja. The clam pizza has a clam sauce base.”

Tradesman Coffee Shop & Pizza Bar | Charlestown, Massachusetts

Part coffee house, part restaurant, part lounge, this new shop is nestled in the Hood Park neighborhood. The menu ranges from morning donuts to artisan pizza, appetizers and burgers. Known for its mini donuts, Tradesman gets creative with flavors: Fruity Pebbles, Birthday Cake, S’mores and Nerds. It serves all-day breakfast items like Avocado Toast and Sausage & Egg Sandwich. Eight specialty pizzas include one with herbed wild mushroom, shallots, fontina cheese, baby arugula and truffle aioli. Another pizza is topped with Mexican spicy chorizo, pepper jack, corn, pico de gallo and cumin-lime crema. Sharable starters feature Poke Nachos with sweet soy and ginger tuna, avocado, sesame seeds, spicy aioli, wasabi, togarashi spices and crispy wontons.

Simplygood Pizza | Miami, Florida

SimplyGood is a unique pizza concept located in Miami Beach’s Lincoln Eatery that provides hospitality, fosters advocacy and builds community. The pizza company has a pay-it-forward donation opportunity. Its pizza menu features the staples and some creative and surprising offerings. Guava and Cheese features arugula, blistered tomatoes, cherry mozzarella and balsamic reduction. The Breakfast is topped with mozzarella, gruyere, sunny side up egg, smoked bacon, and green onions. SimplyGood offers a vegan cheese or gluten-free option, as well.

The post Destinations: Square Cut Pizza, Louisville; Tradesman, Boston; SimplyGood, Miami appeared first on Pizza Today.

The Hidden Treasures of Hawaii

I didn’t expect to eat this much pizza on my Hawaiian vacation. Fresh fish was doing me just fine and I would have made it the entire week without a single slice if it hadn’t been for a split-second decision. My friends and I were turning onto a coastal road when we saw him: a one man show with a couple tables, a tent, and one of those portable high-temp pizza ovens. We had no choice; we had to pull over. 

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

Roadside squats don’t have parking lots, so we left the car in a clear patch across the street from Mystery Pizza Guy. As we soon learned, Bernie started making pizza on the side of the road a couple weeks prior to our arrival. He learned the craft from working at several local pizzerias but really upped his game when he bought the portable oven and set off on his own. It’s a story that’s becoming commonplace thanks to the convergence of pizza-curiosity and the surge in affordable home pizza making gear. 

We ate our pizza Margherita with wide eyes. It was excellent. Everyone who said pizza isn’t worth eating in Hawaii was dead wrong. 

Now that we’d broken the seal and our curiosity piqued, we had to have more. We headed to a shop in Honolulu’s Chinatown called Pizza Mamo, named for a regal local bird. Mamo makes two styles: Brooklyn style pizza by the slice and whole pie, and Detroit Style by the pie. It’s a small casual spot with counter service and a few high-top tables. 

The Brooklyn style slices were good, but the real star here was the Detroit style. Its light, airy base combined with the quintessential caramelized cheese crust made it a winner. Seeing this thick, cheesy pizza among the bikinis and palm trees of Hawaii proves that the style has mass appeal and isn’t going away anytime soon. I’d love to see the faces of everyone who told me to skip the local pizza as they bite into this!

Next up was ‘ili’ili Cash and Carry, a tight takeout spot featuring New York style pizza and sandwiches. The vibe of the place is what I can only call “Gucci Bodega.” It looks like a brighter, tighter version of my corner store in Brooklyn, but with extremely limited inventory that’s tightly curated. I’ve never seen more beautiful packaging on dry pasta. And the two different types of canned tomato on the shelf both sport Dolce & Gabbana labels. What a vibe! 

Finally, we headed to the Saturday farmers’ market in Kaka’ako to check out Fatto a Mano, a mobile unit that visits three to four markets per week. Right in line with the mainland trend, they’re using 100 percent native fermentation with a sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast. The efficient three-person crew sets up and sells out by noon. Awesome.

It’s fun finding great pizza in an unexpected place, but even better is the fact that none of these pizzerias credit their greatness to being more authentic than the others; to water imported from New York City; or to some magical ingredient source. They all put their head down and know their stuff. If these pizza makers can do it in the most isolated place on Earth, you can too. 

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

The post Man on the Street: Pizza in Hawaii appeared first on Pizza Today.

Thin Line

It’s a story we’ve seen play out time and again in cities across the country: a fledgling pizzeria sets roots in a neighborhood in need of revitalization and subsequently helps forge a Renaissance. Before you know it the once-neglected area is thriving with coffee shops, retail boutiques and other restaurants. And the pizzeria at the heart of it all explodes.

That’s the condensed version of Eno’s Pizza Tavern, which set up shop in Dallas’ Bishop Arts District before it was the bustling destination it is today.

“We lived in North Dallas and used to come down here,” explains co-owner Donna Spillers. “There were a couple of spots down here, and coming here was a nice getaway from the big city traffic and almost felt like a mini-vacation.”

The area hadn’t yet come into its own, but Donna and her husband, Allen, saw the potential. When the building that now houses Eno’s was came on the market, the family knew it needed to move on it. It has previously housed a martini bar, but its vibe just didn’t fit with the neighborhood. Allen’s friend, a realtor, let him know the spot was available. 

“One of our sons, Matt, had just graduated culinary school and there just wasn’t much down here,” Donna explains. So the Spillers family (two of the three sons are actively involved in Eno’s, though Donna says they’ve all played a hand at some point) decided to take the plunge into restaurant ownership.

The timing proved to be a bit suspect at first. While the company is now on sound footing with three stores and new developments in the works, Eno’s opened in 2008 during some very difficult economic times.

“In 2008 there was a stock market crash, and we opened one week after that,” co-owner Donna Spillers says. “News people were down here interviewing us like ‘what do you think you’re going to do with a new restaurant right now?’”

There was hope, though. Literally a campaign full of hope made a mark on the Dallas neighborhood.

“In 2008 Barack Obama was running for the first time for President,” says Donna. “What really put this place on the map was there was a contingency of people that lived down here who decided this neighborhood was going to be the Democratic watch party for all of Dallas. 

“They closed down the streets and there were news crews from different countries set up right here in the alley. My son Matt, that went to culinary school, said ‘We have all these people out on the streets. Let’s set up some beer stations and set up with beer and pizza outside. At that time this area was dry, so someone who wanted any kind of alcohol had to have a membership. I’m telling you there were thousands of people here. Thousands. The tips alone that night in this building were thousands of dollars. People came here from all states and different countries. It was incredible. And that’s really how people started knowing about Bishop Arts.”

Slowly but surely word got out about Eno’s and the business enjoyed a steady rise.

“Our business started at a trickle. We only opened for dinner for the first maybe six months,” Donna says. “And then it felt like it would be okay to open for lunch. So maybe after about a year-and-a-half we started to be really busy. Other business started coming in and there was a slow and healthy build.”

When opening for lunch service, the Eno’s crew quickly learned the new daypart is an entirely different ballgame.

“We had to start doing personal size pizza,” explains Donna. “We call it the Lunch Special, and we grouped an 8- or 10-inch personal pizza with a soup or salad and a beverage. It took us a while to figure it out. At first, we were making our full-sized pizzas, and it was kind of a mobile lunch buffet. Instead of setting it out we would carry it around and let people have as much as they wanted when they were ready. It was crazy! It was a lot of labor and it created a lot of anxiety with the staff, so we had to do it a different way. And the lunch specials have worked out well.”

Before 2008, the Spillers were involved in restaurant interior design. 

“We started that in 1975 and did that until 2008,” Donna says. 

Allen was an interior designer for a high-end residential design firm and had designed a residence for a gentleman with whom he became friends. 

“He never alluded to what business he was in at first,” recalls Donna. “He just said he was in construction. He didn’t tell us he had a chain of restaurants.”

The client, Ken Selby, had turned Ken’s Pizza in Tulsa, Oklahoma, into the Mazzio’s Pizza brand. And it was growing very quickly. In fact, according to the Mazzio’s Pizza Web site, the concept ballooned to more than 150 stores in a dozen states.

“We started working on the design of his restaurants,” Donna recalls. “And he was building fast! We’d do three to four new Mazzio’s per month. We did all the furniture packages, the finishes … and we’d keep the cycle going.”

Eventually, some Mazzio’s franchisees who liked their work would ask the Spillers’ to take on other projects.

“Some of the franchisees had other brands they were franchisees for as well,” she says. “So, we were really, really busy. When we traveled, we home-schooled our kids and took them with us, so they were exposed to all of that.”

Walk into the 1920s-era building and a sense of “this just belongs here” immediately hits you. With its wood floors, New England-inspired tables and nooks and crannies from the design of that time, one can’t help but think “this place was meant to be a tavern.” The fact Eno’s specializes in tavern-style pizza makes it unique in Dallas.

The pizza is as cracker-thin as it can get. A throwback to the tavern pies many Chicagoans grew up on. In fact, the recipe mimics one from Chicago.

“We had a friend from Chicago. His son was one of my son’s football teammates in high school,” Donna says. “The dad would invite the whole team over and make pizza, and it was this exact recipe. He had worked in a pizzeria with some Sicilians in Chicago when he was younger. Now we live next door to that family. But the dad would even put cornmeal on the bottom so it doesn’t stick. That’s a really delicious element that’s added.”

The friend taught the Spillers how to make the pizza and assisted with scaling it for the masses.

“They worked on it a long time,” says Donna. “He would come into our restaurant before we opened and work with us to get it right. It took about a week of trial and error to get the recipe right.”

While the tavern pie is the star of the show, the Eno’s menu features a full array of offerings. Soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes and a variety of appetizers complement the pizza. From truffle cheese bread to Chicken Cacciatore to Texas beef and boar meatballs, there’s something for everyone.

One of the largest challenges Eno’s faces, the tough labor market notwithstanding, is supplying its stores with that cracker-thin crust. In order to help with consistency, fuel future growth and loosen labor costs, the company is planning a commissary that will take the burden off its kitchens.

“It’s time,” Donna says. “We have some things down the road we want to do and having the commissary will help us achieve those things. And our crust is so thin that it’s quite a process to get it that thin. We don’t even cut it into slices because it’s so thin that you can’t manage it. So, we cut it into rectangles so that it won’t droop and be too flimsy when you pick it up. The commissary will make it much easier for everyone.”

A Conversation with Shane Spillers

Eno’s has so much going on that we simply could not fit it all into one article! To that end, we present to you Episode 79 of our Hot Slice podcast, featuring Eno’s Pizza Tavern co-owner Shane Spillers. Shane talks concept, expansion, staffing and dishes on the coming commissary his mother mentions in the article. Check it out.

Jeremy White is Editor-in-Chief at Pizza Today.

The post On the Road: Eno’s Pizza Tavern, Dallas, TX appeared first on Pizza Today.

This elegant two-unit pizzeria serves Neapolitan pizza, a mozzarella bar, antipasti and pasta. The original North Beach location opened in 2014, followed by the second location in the Castro District in 2019. “We are known for our specially imported ingredients from Italy and take pride in our approach to pizza Napoletana. The San Marzano DOP can only be found in 41 Italian municipalities in the province of Naples and our Calabrian chili oil peppers are served on the side of every pizza to give the pizzeria an extra touch of flavor from Italy. Then there is our in-house made mozzarella, to the flour we use,” says Monica Covucci. “Our customers rave about our Proscuitto pizza, our house made mozzerella fior di latte and tomato sauce, topped with arugula, sliced prosciutto and fresh shaved Parmigiano and extra virgin olive oil to finish it off.”

Mootz Pizzeria & Bar | Detroit, Michigan

Mootz came onto Detroit’s pizza scene in 2019, but not with the city’s style. This sleek downtown spot serves up New York-style pizza. The 4,000-square-foot restaurant includes a separate Side Hustle counter for takeout and late night. It also features a full bar with 20 taps along with wine and cocktails. A hot appetizer is the Truffled Bumblebee (whipped sheep’s milk ricotta, bee pollen, honeycomb, fig, truffle honey and walnut focaccia bread). The pizza menu includes the Italian Grinder Pie with mozzarella, salami, ham, capicola, banana peppers, oregano, italian dressing, black pepper and red onion. There is also Nuts & Bolts with mozzarella, Italian sausage, green cocktail olives, tomato marinara, giardiniera, pecorino and shaved Parmesan. The Lasagna Pie features mozzarella, a three-meat bolognese, ricotta, EVOO, pecorino and shaved Parmesan.

Reeds Spring Pizza Company | Reeds Spring, Missouri 

The staple of this small town, Reeds Spring Pizza Co. is situated near the tourist-dense Branson area, but it’s also a favorite among locals. The pizza menu features several creative pies, including the Nutty Bleu Pig with house-made rosemary lemon dressing, spinach, mozzarella, bleu cheese, mushroom, red onion, bacon, Parmesan and finished with chopped pecans and an herb blend. The Slap & Tackle is topped with basil pesto, spinach, mozzarella, fire roasted artichoke, chicken, slow-cooked tomatoes, provolone and Parmesan. Other items include a customizable noodle dish with several cheese, sauce, meat and vegetable options. 

The post Destinations: Il Casaro, San Francisco; Mootz, Detroit; Reeds Spring Pizza Co, Reeds Spring, MO appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Changing Blueprint

Chicago-based Bacci Pizzeria shifts for long-term growth

acci Pizzerias dot the greater Chicagoland area. The original Bacci location was opened in 1996 in Chicago’s Little Italy by Pasquale Di Diana’s aunt and uncle. “My father’s first Bacci Pizzeria was in 1998,” Di Diana says. “So, 1998 I was 13 and that was my first job.” 

Fast forward five years, Di Diana owned his first Bacci when he was 18 years old. Today he owns and operates six locations. 

Starting in the business so young, Di Diana grew up with Bacci employees and it’s something that has helped him manage a large team. “So, a lot of us kind of grew up together in the industry,” he says of his team, many of whom have been with Bacci for many years. “We all met, none of us had families, now, we all have families.” 

Bacci is a quintessential family business. “My family, we are just a hard-working group of people,” he says. “My father and my uncle, they got into this business not really knowing the business, so they had an opportunity and what they did to succeed was they worked all the time and they learned as they went. I think that has been ingrained in me. That is what gravitates people towards me is that attitude to work. They know I’m not going to ask them to do something that I haven’t done myself. I came from the bottom up.”

The respect and culture Di Diana has built helped Bacci get through unprecedented times. “That really helped us during the pandemic when we knew we had a job to do and let’s just figure out how we are going to do it,” Di Diana says. “There were times when I was ready to close and do partial hours but my guys were like ‘let’s figure it out.’ They say circumstances either bring out the best or the worst in people. It brought out the best in us.”   

Di Diana credits the Bacci team. “Luckily, we have warriors working for us,” he says. I call them warriors because they are.”

Bacci is a mixed concept of express counter-service and sit-down restaurants in metropolitan neighborhoods and districts and suburban communities. 

The pizza company is known for its original jumbo slice. The legendary slice has only gotten larger over the years. Today, a 30-inch pizza is cut into eight slices. “At first it was a 20- to 22-inch cut into six and then 24-inch cut into eight,” Di Diana says. “Once we figured out how to make it bigger and streamline it, that was the most important thing because we do such high volume on these.” 

“We also do your Detroit by slice, then we do a Sicilian by slice as well,” he says. “Over 90 percent (of the slice business) is the jumbo slices.” The pizza menu also features stuffed pizza and Chicago-style pan pizzas.

Though the menus vary slightly depending on location, Bacci has a full menu of starters, sides, sandwiches, pastas and desserts. “Our pastas are really taking off. We have our build your own pasta bar,” he says.

In the fall 2021, we met up with Di Diana at the Lincoln Park store, one of Bacci’s hardest hit locations due to the pandemic.   

With more than a dozen stores, including Di Diana’s six, Bacci needed help in 2020. “We got some help from the government that kind of helped stabilize everything. For me as an owner and operator, personally it was let’s make sure everyone else gets paid and keep these lights on and it will be back to where it is now.”

Like many other operators, the pandemic forced Di Diana and family to reevaluate the business and its growth. “We’ll look at numbers and operations and leadership,” he says. “It forced us to make so many hard decisions because I’ve never been a numbers guy. I always respected the numbers, and the numbers are so important. Why are we here if we can’t profit? But it was always ‘let’s do the best we can, and the numbers will follow whether it takes a year or two. I’m not really worried.’ But long-term this is the blueprint if we do things right, everything is going to be ok.”

Di Diana is rethinking the growth strategy he has set in place. “With Bacci what we’ve figured out, especially through the pandemic, is what works and where we could be potentially vulnerable,” he says. “Any expansion in the future is going to be the stores that we okay that this model, that this store, works. Not that I think we are ever going to have anything like COVID, but we also understand that if COVID can’t break something then nothing else is going to be able to break it, right?”

A key decision was to relocate the Bensenville store, which struggled during the pandemic in its downtown location. “When that lease expired, we chose not to renew it and we moved into a different part of town with higher traffic farther from the downtown and we are doing a lot better there than we ever did downtown,” he says.

Even with a turbulent 2020, Di Diana says 2021 rebounded better than expected. “Overall, we are on pace for 2021 to probably have our best year,” he said last fall.

“I think what a lot of people do too now is COVID forced you to adjust the way you do business,” he says. “So now you are taking so much more of a harder look on so many things and you are improving your operation and trying to be more efficient with less people.”

In a time when hiring has become a scarcity, Di Diana says it’s been challenging. Whereas Bacci used to receive 40 to 50 applications, that number has dwindled to four or five.  But Bacci has been able to maintain by shifting employees and leadership between locations. It’s a shift that he sees will continue — hiring staff with a license that can work at multiple locations. 

As Bacci continues to grow and thrive, Di Diana reflects on the keys to restaurant success. “I think it’s going back to the basics,” he says. “With the Internet, there are so many things you can do. You can get so far ahead of yourself with things. If you don’t master the fundamentals first, I don’t care how much data you can retrieve, no successful restaurant that I know of doesn’t have quality, service, cleanliness and then you have to do it consistently, which is the fourth. If you can’t master those, it’s going to be pretty hard to be successful. And then revisit that. 

“At some points this is a 24-hour operation. Everything moves so fast in the restaurant business. It’s easy to miss stuff or get diverted in your intention. I have these things plastered in front of me every day so that I know no matter what is happening, no matter what the project is, we have to look at these three things all the time and I need to make sure everyone else understands that as well.”

Finding success young, Di Diana says, it can be easy to forget what it takes. “You have to stay humble,” he says. “You have to remember what got you there in the first place. I see it in the restaurant business a lot and I’ve made the mistake, especially when I was younger and first had a little bit of success. And then you take a couple steps back and then you just anticipate it every time, forgetting that it’s really, really hard to be successful. I’ve got to work at it every day. What do I mean by work? It’s not physically working in there every day — although that’s not a bad thing, either, for any operator … but it’s also whether it’s seminars and education and learning, trying other places, and trying different things. You have to constantly, constantly work.”

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today On The Road: Bacci Pizzeria, Chicago, IL appeared first on Pizza Today.

New Jersey’s Razza named 2021 Pizzeria of the Year by Pizza Today Magazine

New Jersey operator takes a risk, turns Razza into our Pizzeria of the Year

When Dan Richer’s first pizzeria was booming and his upstart second pizzeria struggling, up for sale and on the brink of closure, he did the exact opposite of what one might expect. And that gamble paid off hugely in the long run.

The road to get here after making that fateful decision may not have been easy, but the result is an even bigger success story than the original — and some serious bragging rights, to boot. Razza, Richer’s Jersey City, New Jersey-based operation, is our 2021 Pizzeria of the Year.

But before we get to that, let’s return to the beginning.

Dan Richer, owner, Razza, Jersey City, NJ

“I owned a pizzeria in the Jersey suburbs for 10 years,” Richer says. “It was thriving. So in 2012 I decided to open a second.”

Though his first operation had a different name, Richer called the new pizzeria Razza. He set up shop in Jersey City and went with a new dough formulation that altered the end product. It was a massive leap forward, in what he hoped would be an up-and-coming neighborhood in a diverse city. And it was failing.

“You can’t be two places at once,” Richer explains. “I was trying to go back and forth between both. I had two different teams that I was trying to lead, and my focus was split and I didn’t really feel like I was a part of either team.”

After a few years of running himself into the ground and seeing that Razza was about to go on life support, Richer took his gamble.

“I actually had the pizzeria up for sale,” he explains. The plan to download Razza and focus on his profitable first store made so much sense. “And I got an offer. I was all set to take it. And then I said, ‘Nope. I’m not ready to go. I believe in Jersey City, and I believe in Razza and I want to see it through and wanted to make it successful.’ So in 2015 I sold my first pizzeria and poured myself into Razza.”

You read that correctly. Richer sold a busy, established, money-making pizzeria to focus on one that had struggled to gain footing in a neighborhood that hadn’t yet come into its own.

“We were having a tough time getting guests in the door,” Richer admits. “We only had 44 seats at that time. And if you aren’t filling 44 seats with pizza, something has to be wrong. I think that the neighborhood was trying to support us. And they did to a degree — we stayed open. But people weren’t coming in during the winters. And nine years ago there weren’t as many people living in Jersey City. I never thought we’d make it 10 years. Jersey City was a different place when we started. If we opened any earlier I don’t think we would have made it.”

Pepperoni Pizza, Razza, Jersey City, New Jersey

The gamechanger proved to be a matter of presence. There’s a saying that the best ability is availability. Once Richer could devote all his energy to Razza, things clicked.

“As soon as I made that decision not to sell it and instead to sell the successful restaurant … I went all in at that moment. And I was so much happier because I became a part of the team here,” he says. “I wasn’t in this in-between place anymore. I realized that this was my happy spot — knowing my staff, knowing our guests and being a part of their lives, being part of my team and leading my team. That was success to me. I like my hands in the dough in certain parts of the day and teaching my staff and for them to grow as individuals and pizza makers and bread bakers.”

It wasn’t long before people noticed Razza.

“Six months later the New York Times came in and gave us a three-star review,” Richer says.

And then Jersey City itself began to grow.

“The local government has stepped up big-time,” says Richer. “They’re bringing in so much good stuff to Jersey City. Things that are out of my control have led to people discovering how great Jersey City is. It’s one of the most diverse places in the country, both economically and culturally. There are so many wonderful restaurants here. And we’re eight minutes from Manhattan. We have great public transportation, fantastic views of Manhattan and great architecture. We’re 15 minutes from Newark airport. The bones have always been here. It’s a very special place.”

Richer was 26 when he bought his first pizzeria. Though the product he developed and ultimately sold was good, Razza represented an evolution. The pizza there was similar, but on its own path. With the ability to tinker and an ever-curious mind, Richer dedicated himself to continual improvement.

“When I first started making pizza I had really bad technique,” he says. “I had no real knowledge of fermentation. I learned on the fly and taught myself.”

Richer knew the key was a living dough that he could ultimately manipulate by taking one variable at a time — temperature, time, ingredients, etc. — and making changes until he hit on something. His interest in fermentation grew, which led him into bread baking as well as pizza.

“The more I learned, the more I wanted to continue learning and pushing myself and my bread,” he says. “Ultimately, pizza is a variety of condiments on top of bread. If I wanted to evolve, I figured out that I had to understand bread and first make the best bread I possibly could. Only then could my pizza evolve as well.”

Again, he went all in. This time by taking on an adjacent space that recently came available, allowing him to increase his restaurant’s capacity. Construction on the expansion is underway now, and Richer hopes early next month he’ll be open for guests in the new dining room. The addition won’t just seat patrons, but also includes a bar, more kitchen space and a dedicated dough room.

“We’ll be able to better control variables in that room,” he says. “We’ve got water lines dialed in to the exact temperature we want, we’ll control the air temperature in there to what we want. It’s going to make such a difference to our consistency and our ability to put out the pizza dough we want to put out.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic halted dine-in at Razza, the staff quickly transformed the original space into a to-go-focused concept. Though sidewalk seating helped get the business through the warm months, Richer says Razza will notice a spike once the new dine-in space opens.

“We totally had to alter our model,” he says of the pandemic’s impact. “Where there used to be dine-in tables and bar seats, now there are piles of boxes and to-go plates, napkins, plastic forks. Everything changed. Being able to seat guests and serve guests inside again this winter is going to be huge. Our winters are pretty cold here and it won’t be long before we can’t really seat anyone on the sidewalk. The roller-coaster ride we’ve been on with sales spiking and dipping based on weather has taken a toll. It’s going to mean a lot getting the new dining room open.”

Whether the new space results in a menu change remains to be seen. Razza offers a weekly pasta, fresh bread with homemade butter, meatballs and occasional sandwich items, though the focus during the pandemic has been the pizza.

“We had really been getting into pasta,” Richer says. “We were doing a lot of pasta. But then I realized it was just too much at that time and our focus needed to be on our core product, which is the pizza. We scaled down the menu and did what we needed to do to serve our customers the best pizza we can during all of this. But it’s fun to grow the menu and to experiment, so I’m sure we’ll do some pretty fun stuff once we can.”

JEREMY WHITE  is the Editor-in-Chief of Pizza Today.

The post 2021 Pizzeria of the Year: Razza, Jersey City, NJ appeared first on Pizza Today.

Arthur (Art) Shabez has quietly maintained one of the top-rated pizzerias in one of the biggest pizza cities in the U.S., Chicago, for over 30 years. There’s no magic formula or secret to The Art of Pizza in the Lakeview district. He puts in the dedication to the business and remains steadfast to the products he created in the beginning.

A career in pizzeria ownership started before The Art of Pizza. “This is my 41st year in the pizza business,” he says. First venturing into business with a partner, he opened Coluta’s Pizza in 1980. With a successful run under his belt, Shabez was ready to make his mark on the Chicago pizza map.

Arthur (Art) Shabez, owner, The Art of Pizza, Chicago

He started small and found a tiny carryout location in the yet to be revitalized Lakeview neighborhood. He took a chance on a developing area and the decision paid off as the neighborhood has become a sought-after residential and commercial district. 

Fast forward to today. Pizza Today visited The Art of Pizza this fall to catch up with Shabez and find out where the pizzeria is today, especially given the current restaurant climate, and hear Shabez’s story. 

While touring the building, we walked across the threshold into the counter service area. “(When we opened in) May 1989, this was a four-store mall,” Shabez says of original space before expanding into the entire building. “This was our spot,” he says of his unit. “I haven’t touched this spot. It’s all original.” 

Behind the counter are heated display cases featuring stuffed, pan and thin pizzas by the slice. More on the pizza later. As we walked through the swinging doors, we enter a compact kitchen with two massive, double stacked deck ovens with three designated makeline and food prep areas. The output from this condensed space in impressive. 

The restaurant doesn’t stop there. In 2008 during one of the largest economic busts, Shabez jumped at the opportunity to buy the building, a savvy business move for a pizzeria in it for the long haul. The space featured four storefronts all the size of the Shabez’s takeout and delivery restaurant and a sought-after parking lot, a prize in Chicago. “I overpaid but it was the best move I ever did.” 

Purchasing the building was no easy feat but Shabez was confident in his product and the City of Chicago confirmed it years earlier and continued to validate the quality of the pizza. The Art of Pizza was rated the best deep-dish pizza in Chicago in a 2001 Chicago’s Choice Dining Poll with The Chicago Tribune. The shop went head-to-head against the biggest names in deep dish pizza. 

“A lady comes in and she sat down, ‘I got to let you know we’re running a contest and you are Top 3 and we’re going to be announcing the winner for the best deep-dish pizza,’” he remembers. “I said, ‘wow I didn’t know anything.’ She said, ‘how would you feel if you are No. 1?” I said ‘Humbled.’ So, I’m in my basement at 11 pm and I’m on their thing with The Chicago Tribune and here they go. And I just started screaming when I saw No. 1. I got goosebumps. Business went crazy.”

The rating even had other Chicago deep-dish legends lining up to try The Art of Pizza. Shabez says, it was rough for several years trying to keep up with demand, but he leaned on his experienced team, and they continued to produce the consistent pizza.

With word-of-mouth momentum that money can’t buy and an expanded location, Shabez set his sights on a new location. At 3 a.m. he found the perfect spot, a shuttered pizzeria for sale in downtown on State Street with three neighboring colleges and nearby Michigan Avenue. He texted his realtor and was in the pizzeria the next morning. The State Street location opened in 2017. 

To this day, he says, buying State Street was one of the best decisions he’s made in business. “Two years later, I sold it to two employees from here (Ashland location) who I took over there,” he says.

This isn’t the first time employees have taken ownership of his pizzeria. An ambitious young employee at the first pizzeria he co-owned eventually bought the owner out.

Shabez shares how to become an owner with his employees. “I show them,” he says. “‘Look what you are making. Look how you work for it. If you put that over here as an owner, you are the owner. So not only are you getting salary from working, you’re also getting the owner’s share.’” Shabez had hoped that at his Ashland Ave. location, he could pass down the reigns. But’s a bit more complex with Lakeview real estate. 

The Art of Pizza’s loyal team is dedicated to its success. Shabez shared that some of his employees have been with him for 30 years. “Oscar’s off today 30 years, Jasper’s off today, 30 years,” he says “All these other guys have 16 years, 10 years. Everybody gets a good Christmas bonus, two weeks paid vacation after a year. They get $100 to come in on New Year’s and I give them $50 on their birthday. That’s how I keep them. I have a family at home. I have a family here. You see your family here more than you see your kids.”  

Even with a track record for treating employees well, Shabez says that finding employees now is the toughest it’s ever been and he’s not sure how to recruit new employees. “I have an ad in the paper,” he says. “I have an ad on the Tribune website, ‘experienced pizza makers, 40 hours plus 10 hours overtime, $60,000,’ no one. It’s scary. We had 27 employees including drivers two years ago. We are down to 20. We are bare boned now.” But Shabez is committed to maintaining his open hours for The Art of Pizza customers. “My brother once told me, ‘If you give your customers an opportunity to try another pizza place, they just might like it better.’ 

Costs of goods is another current hurdle Shabez is facing. “No. 2 really is price fluctuation on food,” he says. “I don’t like raising my prices. People know that. I can’t stand it, but I had to.” 

Like many operators, Shabez is analyzing what to do on both fronts. Unfortunately, he says, “Hiring and the food costs, I have no answer.”

The labor strain and cost of goods isn’t slowing down business as Shabez says 2021 is shaping up to be a record-breaking sales year. And that’s coming off of the restaurant industry crushing 2020. 

But The Art of Pizza performed well during the COVID-19 pandemic. “When COVID hit last year, for four months, it was ‘buy two slices, get one free’ and I didn’t have to do that,” he says. “We were busy. We did very well but I give. And I didn’t advertise. There was a sign inside.” Even with the circumstances and discounting, Shabez says, sales were up three to five percent in 2020. 

He believes the delivery and carryout emphasis will continue for some time. The Art of Pizza is 10 percent dine-in, 55 percent carryout, and delivery is the remainder. Carryout includes sales from one third-party delivery service. He used to partner with several others but as he had issues with the drivers or service, he cancelled them.

The menu is 99 percent the same as it was years ago, Shabez says. “We’ve added a few items over the years, but everything is the same,” he adds. “I keep asking my cooks ‘what’s not selling?’ Everything is selling so if it wasn’t, I’d take it off.” The pizza and dough formula? “Nothing’s changed — same sauce, same dough,” he says.

Slices are a much larger percentage than whole pies. Shabez keeps the pizza menu classic with cheese, meaty, spinach and mushrooms, vegetarian, southwestern and Hawaiian options. The Art of Pizza also features a menu of appetizers, salads and sandwiches. It highlights the Chicago staple Italian Beef, as well as chicken Parmesan sandwich and a ribeye steak sandwich. Shabez rotates daily lunch and dinner specials on a large, bright digital sign with high visibility to street and pedestrian traffic.

Currently, those are the only promotions. “Over the years, we did radio, direct mail, commercials,” he says. “I believe the best is door-to-door flyers because they get them right there and they can read them or throw them out. I do have a college kid who does Facebook and Instagram.”

“When I opened, I was doing 10 percent a year in advertising,” he says. “During COVID, I didn’t advertise at all.” Shabez says, sharing that his store’s output is maxed out so advertising now would cause longer wait times, especially with delivery.

Shabez is a hands-on operator, anywhere from two to eight hours a day. When he does get a chance to get away, he says, “I like to go just sit in a restaurant and clear my head. Seriously, I love it.”

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today on the Road: The Art of Pizza, Chicago, IL appeared first on Pizza Today.

All Good

Good Pie doing good things in Vegas

Vincent Rotolo wanted to bring a slice of Brooklyn to Las Vegas. The city’s thriving food scene exposes locals and tourists alike to a variety of world-class cuisines, and there was no shortage of top-flight pizza in town when Rotolo started planning his venture. But instead of seeing that as an obstacle, Rotolo viewed it as an opportunity.

Vincent Rotolo, owner, Good Pie, Las Vegas, Nevada

“There were great pizza makers here already, great pizza,” the Brooklyn born and raised Rotolo says. “You had John (Arena), Chris (Decker) … Tony (Gemignani) is right up the street. They were all welcoming. These are guys who set a standard and that all pizza makers can learn from. The bar is set high here. If you’re going to open a pizzeria here, you’ve really got to bring it. You can’t get away with making a bad product.”

In that regard, Vegas somewhat parallels New York. Which may be part of what attracted Rotolo to the idea of opening Good Pie in Sin City. The challenge of pursuing perfection makes for a good time.

“We take what we do very seriously,” Rotolo says. “We don’t cut corners. We’re meticulous about doing things the right way. From closely monitoring and logging not just the temperature — but also the humidity — in our dedicated dough room, down to everything else. We want to honor and uphold the standards we set for ourselves here.”

ood Pie has a New York look and feel that guests instantly notice, even before entering the restaurant. While a gorgeous Vegas-style sign lights the way, the place is all New York — beginning with the sidewalk out front.

“I had a New York manhole cover made and installed right at the front door on the sidewalk,” Rotolo says. “A lot of people actually think it’s a real sewer cover right here. I wanted something very New York that people would notice right away, before they even come in, that establishes that feel and sets that tone that this is New York.”

Upon entering, the bar looks and feels like an old New York rail car. The finishes and fixtures certainly transport guests from the glitz and glamor of Vegas to the glory and grit of the Big Apple. But then there’s a soft and heart-warming touch patrons immediately notice. A wall lined with booths across from the bar area features photographs of grandmothers. Not just Rotolo’s, but grandmothers of employees and friends as well. The touching tribute makes for a great conversation piece. As well as a nod to Good Pie’s “Grandma Pie.”

“A lot of people learned cooking from their grandmothers,” Rotolo explains. “That’s where their love of food began, where their dedication to quality and passion for making good food the right way started. Honoring grandmothers everywhere is what we’re doing with this wall. People love it. They talk about it all the time.

“A few months ago a young lady was here eating in one of the booths and just started crying. I went to check on her, asked her if everything was okay, and she told me: ‘That’s my grandmother on the wall right there.’”

It’s with that same level of compassion and dignity that Rotolo approaches pizza making. From the aforementioned Grandma Pie to NY street slices to Detroit-style, Good Pie is meticulous about upholding pizza’s best traditions.

“When we push the dough down, we are gentle with it. We don’t de-gas it. Sometimes we keep the dough room dark. The light has a different effect on the ferment I feel like. We do a bulk ferment, or a bench rest, and I started doing a clear plastic over it so the light could get through. And then I did a black plastic over it, and I noticed that it reacted differently. The dough was lighter and airier. I don’t know the science behind it, but then I started darkening the room too and noticed a difference.”

Rotolo keeps a daily dough log where temperature, humidity and other factors are monitored and noted.

“There were no other variables other than the difference in light that could have impacted it,” he says. “Every batch is logged, and we don’t change it that much. We don’t change the dough formula, because we make five styles out of the same dough.”

Of those styles, the Grandma tends to be the most popular.

“We do a lot of Grandma slices,” Rotolo says. “It’s our No. 1 selling slice. We have 75 Grandma doughs in the rack right now, and they’ll all be gone by the end of the night.” 

While Rotolo is proud of the pizza he produces and sells, he says it’s the nostalgia — the “old New York” vibe — that truly captures the essence of Good Pie. And he says the trajectory of the Vegas pizza scene is where the rubber meets the road for him personally.

“I’m proud of the pizza, yes,” he says. “But I’m proud of the culture that we’re building in this store and in this city. The pizza culture we’ve got going here in Las Vegas, it’s unparalleled in any city. Like, New York and Naples can claim the pizza theme, but no one has the culture that Vegas has right now in terms of pizza makers. No one has (John) Arena, Tony (Gemignani), Chris (Decker) all operating in their city. And we follow those guys, and those guys want us to follow. They lead us. And it’s great because now there are a bunch of other people coming up. The pizza in this city is just going to keep getting better and better. It’s just one of the things that I’m really excited about and proud of. That’s where the magic happens. There’s a whole community here. The camaraderie. Who else has that? What other community does this exist in? I worked in New York. There’s never been this amount of support and friendship in a community that is usually filled with unhealthy rivalries and competition. This is special here.”

Jeremy White is Editor n Chief at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today On the Road: Good Pie, Las Vegas, NV appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Around the U.S.

Brick Oven on Main | Bridgeport, Connecticut

This small business thrives on supporting its community and has a unique origin story. “We are a small family run pizzeria in the north end of Bridgeport, Connecticut,” says Melanie Mancuso. “Danny has been making pizzas alongside his father since he was 15 years old. His dad built the first brick oven in Bridgeport around 1978 and built a fantastic legacy here in the city. When most of the Italians moved out, and rents got too high, he too left and settled in another restaurant in Shelton, Connecticut. Danny followed him but as he started his own family and moved near Bridgeport, he knew he had to bring good pizza back to the city. He, and his cousin Josh, built their own brick oven from scratch by watching YouTube videos and getting advice from their dads.” Now, let’s talk pizza. “Our pizza style is very New Haven with a hint of NY — not too thin, not too thick, crispy crust with just enough brick oven char to make it really tasty. Our ingredients are all fresh. We roast our own peppers, buy fresh seafood, never canned vegetables, and our meat is top notch quality. You can catch Danny shucking clams and making meatballs from scratch on any day of the week. Our sauce is a combination of Nona’s secrets, Grandpa’s work ethic, and Dad’s love. Our fans go crazy for two specials, our Shrimp Pie and our Summer Pie. But our favorites are the Gabriella’s Clam Cassino and The Danny Boy, which is our focaccia dough (a little thicker) topped with our sauce, pepperoni and provolone cheese. The Clams Cassino is fresh clams, bacon (never bacon bits), hot cherry peppers and onions, no sauce. The Shrimp Pie special is also a white pie topped with shrimp cooked lemon scampi style. And our Summer Pie is sliced tomato, fresh mozz, basil and drizzled with a balsamic glaze.”

Austin Street Pizza | Queens, New York

We spied this Queens pizza spot on our Man on the Street Scott Wiener’s Instagram giving its pizza high marks. Austin Street opened in January 2021 and is garnering high praise for its pizza. The menu’s focus is whole pies (no slices), a few sweets and a calzone. Pizzas include one topped with bacon, caramelized onion and vodka sauce. The Upside Down Pineapple features prosciutto, pineapple, mozzarella and crunch topping. The Porketta and Broccoli Rabe is also topped with provolone and Calabrian chili oil. Sweets include Gibbys (dough puffs with Nutella and topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream).

Piatto Neapolitan Pizza | Wichita, Kansas

Piatto has brought authentic pizza Napoletana to Wichita. The menu offers traditional Neapolitan favorites margherita and diavola, along with unique pizzas like the Francesca with ‘Nduja (‘nduja, crushed pistachios, rosemary, red onion, shaved Parmesan, fresh mozzarella and olive oil). The Holy Kale features locally produced sausage, cubed potatoes, kale, shaved garlic, paprika, fresh mozzarella and olive oil. The specials menu includes the Garlic Basil Cream with a garlic basil cream, pistachios, kale, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and cracked pepper. An interesting appetizer is the Saltimbocca, similar to a calzone and filled with spicy salami, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, shaved garlic and oregano.

The post Destinations: Brick Oven on Main, Bridgeport, CT; Austin Street, Queens; Piatto, Witchita, KS appeared first on Pizza Today.

Cincinnati-based Catch-a-Fire Pizza grows out of its food truck roots and into two locations

Catch-a-Fire Pizza has a success story that many food truck operators dream of when they start their mobile pizza business. Jeff and Melissa Ledford started out with Jeff working the makeline and Melissa managing the window of their year-round food truck. “It was 2013 and it was Super Bowl Sunday,” Melissa says of the food truck’s first day of operation. “People thought we were crazy. We parked outside of a local pony keg thinking people are going to go in and buy the beer and come out and buy the pizza for the game.”

Jeff adds, “We probably sold 20 pizzas, but we just thought we had made it.”

Partner for Growth

Jeff and Melissa Ledford, owners, Catch-a-Fire Pizza, Cincinnati, Ohio

The Ledfords strategically aligned with prosperous businesses that had a steady flow of patrons, particularly taprooms, hitting nearly every brewery in the Cincinnati area. The move would escalate their growth beyond what they imagined. 

One relationship in particular helped catapult Catch-a-Fire from mobile to brick-and-mortar, MadTree Brewing. “We really developed a partnership with MadTree,” Melissa says. “They opened about the same time that we did. We hit it off. Our two teams just kind of jived, our staff and their staff; our food; and the way we are business like-minded in a lot of ways.”

What started as parking the food truck in MadTree’s lot turned into becoming a permanent fixture inside of the original MadTree location. “It took a long time to get our tiny little space built inside,” Melissa says of the 350-square-foot restaurant inside MadTree. “It was February of 2015 that we opened in their MadTree 1.0, that was their original location on Kennedy Avenue.” 

But after Catch-a-Fire opened at MadTree, the bustling brewery was ready to expand in a major way into an $18 million, 50,000-square-foot complex featuring a taproom, massive brewing operation, outdoor beer garden, private special events spaces and the 3,000-square-foot Catch-a-Fire in 2017. 

“The grandeur of the taproom area at MadTree, it’s large, it’s open, it’s spacious,” Jeff says. “It’s a lot of garage doors so they have a lot of open-air feel. Our kitchen over there is very much an exhibition kitchen. When you walk in the main entrance and look left, we are right there with three giant ovens.”

With the new opportunity came a test of their operational efficiency and company culture. “We thought in our best guess we’re going to go to this new place and it would be awesome if we did twice as much business as we’re doing (at MadTree 1.0) and within the first couple of weeks we were doing three times as much or more and our staff went from a dozen people to like 50 people very quickly.”  

With a huge footprint inside of the expansive MadTree complex, the Ledfords had dialed in the high-volume operation and quickly became among America’s highest grossing independent pizzerias on the 2019 Hot 100 Independent Pizzerias list. 

Striking While the Iron Is Hot

Catch-a-Fire had cemented his reputation for wood-fired pizza in Cincinnati. The Ledfords put the wheels into motion to open a new standalone restaurant. “We’ve always been pretty ambitious and driven,” Melissa says. “So once we had gotten settled into the bigger space at MadTree, we started thinking about it. We knew that was the next thing. It was just a matter of where and when and how.”  

The Ledfords searched for that perfect piece of land to build another Catch-a-Fire from the ground up. They had their sights on the neighborhood where the food truck got its start, Blue Ash, a thriving, close-knit city within the metro Cincinnati area. 

The demolition and new construction took over a year. “That’s not including us doing the research, finding the location and purchasing the property,” Melissa says. 

Adapt from the Jump

Just as the Ledfords prepared to open the freestanding location in spring of 2020, a global pandemic halted indoor dining. With the new location built on its indoor dining experience, Catch-a-Fire’s opening was postponed until July 2020.

Catch-a-Fire repositioned itself as a carryout spot for pizza and beer. Stocked with regional and in-state beers and California and Italian wines, the to-go operation held steady until they could seat people inside at limited capacity more than a month after opening. Catch-a-Fire was able to lean on its large patio, outdoor lounge and airy indoor/outdoor garage doors. 

But cold weather soon came, and Jeff and Melissa had to get creative. They filled their patio with outdoor garden igloos that are heated, lighted, equipped with bluetooth speakers for customers to create their own music mix and can accommodate up to eight people comfortably. The igloos were a hit. With Cincinnati’s prevailing winters, Jeff says, they will use the igloos post-pandemic.

A New Era

As Pizza Today visited the Blue Ash location in July, the city had lifted restrictions on seating and Catch-a-Fire could operate as it was built to, a full-service dine-in experience. The restaurant is split between the bar and dining area. The interior has upscale features mixed with warm color tones and a visible Bob Marley vibe. The showstopper is its open kitchen featuring two massive wood-burning ovens. With a full wall of garage doors in both the dining area and bar, it provides an indoor/outdoor feel. An oversized outdoor fireplace splits the patio table seating and lounge area. The bustling patio faces a busy Kenwood Avenue, giving the restaurant plenty of street marketing exposure. 

The menu at Blue Ash diverges a bit from the Oakley location. In addition to the creative meat and veggie pizza options at the MadTree spot, Jeff says, they’ve been able to add more Italian classics at Blue Ash. 

The Oakley location features pizzas like the Lively Up Yourself with fire-roasted red sauce, bacon, prosciutto, pineapple, Peppadew, Happy Amber BBQ, four cheeses and scallion. There is also the Natural Mystic with traditional red sauce, roasted tomato, basil, nut-free pesto, fresh mozzarella and sea salt. Blue Ash’s Italian Classics menu features the Disco Devil with fire-roasted red sauce, cappicola, red onion, fresh mozzarella, oregano, chili flakes and chili oil.

“As we were designing this place and figuring out who we are over the years, we’ve always experimented with different things and tried different foods and we have a very culinary focused team behind us,” says Jeff, who has an extensive background as a chef. “Melissa and I, we love playing around with different things. So, when we opened up here, it’s always our intention to do more than just pizza. We want to be a wood-fired restaurant that does really awesome pizza. We’re going to have some different entrees pop up regularly that you might not expect from a pizzeria.”

Catch-a-Fire recently launched a brunch program. “That was our first foray into some very non-traditional pizzeria items,” Jeff says. 

Jeff and Melissa actually delayed the rollout of the weekend brunch by a month so they could get a handle on the employee crunch that many restaurants are experiencing. 

Staffing Up

The Ledfords say they are now able to staff at levels they need for the two locations. To make it through the hiring crisis, they initiated a word-of-mouth campaign, hiring bonuses, referral bonuses and a 20-percent wage increase.

Catch-a-Fire fared better than most and Jeff and Melissa credit that to their company culture. “Our culture is really strong,” Melissa says. “It’s about positivity and taking care of each other, teamwork and all of those good things. It’s in a very sincere and authentic way. We’re not going to be like corporate. It just comes from that kind of place, and I think it makes a difference.”

Jeff continues, “It’s our management and our people in leadership who are walking the walk and continuing to pass that along.” 

Catch-a-Fire’s leadership team has been critical to its growth. “A lot of our managers have been with us since the truck days and the original location at MadTree,” Melissa says. “We’re very much all about finding those strengths in people and promoting them in a direction where they are going to fit.” 

The culture will be critical as the Ledfords look to grow again. The next Catch-a-Fire is already in the works in Lebanon, Ohio. “We’re kind of ambitious like that,” Jeff says. “Within a month or two of opening here, we were already kind of making announcements for the next spot which is fortunately taking plenty of time.” Typically, operators look to speed up the growth timeline. But with the uncertainty of the past year, the Ledfords are content with the slower rollout. 

The couple saw a void in the Lebanon market that was ripe for their concept. “Part of the vision is some kind of amalgamation of what we’ve created here in Blue Ash and what we have over at MadTree,” Jeff says. “It’s going to be a big space, about twice the size of (Blue Ash).”

When asked about the future vision of Catch-a-Fire, Jeff and Melissa are not limiting the concept to southwestern Ohio. 

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Catching Fire: On the Road – Catch-a-Fire Pizza, Cincinnati, OH appeared first on Pizza Today.

There’s a new pizza hotspot in your town. They don’t advertise and they don’t deliver. This place has essentially no overhead, no labor costs and zero concern for food cost. It’s only open occasionally, and they sell a severely limited number of pies when they do open their doors. If they even go through the trouble of charging for their pizza, the money usually goes to charity.

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

In what sort of bizarro universe does this impossible pizzeria exist? It’s your neighbor’s home kitchen.

While you were busy figuring out how to pivot your business, manage staff, and deal with the assorted insanity brought on by the pandemic, your customers were occupying themselves with the projects they’ve long had on the back burner. Foodies were already getting nerdy about making pizza at home before COVID, but things really accelerated when we were forced inside for over a year. Curious cooks finally decided to take a stab at making their own pizza dough and sourdough starters. Sales of portable pizza ovens went through the roof to the extent that they’re currently on back order for months.

Freshly obsessed home pizzaiolos aren’t just making a pie or two at home for their families, they’re launching pop-ups and taking catering gigs. Chrill Hill received a small portable pizza oven as a gift from his girlfriend in early 2020 and now he runs a small pizza catering business called A Slice of NJ. Eliyahu Kheel followed his passion for making pizza at home all the way to Yardley, Pennsylvania, where he’s preparing to open the doors at his first pizzeria this summer. My friend Miriam Weiskind started making pizza for her unemployed neighbors in March 2020 but demand hit so hard that she partnered with a local restaurant to use their space on days they’d normally be closed. The home pizza making revolution has been covered by multiple publications, including The New York Times.

If you’re worried about losing business to your neighbor’s home pizza making setup, don’t be. In fact, I think there’s far more to gain from this trend than there is to lose from it. For instance, you can partner with a local pizza nerd to feature their talents on a slow night. Make an event out of it. They’ll tell all their friends and followers to come out and show support. You’ll benefit by attracting new customers and showing the community you’re being supportive. The pizza maker will have a chance to offer their product to an audience beyond their close friends while honing their craft in a legit pizza kitchen.

So many restaurants are dealing with staffing issues, so partnering with local home pizza makers might prove to be a creative way to navigate the problem. I don’t think most pizza hobbyists are looking for pizzeria jobs, but the few who do see potential in going pro would jump on opportunities to collaborate with you in a way that could help ease the staffing pain.

If you’re interested in tracking down home pizza makers in your area, take a look on Instagram and search by location. You’ll find that the key players are pretty active with their posts and constantly showing their followers what they’re doing in hopes of accruing accolades and suggestions from their peers. It’s a fantastic community and I think there’s lots of potential to bridge with professionals in a positive and collaborative way. 

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

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Pizzerias share tales of reopening their dining rooms to guests

Restaurant dining rooms across the country continue reopening to guests and
increasing capacity. For many pizzerias, it’s a welcome scene after a year of upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though the nation’s pizzerias face a patchwork of different regulations and guidelines from one state – and one municipality – to the next for reopening indoor dining, some universal themes emerge.

Three pizzerias share the experience of welcoming guests back into their dining rooms.

Vango’s Pizza and Cocktail Lounge / Marquette, Michigan

A Marquette landmark, Vango’s reopened its 120-seat dining room in June 2020 after a three-month pause. Capacity was initially limited to 25 percent, though that jumped to 50 percent earlier this year.

“The last year has been a blur,” says Vango’s partner Robert Caron, who’s father-in-law opened the celebrated pizzeria six decades ago.

Hunting ideas: Vango’s leadership carefully prepped for indoor dining’s reopening by exchanging ideas with other local restaurant owners, following industry news outlets and querying friends and family about their dining experiences.

“When we found ideas we liked, we implemented them,” Caron says.

Establishing comfort: Vango’s moved from reusable menus to paper menus, posted signage about wearing masks, publicized its cleaning practices, spaced out tables and trained staff on how to have respectful interactions with guests.

“Getting people comfortable in the restaurant again has been a top priority for us because if they’re not comfortable and don’t enjoy their experience with us, they’re probably not coming back,” Caron says.

A silver lining: While the dining room sat dark, Vango’s transitioned its front-of-the-house staff to taking phone orders, packaging carryout orders and curbside pickup. Caron says waitstaff brought extra focus to that role, from upselling beverages and desserts to making sure orders were accurate and all the necessary items – sides, extra sauces, utensils and the like – were in each carryout order. That hefty attention to detail then carried into the dining room’s reopening.

“There are so many things that can get glossed over in a rush,” Caron says. “Now, we’re bringing that same high level of focus to the dining room and it’s almost embarrassing to think about the past mistakes being caught now.”

Red Banjo Pizza Parlour / Park City, Utah

Park City was an early COVID-19 hotspot because of the annual Sundance Film Festival – some media outlets, in fact, called Park City the nation’s “first petri dish” for the virus – and that sparked concern at Red Banjo, the Utah city’s oldest business.

“It was a scary time,” admits Tana Toly, whose grandparents opened Red Banjo in 1962.

Honest debate: After closing its 75-seat dining room in March per government orders, Toly and her family members held earnest discussions about reopening the dining room in May when allowed. While some neighboring operations did not reopen, Red Banjo welcomed guests back inside on day one.

“We knew we had committed employees who needed paychecks and people in our community who wanted to get out and have some normalcy,” she says.

Calling in reinforcements: Labor stood a pressing challenge at Red Banjo, which relies heavily on seasonal workers from Eastern Europe and South America to fill its busy ski seasons. Absent that typical labor influx, Red Banjo leaned on friends and family. Toly’s fiancée delivered at night. Friends learned the hostess stand.

“We buckled down and got it done,” Toly says.

Making investments: Utah did not impose a capacity limit, but rather mandated six feet between tables, which sliced the pizzeria’s table count from 16 to seven. In response, the restaurant ditched its long, six-seat tables in favor of square-shaped, easily movable four-tops.

“This way, we could reengineer the dining room as necessary,” Toly says.

In addition, Red Banjo expanded from a beer and wine license to a full liquor license, which is no small feat in Utah.

Baby steps: This past April, Red Banjo was permitted to fully reopen its dining room. Rather than jumping immediately to full capacity, however, the pizzeria slowly added a table or two to “assess people’s comfort levels as well as what we could handle as a business,” Toly says. Red Banjo also prioritized social media as a communication tool.

“It’s been a grassroots effort to let people know we’re here and ready to serve them,” Toly says.

Big Bill’s New York Pizza / Centennial, Colorado

“Big Bill” Ficke opened his namesake pizzeria in 1995 and it’s long been a Centennial favorite thanks to the spot’s tasty pies and Ficke’s gregarious personality.

The pandemic, however, halted Big Bill’s customary dining room vibe for more than two months. When the pizzeria reopened indoor dining in June, albeit with a maximum capacity of 50 people, Ficke rejoiced.

“It was a great feeling to get people back in the restaurant,” he says. “Interacting with people is a big part of our ambiance.”

Changing operations: Upon reopening indoor dining, Ficke immediately designated one entry door for dine-in guests and a second for carryout. He also removed about 30 tables from his 200-seat dining room, one divided across four distinct sections, and devoted one dining room section solely to carryout customers awaiting their orders.

Seeing immediate demand for indoor dining, Ficke then extended Friday and Saturday night operating hours from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Rediscovering the pace: Pre-pandemic, servers were accustomed to handling 10 tables with the help of two to three bussers. Today, it’s much the same, albeit with more extensive travel between tables.

“Save walking more, [front-of-the-house staff] are not doing anything they weren’t already accustomed to doing,” Ficke says. “We found our rhythm and got back into the routine quickly.”

Understanding customer psyche: From the spacing of tables and taking temperatures to collecting information for contact tracing, Ficke diligently followed local public health guidelines. He says that’s been key to sparking diners’ return.

“Sure, many people are feeling more confident now, but we have to respect that this virus still makes people anxious or afraid,” Ficke says. “By following the rules and having guest safety front of mind, we’ve been able to get customers back.”

Daniel P. Smith  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post The Return of Indoor Dining appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias around the U.S.

Hunny’s Pizza | Saline, Michigan

Pizzapreneur Hunter Leslie is garnering attention for his Detroit-style pizza. He founded Hunny’s Pizza. “I think what defines us most here at Hunny’s is that we are truly the only non-chain operating pizza place in our small town of Saline, and we take great pride in that fact,” Leslie says. “We’re trying to create the best Detroit-style pizza around. With that being said, we definitely stand-out by being a food truck who moves very infrequently and sticks to our local spot in front of a local bakery.” Leslie is constantly trying out new pizza specials. “We ran a Chorizo Taco Pizza special for Cinco de Mayo, and it was a hit! People may convince us to put it on our everyday menu. It started with our signature cheese blend (whole milk Mozz/ Prov/ Wisconsin brick) a spicy juicy chorizo, red onion, thick-cut bacon, salsa and finished with cilantro and hot sauce.”

Benzina | Denver, Colorado

A former gas station has been transformed into a brand new modern and chic pizzeria. Benzina has an expansive patio featuring bocce courts and urban planters. The menu features seasonal salads, family-style appetizers, Neapolitan-inspired pizza, handmade pastas, protein entrees prepared on a charcoal oven. Pizzas include the Clam with clam cream, parsley, lemon and hot pepper. There is also the Carbonara with prosciutto, créme fraiche, onion, black pepper and egg yolk.

Stina Pizzeria | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This South Philly spot just celebrated its two-year anniversary with a party and donation to a local youth center. Stina has given over $10K to more than a dozen organization. During the pandemic, the pizzeria built a beautiful “streetery” outdoor dining experience. Stina’s menu features wood-fired pizza and Mediterranean fare. Its Mezze menu highlights Fire Roasted Cauliflower (Tahini, Baharat spice and chermoula) and Kefta Kebab (Moroccan spiced ground beef, Saffron labneh and tabbouleh). Pizzas include Bolognese with provolone piccante, Pecorino and herb crumbs.

The post Destinations: Hunny’s, Saline, MI; Benzina, Denver; Stina, Philly appeared first on Pizza Today.

Seven Breakout Pizzeria Owners to keep an eye on in 2021

Que Wimberly

The Missing Brick – Indianapolis, Indiana

How did you begin working in the pizza industry?

I began my career in the pizza industry by wanting to introduce my two sons to entrepreneurship. We as a family have always loved pizza and believed that our city (Indy) was missing a black-owned pizza joint that serves uniquely crafted pizzas and celebrates our culture. My journey in this started two years ago with no formal training or experience. Just trade shows and trial and error  Not only are we self-built, we’re also self-taught.

What is something uniquely you that you have brought to the pizza industry?

Indy Style Pizza is the one thing that we brought to the pizza industry.  We created a pizza style that’s just as unique as Detroit, Chicago, New York and California style pizzas. Starting with our crust that’s shaped like the state of Indiana. Most of our ingredients that top our rectangular shaped pizzas are produced and manufactured right here in Indiana. Indy Style Pizza has become a household name here. Soon the world will taste what Indy has to offer.   

What’s been your biggest challenge in the pizza business? 

My biggest challenge in the pizza business is probably what just about every pizzeria is experiencing at the moment and that’s hiring good employees. I’m hoping to see a turnaround soon, especially with college students coming home for the summer.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

Food makes everyone happy. Normally when my team needs motivation I FEED THEM!!

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

I would say in order for TMB to get to the next level of business, it’s time for me to delegate and hire highly skilled professionals in the area of expertise that we need, like a PR/ Branding coach and marketing manager. I guess that means developing an expense budget for employees outside the restaurant and da-to-day operations.

Joey Karvelas

Karvelas Pizza Co. – Newnan, Lagrange, Hogansville, Georgia

How did you begin working in the pizza industry?

The pizza industry found me before I could choose for myself! My parents owned a pizza restaurant where I started working the dish pit as soon as I got off the school bus. I have found that pizza has always found a way to be a part of major moments in my life; after my father sold the family pizza place, I worked in an Atlanta pizzeria where I came up to the pizza line. I then found myself in downtown Knoxville ,Tennessee, working for my now good friend Gavin Loyer at his small place on Gay St. While I was managing this restaurant, I met my wife who was a server. A few years after I moved back to Georgia, our old family pizza place came up for sale and I leaped at the opportunity; and in 2014 Karvelas Pizza Co. was born.

What is something uniquely you that you have brought to the pizza industry?

 I like to think everything I do is original, haha. But I know that our restaurants are a direct result of years of eating out and actively seeking the hidden gems on any vacation I took. I would tell my wife, “I like their playlist or I love how they displayed their sauces or that window over there looks awesome.”

So we took things we loved from all these different places we ate and put them together to create Karvelas Pizza Company. One thing though that we do that is unlike any other restaurant out there, is using the word “no”. Something I have been told my entire life is that the customer is always right and they should have it their way. But what I have come to learn is that it is alright to say “no”. I have created and developed these recipes and pizza combinations through years of trying and testing. I know they are perfect the way they are, and that is how I want other people to experience our pizza. So on our menu it is clearly stated that there is no adding, substituting or leaving off anything on our specialty pizzas. That is something uniquely Karvelas but I think it is something more people in the restaurant business, especially the pizza business, should feel comfortable saying. Not only because I know that our product is good the way it comes, but saying “no” has revolutionized the way our kitchen operates. On a busy Friday night our pizza line does not have to read a ticket and think what to leave off, what to add on, or half this and half that. They can simply see a works pizza, and know exactly how to top it, which in turn will get our customer their food quicker and cut down on the ticket time overall. Knowing our pizza as it comes cuts down on the amount of mistakes made and allows us to feed more people faster.

What’s been your biggest challenge in the pizza business? 

 It is hard to say there has been one big challenge in the pizza business. I think the biggest challenge is the little challenges and everyday challenges that come up constantly. The pizza business is not static, it is dynamic. Our business is always changing and always growing and there are always new challenges associated with our growth. Knowing what to do is hard; there is no playbook given to pizzeria owners about how to be successful. Making choices and trusting that you’re doing the right thing is a big challenge for an owner.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times? 

   Our staff’s motivation is just as high now as it has been anytime. How we treat our people has not changed from 2019 to 2020. We want anyone who chooses to work at Karvelas to enjoy themselves and always have fun at what they’re doing. The bright and funky artwork we have on our walls, the playlist that is full blast all day, and our consistent social media filming all help our staff to look forward to coming into work. That in turn makes for motivated people. We are a mom-and-pop place, but not the traditional version. Now we have to make sure our restaurants stay a place people want to work. Also, you can never underestimate the value of a southern smile! 

What area do you feel that you currently need to improve upon to take your pizza business to the next level?

    Trusting the systems and levels of management that we put into place in order to open up more restaurants is going to be key in growing our pizza business. I can overthink anything, but in order to maintain my sanity and a positive attitude I have to trust the policies and the systems that my team and I create together in order to operate smooth running stores. If I am constantly questioning and rethinking the ways that we’ve done things, then it is hard for us to grow and truly test the strength of what we built. I want to work on giving my team space to implement everything that we think up together. Beyond that, I want to trust that other people are going to operate the store with the same attention to detail and care that I had from day one.

Marcus Medina

Hella Pie Pizza Company — Tracy, California

How did you begin working in the pizza industry?

It was around my 30th birthday when I felt that I wasn’t happy with doing construction my whole life. I decided that I wanted to start a
mobile wood-fired pizzeria after cooking in my backyard for friends and family. We were mobile for about 2.5 years. We did farmer’s markets, breweries, weddings and pretty much any type of party you’d want to get catered. Then the pandemic hit and all the parties stopped. An opportunity came to take over an existing bakery in our hometown and we jumped on it.

What’s been your biggest challenge in the pizza business?

My biggest challenge has been how to make sure that we’re achieving our most consistent product. Every day I feel like we are going to war with constant changes and obstacles. How we navigate ourselves as a unit to overcome them is truly the challenge. Overcoming those obstacles as a team is also one of the most rewarding things though — family, friends and staff. It takes us all so I’m very thankful for our support system. We couldn’t do this alone.

What is something uniquely you that you have brought to the pizza industry?

When I was a kid growing up in the 90s pizza was so cool and fun. Branding was on point. I’ve kind of brought that type of nostalgia back for both adults and children. We were all kids at some point and so making pizza is fun, but also simple and beautiful at the same time. That is what I think makes my business unique. Also our business name. We wanted to be something that resonated with locals. We felt like nothing says Northern California like Hella. You can pin the region where we are from just by that word. We are just locals cooking for locals and that authenticity brings us more support than you can imagine.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

I’m still not quite sure how to motivate people. I’m not sure if we can. I definitely have surrounded myself with a staff that motivates me to be better. Constantly trying to make our staff’s jobs easier, more efficient and comfortable. Also, being conscious of their time and time off. Hopefully that shows my team that I care and I’m thinking about them. If they see that, then I think they will buy into the work.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

I feel blessed to have started this career in my 30s. Starting a new career you have to swallow your pride or ego. Not that we should have one anyway. For a while I felt alone. I hadn’t grown up in the industry so I was very unsure about everything. I booked my first Pizza Expo in 2019. After that trip I didn’t feel so alone anymore. I felt like I was embraced with love and support. I started building on those relationships made in Las Vegas and eventually found that my pizza naturally got better from all of the knowledge shared through the conversations with mentors that I look up to.

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

Being a self-taught pizza maker/entrepreneur, I guess you could say that I’m Hella insecure. It’s a blessing and a curse. Everything that I do probably takes me a little longer because I want to figure it out. I definitely try and keep things simple but I feel like I need to get out of my comfort zone and get around people with more knowledge. I try to fill my time with podcasts, audio books or videos. I’m looking forward to taking some hands-on classes though so that I can start taking my chef skills to a higher level.

Audrey Kelly

Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage – Boulder, Colorado

How did you begin working the pizza industry?

My first job in the pizza industry was working at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in North Beach, SF.  I had just returned from Italy and was obsessed with learning how to make pizza.  Tony (Gemignani) had just opened his restaurant and pizza school. I took one of his classes and somehow talked my way into working for him after the class ended. He became my greatest mentor and friend and has given me my foundation for pizza making.

What’s been your biggest challenge in the pizza business?

My biggest challenge has been to balance my own expectations. I am inherently a perfectionist and in the beginning of opening my own shop I wanted to do everything myself so that it would be done correctly. I was there from open to close the first three years and made almost every pizza. I have learned, and am still learning, that in order to succeed you have to not only be a great pizza maker and have a great product but even more importantly, be a great teacher and leader. At some point you have to let go and trust other people with your product. To do that, I really had to learn how to teach and manage my team. It is a skill I am constantly trying to improve on and one I think the best owners possess.

What is something uniquely you that you have brought to the pizza industry?

I believe that my business and pizza itself are unique. I took that fundamentals of the classic pizza making techniques and turned them into my own product. Since leaving Tony’s I have become more engrossed with sourdough starters and bread making and realized just how important that is to pizza making. We now do a 100 percent naturally leavened dough using some freshly milled flour.  While we definitely are not the only ones doing this, ours will never be the same as anyone else’s.  A lot of owners create a recipe and business model and continue to do the same thing for years, I am constantly trying to improve upon not only my product but business itself.  Someone can try to replicate my pizza and store but they will never be able to capture the energy and personality of it.  To me, that is the true beauty of small mom and pop shops, they all bring something different to the game, something that no one else can do or create.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

I think that the biggest motivator is to lead by example. While I have learned to delegate some tasks, I will never be the type of owner/operator that expects my team to do things I won’t. I am in there every day working just as hard, if not harder than everyone else.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

Every year I walk away from Expo with a wealth of new inspiration and knowledge. I learn from the demos, panels and keynote speakers, but also just from talking with everyone else in the industry.  Some years I go into Expo feeling a little burned out but consistently leave feeling invigorated and ready to take on the year. To me, more than anything else it is the connections and support that Expo offers that makes it invaluable. I truly believe that the pizza industry is unique in how open and willing everyone is to each other that makes it feel like a second family. The biggest thing that I have taken away from Expo is that it is okay to ask for help because everyone needs it at some point. Everyone has a different skill set and you can’t expect yourself to be good at every aspect of the business.

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

For me, the best way to take my business to the next level is to step back a little so that I can look at the bigger picture and expand upon it. I am usually so focused on the day to day and minute to minute action that I never have the time or energy to improve or fix the larger things.  It is something that I am truly trying to focus on and hope to make a few changes in the next year. As my uncle says, “Being on the counter can be counter productive.” Basically, I always want to be at my shop making pizzas and interacting with customers, but I need to learn when to step back and trust my team so I can focus on smoothing out the edges and expanding as well.

Leah Scurto

PizzaLeah – Windsor, California

How did you begin working in the pizza industry?

I always say that the pizza industry found me. I was 18, in college and totally broke. I walked into the first restaurant I saw and asked if they were hiring. I was hired on the spot and the rest is history…

I’m no spring chicken to the pizza industry as I have been making pizza since 1997. I spent 21 years with Pizza My Heart and have recently started to make a name for myself with my own restaurant, Pizzaleah.

What is something uniquely you that you have brought to the pizza industry?

I feel like I’ve never wanted my style of pizza making to be defined by normal styles. I love to make hybrid styles and use a collaboration of techniques I’ve learned over the years.   

What’s been your biggest challenge in the pizza business? 

Right now my biggest challenge is probably the same as everyone…hiring.    

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

I’m a big proponent of leading by example. If I work hard, they work hard but I also love to have fun. If my staff isn’t having fun while they are working then I’m not doing it right now. I also make sure that any accolades I receive I give credit to my employees and make sure that those accolades are theirs as well. I couldn’t do what I do without them.   

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

Currently I’m trying to improve on my role as the owner of a company.  I’ve always been in the mindset that I needed to actively work in the restaurant/kitchen day in day out.  While I think it’s very important that as the owner of the business I am hands-on and available to both my customers and employees, I sometimes let some of the more bureaucratic things I need to take care of as an owner slip through the cracks.   

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

I’ve been attending pizza Expo since 1999. My biggest takeaway has always been networking. It’s a great place to meet other people in the industry and to share ideas.

Nicholas Franchi

Upper Crust – Akron, Ohio   

How did you begin working in the pizza industry?

When I was 15 years old I was looking for a job and the first place that hired me was a small pizza shop named Pizza BoGo.

What is something uniquely you that you have brought to the pizza industry?

Something unique I have brought to the pizza industry is the “Super Crown.” I made a pizza at the 2019 Pizza Expo and I created a crown for it. We do a similar version of the pizza in our shops on a daily basis.

What’s been your biggest challenge in the pizza business?

The biggest challenge we have experienced is the current labor market. It is and has been extremely difficult to find good help this past year.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

We do everything we can to be extremely flexible with all of our employees schedules. Also we give bonuses to high performing individuals.

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

I know that I need to improve on hiring and training. Also I need to work on creating systems and implementing them successfully into our business.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

It didn’t so much help guide our business but at the 2018 and 2019 Pizza Expo I learned a lot about competing. From traveling with products or finding products on arrival to putting together a presentation for the judges. 

I learned that there are a few different moving parts that have to come together to compete with the best of the best!

Giovanni Cesarano

King Umberto — Elmont, New York

How did you begin working in pizza?

I was 16 years old eating all the food in the fridge and my Mom said “if you’re going to eat like that you need to go to work” so my Dad, who at the time was co-owner of King Umberto, gave me my first job in pizza.

What’s been the biggest challenge in the pizza business? 

Finding staff has been difficult at times but it makes us as owners work harder, which I don’t mind. Working in the pizza business never bothered me so if I have to help service customers, answer phones, or help make pizza it’s what I signed up for so I don’t complain. It also makes me appreciate the workers who’ve been with us a long time even more.

What is something uniquely you’ve brought to the pizza business?

It’s hard to be unique in a business where so much information is shared and seen on a day-to-day basis.  With that being said my mother was a seamstress growing up, so I watched her make beautiful dresses and that was always inspiring for me. We’ve introduced some cool King Umberto gear like hats, t-shirts, and jackets.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times? 

I basically tell them we have an opportunity to make people happy right now in a world where not too many happy things are happening.  If our products and services bring joy to people’s lives with all that’s going on they should be proud of themselves.

What is something that you’ve learned at pizza expo that helped guide your business?

A LOT! I can’t point my finger to only one thing because there’s been so many, but every time I go to the Expo I come out a more informed and motivated pizza maker.

What area do you think you need to improve on to take your business to the next level? 

Since the pandemic we’ve had an increase in production in pizza sales, so keeping the oven hot has been challenging. Cranking up the oven during peak hours and rotating the pies properly so they get the right bake is something me and my staff are currently getting better at day by day.  We also ordered an additional pizza master so that should help us out a bit.

The post Rising Stars of the Pizza Industry appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Across the U.S.

La Piazza Al Forno | Glendale, Arizona

La Piazza is known for being the Phoenix-area spot to try different pizza styles, from Neapolitan and Roman to a New York style offered on weekends. La Piazza has received national attention after multiple appearances on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network. The pizzeria even rolled out a take-and-bake pizza program. With three pizza styles, the menu is extensive. The Neapolitan line features the classics and a few additions like Pizza Fritta, a fried calzone stuffed with salami, ricotta, olives, mozzarella and San Marzano tomato sauce. The Roman line features Amatraciana with tomato sauce, bacon, onion, black pepper, pecorino and extra-virgin olive oil.

Rosalia | Minneapolis, Minnesota

Rosalia came onto the scene in September 2020 with a compressed menu of wood-fired pizza, appetizers, vegetables and dessert. Rosalia has four sister restaurants, some with an Italian flare, accruing praised reputations in the Twin Cities. The newcomer features Fugazza an Argentinian style pizza, similar to a focaccia (twice baked with more cheese, available by the slice). Its pizza menu is straight-forward with the classic Italian pizzas. It also features the Cavolo Nero with kale, smoked mozzarella, fresco, bacon and hot honey and the Mortadella with fontina, mozzarella and pistachio pesto.

Dragon Pizza | Somerville, Massachusetts

The Boston-area pizzeria is in the midst of renovating its dining room and adding a full bar. While Dragon has received local attention for its slice game, the shop also offers unique specials like its Sunday Chicken and Biscuits. A solid gelato menu features flavors, like Gucchi Vanilla Bean, Dark Chocolate, Fresh Mint Chip, Anise, “Old Times” buttermilk with strawberry jam swirl and Reeses Peanut Butter Chink. The pizza menu highlights the Maple Bacon Cheddar with bacon lardons, chili maple syrup, scallions, cheddar and the Kung Pao Chicken pizza with szechuan braised chicken, carrot, peppers, peanuts and kung pao sauce.

The post Destinations: La Piazza, Glendale, AZ; Rosalia, Minneapolis; Dragon Pizza, Boston, MA appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Across the U.S.

Sophie T’s Pizza | Nantucket, Massachusetts

Rob and Kelly opened the family pizzeria on the island of Nantucket in 2001. “Sophie T’s Pizza is really defined by our community here on Nantucket,” says daughter and pizzeria namesake Sophie Noll. “We’ve been open for 20 years now, and we pride ourselves in being a part of people’s experience when they are on Nantucket. We work hard to cultivate a comfortable and laid-back atmosphere that allows people to just enjoy good food with the people they love, at reasonable prices.” Its pizza style goes back to Rob’s roots. “He was born and raised at the intersection of New Jersey and New York, so we like to call our approach a New Jersey-meets-New York-style pizza,” she says. The hottest pizza on the menu is the ACK Mack pizza. “This is a pizza topped with seasoned ground beef, American cheese, pickles, onions, a special sauce and sesame seeds,” she says. “The name of the pizza plays on our airport call signal and a commonly used nickname for the island, ACK.”

Cuts & Slices | Brooklyn, New York

The Brooklyn spot made its debut on the Daily Meal’s 101 Best Pizzas list for its out-of-the box pizzas, like Chicken & Waffles (oven-fried chicken, buttermilk waffles, mozzarella cheese and maple syrup). There is also the Shrimp Fra Diavolo (garlic butter crust topped with our spicy shrimp, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and tomato sauce). Each day, Cuts & Slices rolls out featured slices like sweet chili oxtail, Buffalo chicken and the Chicken and French Toast (oven-fried chicken, cinnamon French toast, mozzarella cheese and maple syrup drizzle).

Cristino’s Coal Oven Pizza | Clearwater, Florida

The southwestern Florida restaurant is known for two things: old world-style pizza and gelato. The pizza menu offers five base pizza options: Margherita, Marinara, Bianco, Quattro Formaggio (tomato sauce, mozzarella, goat cheese, ricotta, gorgonzola, basil and oregano) and Margherita Di Lusso (tomato sauce, homemade mozzarella, fresh sliced tomatoes, basil, oregano). Then, customers add on toppings from a list of over 25 regular and specialty ingredients. The gelato menu options include Nutella, almond, Cappuccino, mascarpone, coconut, hazelnut, pistachio and more.

The post Destinations: Sophie T’s, Nantucket, MA; Cuts & Slices, Brooklyn; Cristino’s Coal Oven Pizza, Clearwater, FL appeared first on Pizza Today.

Dragonfly Tavern | Rochester, New York

This neighborhood gathering spot is reminiscent of a ski lodge. The full menu features appetizers, chicken wings, pizza, salads, burgers and brunch items. “I think what defines our pizzeria is that we put so much care into the food we produce without taking ourselves too seriously,” says social media director and pizza maker Jeanna Natale. “With so many pizza places in our area, we like to joke that ‘we serve the best pizza within the next 10 feet.’ Each month, Dragonfly showcases a sought-after featured pie. A recent monthly special was the Birria Pizza with mozzarella, house-made birria, consommé, salsa de arbol, radishes, onion and cilantro. Dragonfly has been able to adjust over the past year of uncertainty. Moving forward, Natale says, “We plan to elevate our business this year by continuing to improve our craft. We were recently forced to operate as a takeout only business and we used that time to try out new recipes. Now that we’re fully open we are working to implement these new recipes and change up our menu.”

Nella Pizza e Pasta | Chicago, Illinois

The Hyde Park Neapolitan pizzeria is abuzz with local acclaim. A classically trained pizzaiola and Napoli native, owner Nella Grassano opened Nella with her husband, Francesco, in 2017. The Neapolitan pizza and pasta-focused menu also features antipasti, insalate, second piatti, risotto and calzoni. The Pizze menu highlights the Pescatore with tomato sauce, mozzarella, calamari, shrimp, mussels, clams, garlic and oregano and the Troisi with sausage, mozzarella and rapini. The pasta menu features the Sarracino with pappardelle, mussels, Pecorino, black truffle, garlic oil and white wine.

White Pie | Denver, Colorado

White Pie has a Denver and Colorado Springs location and serves up New Haven-style pizza. It’s Share menu has some unique finds like House Puff, oven puffed bread with whipped garlic rosemary butter and the Beef Carpaccio with thinly sliced beef tenderloin, fresh cracked pepper, pesto, Castelvetrano olives, shaved Parmesan, arugula and lemon juice.  A standout on the pizza menu is the White Pie with crème fraiche, mozzarella, garlic, bacon, crimini mushroom and sunny egg.

The post Destinations: Dragonfly Tavern, Rochester, NY; Nella Pizza e Pasta, Chicago; White Pie, Denver; appeared first on Pizza Today.

We recently circled the wagons with Scott Anthony (Punxsy Pizza in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania), Nicole Bean (Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana in Houston), Pasquale di Diana (Bacci Pizzeria in Chicago), John Arena (Metro Pizza in Las Vegas), Derek Sanchez (MiaMarco’s in San Antonio) and Michael Androw (E&D Pizza Company in Avon, Connecticut) to talk about the new Pizza Expo 365 platform, International Pizza Expo and COVID-19’s ongoing impact on the pizza business.

PT: What’s your favorite thing about International Pizza Expo?

Scott Anthony: The people. Nothing renews your love of pizza more than being around pizza enthusiasts.

Pasquale di Diana: While everyone enjoys walking the exhibition floor and sampling food from all the vendors, the seminars and panels are my favorite thing about the Expo.

Derek Sanchez: 1.  The amount of knowledge and talent under one roof all at the same time is amazing. 2. It is the friendships and bonds made with all the great people involved.

Nicole Bean: Besides seeing everyone and mingling with new people (we always make new friends!), learning new things like business processes or dough techniques. There is always something to learn at expo and the classes/seminars are invaluable.

Michael Androw: My favorite thing at Expo is watching demos and competitions to see how my colleagues are utilizing new and different ingredients.

John Arena: Pizza Expo is an amazing opportunity to meet the greatest pizza makers in the world face to face and learn first-hand the elements that have contributed to their success. Products, equipment, education and the fellowship unique to our industry all come together at Expo.

PT: What is something about Pizza Expo that maybe you took for granted, but found yourself missing with last year’s cancellation?

Scott Anthony: The value of human connection.

Pasquale di Diana: Being a restaurant owner, we miss that camaraderie that a lot of people have in their workplaces.  At the Expo, I get a chance to freely talk to like-minded individuals from all over the world about my shared passions. I’ve always left the Expo inspired, wiser, motivated and full of ideas. I really missed that last year.

Derek Sanchez: It’s the missed friendships, kind words, happy smiling faces.

Nicole Bean: Hugging people and education. I’ve felt a little incomplete for the year because I didn’t get too many chances to step away from the business to fully immerse myself into someone’s teachings. However, my husband Brad and I did go visit Mike Bausch in Tulsa for a few days and that did give me the little boost I needed to finish the year and start 2021 strong (like a freight train).

Michael Androw: I definitely took the camaraderie for granted. There are so many people throughout the country that I have totally missed being able to catch up with. We are all so busy with our businesses, but Expo is that one time that we all have the day off and can get together to visit.

John Arena: I most missed the happy social collisions that take place walking the aisles of Expo. The chance encounters where you get to exchange ideas with pizza operators from around the world are invaluable.

PT: How are you using the new Pizza Expo 365 platform?

Scott Anthony: I like to check in once or twice a week to see what’s new and to listen to and learn from other operators.

Pasquale di Diana: I’m using the platform how I used the seminars from the Expo. They help me when I feel lost and need some direction, and help me in my weaker areas.

Derek Sanchez: I use it to learn and research all things new about pizza, especially new science.

Michael Androw: I love that the 365 platform has the educational seminars available at all times so I can reference them at my own convenience, which is usually later at night.

PT: Where would you like to see it go in the future in order to maximize its value to you as a pizza-focused business owner.

Scott Anthony: I’d like to see weekly alerts and featured programming to be sure I don’t miss anything. Getting more vendors on board to see new or ‘new to me’ products.

Pasquale di Diana: The camaraderie and brotherhood in the pizza industry is a beautiful thing. If somehow that community can be developed online I think it could help me brainstorm solutions to my everyday operational issues.

Nicole Bean: Possibly smaller snippets sent via email as a weekly or monthly blast — something where I can get insight quickly and get back to the shops. Ideas that I can ponder on during the week and work to develop or maybe reach out to others about would be really helpful.

Michael Androw: I would like to see a fully archived library over the years of all of the seminars so they can always be referenced. I think with the recent passings of Big Dave and Tom Lehmann it has given me a new perspective. I would love if I had recorded some of those conversations over the years to look back on.

PT: Are you seeing a light at the end of the tunnel in your area with regards to COVID-19?

Scott Anthony: I see light. Sometimes it fades a bit as we hear of new outbreaks and mutated viruses, food costs, etc. — but we are making progress.

Pasquale di Diana: Yes, I believe a combination of people learning to live with COVID smartly and the hope that the vaccine will roll out rapidly puts us in a position that we can begin rebounding from all this later in the year.

Nicole Bean:  Absolutely. I feel like people are getting tired of being cooped up and having to wear masks all the time. Eventually it’ll be normalized like the flu and we will have to learn to live with this new virus, and hopefully there will be immunizations available to all so we can move forward without having to wear a mask and social distance.

Michael Androw: I am definitely beginning to see a light at the end of the COVID tunnel. In Connecticut the positivity rate and hospitalizations have plummeted in the past two weeks. Our Governor has now begun the reopening process.

John Arena: Living in Las Vegas it is hard to predict how long recovery will take. A tourist/convention-based economy is highly vulnerable. That being said, the vibe here amongst operators is positive with new start-ups taking shape and residents rallying to support local restaurants.

PT: What did the Great Quarantine of 2020 teach you about your business model and what you needed to do to ensure its relevancy?

Scott Anthony: Be adaptable. I feel that keeping Top of Mind Awareness was critical, too. People needed to know you were there for them and they needed to connect with you, so I needed to keep my content relevant. Not just talking about food or specials, but about cleanliness, taking extra ServSafe classes, getting certified by the state for compliance with CDC and Department of Health guidelines.

Pasquale di Diana: The Great Quarantine taught me that anything is possible and no matter how much we plan and forecast, there are things that can come up that we just cannot control and are out of our hands.  In the beginning of all this, I had to scale down the model and trim as much possible, and learned that we were able to do it rapidly. We needed to be quick to adapt to many factors and circumstances, and literally we were making changes daily to ensure our relevancy and survive through all this.

Derek Sanchez: We have a great model as it is 95 percent takeout. We now need to prepare for what people want next. A place to sit and enjoy with their family.

Nicole Bean: Being such a crazy turn of events that happened fairly quickly like a wave; I think it was important to let it come over you and then ride it out like a scene from Point Break.

I learned that my business model was resilient, moldable and ready for whatever was coming. We pivoted quickly and I wanted to make sure that my staff knew we wanted them to remain employed, but also for my customers to know that we would still be available to them at all costs. We removed third-party delivery and started our own in-house delivery to cut costs for us and the customer, but also ensured customer service was met. Along with many other pizzerias we offered pizza kits with a video QR code to provide the customers with not only a one-on-one experience with us, but also a chance to see what we do daily to create their pizzas.

I believe our biggest success was maintaining our regular menu throughout this entire pandemic. Where many restaurants cut menu items or revamped their entire menu and processes we kept moving forward in order to give our customers a feeling of normalcy that I think paid off.

Michael Androw: The Great Quarantine taught me one very valuable lesson: Adapt or Die!

I never thought I would see the day when I would bring contractors in to tear out my entire dining room and convert over to a 100-percent DELCO model. We adapted. We survived. We have thrived!

John Arena: Service methods must compliment changes in lifestyle. User friendly technology is going to be essential to success. Those who can pivot and accommodate the next generation of guests can thrive. Those who can’t will fade away.

If the pandemic has done one good thing it has served as a reminder that pizza can be the most resilient segment of the foodservice industry IF we are willing to adapt. The best operators have reinvented themselves, and even the artisan pizza makers have embraced take-out, delivery, frozen pizzas, home meal replacement kits and online ordering. Many of the things that people said they would never do are now standard practices. COVID seems to have accelerated changes that were inevitable. Ultimately we are in the business of feeding customers great pizza, that doesn’t change, but how we facilitate that goal must adapt with the times.

The post Round & Round: Pizza Pros sound off on Pizza Expo 365, Pizza Expo and COVID-19 Updates appeared first on Pizza Today.

Small Town Heroes

Mom and pop restaurants have been hit considerably hard by COVID-19. In rural communities, the small businesses are the backbone of their towns. Challenges seem insurmountable but somehow these small-town heroes find a way to stay relevant and serve their communities.

We reached out to five pizzerias in small towns across the country to share stories of their obstacles and their unique markets.

Viola’s Pizza Company sits in the tiny town of Viola, Tennessee, population 132. Brian and Sara Covert weren’t accustomed to rural life or running a restaurant when they moved to Viola and opened their pizzeria. They jumped in feet first. Viola’s has become the spot that the community gathers over good food.

Compared to Viola, Cordova, Alaska seems like a bustling metropolis with its population of 2,160. Armed with service backgrounds, Brian Wildrick and wife Lindsay Butters opened Harborside Pizza over 13 years ago in a place with no roads that connect to other Alaskan towns.

Two Harbors, Minnesota is a tourist town with permanent resident population of 3,500. Luke and Marita Klevgaard first opened a coffee and tea shop but needed to find a more sustainable business, and The Northshore Pizza Café & Coffee House was born. Much of its sales come from the swelled tourism summer season.

Leadville, Colorado is the highest incorporated city in the U.S. with a population of 2,700 and home to High Mountain Pies. Vicki and Tim Koch are owner and operators sharing in its daily operation. High Mountain Pies also depends on travelers from area resort towns.

Jimmy Menacho saw a void of New York-style pizza in his small town of Danielson Connecticut, population 4,009. Since living in NYC as a child, Menacho dreamed of opening a NY-style pizzeria.

A common thread between all of these small-market mom and pops is the vital importance of word of mouth, a social media presence and flexibility in operating hours. They share stories of staying relevant and addressing struggles. We asked:

How are you able to stay relevant in a fast-changing industry?

Sara and Brian Covert, Viola’s Pizza Company, Viola, Tennessee

Sara Covert: “While the industry does change fast, we still move at a slower pace in our community. We keep ourselves up-to-date with the industry but strategically present those changes to our customers. For example, in non-traditional ingredients, we sold microgreens on our pizzas and received positive feedback.  While those microgreens will not become a shop favorite or even a regular menu item, using them on a limited availability basis makes them more appreciated.

We make our own sausage.  The non-GMO pork is from the farm of some kids that played on a basketball team we coached. We have neighbors growing produce for us. So, heirloom tomatoes, green peppers, onions and other seasonal favorites sourced locally are trendy for most, but for us it is about supporting the community that supports us too.

In sticking with our desire for customer experience, we do not have online ordering and we still use five-part order slips. This requires us to have that personal communication that is so vital to our shop. We are able to stay relevant while continuing with the things that are timeless values of a mom & pop shop!”

Brian Wildrick, Harborside Pizza, Cordova, Alaska

Brian Wildrick: “We are able to stay relevant by serving a timeless and traditional food; hand-tossed, wood-fired pizza. We offer creative and delicious specials and have established a trust with our guests. Great service and attention to detail never goes out of style and that keeps our customers coming back year after year. We have also branched out into the Kombucha Trend, providing a home for Darling’s Ferments, run by Rachel Hoover, an Alaska Native woman. She handcrafts Kombucha, fermented veggies and vinegar. She recently landed a deal with Mother Superior and is about to enter markets in California and Washington. We are proud to be home to her wonderful products.”

Luke and Marita and children Christian, Joshua and Kaleb, Northshore Pizza Cafe, Two Harbors, Minnesota

Marita Klevgaard: “With the challenges of COVID-19 we adjusted our menu, but more importantly we did a major renovation on our building. This past summer we tore down part of our building to create a pizza pick-up window, allowing our customers to walk up and order safely and with our fantastic winter months allow window pick up from their vehicles. We have upgraded our website to allow for online ordering.”

Vicki and Tim Koch, High Mountain Pies, Leadville, Colorado

Vicki Koch: “The basic ingredients of running a pizza shop – dough, sauce, cheese, fire, respect for the customers we serve, and love for our employees, don’t vary with industry trends. We committed to a level of quality which we work hard to maintain. Consistent quality keeps our customers loyal. The details, the fun pizza toppings, such as Peppadew peppers or roasted red grapes, keep our customers interested. Tim and I really enjoy eating out at all kinds of restaurants. We seek out good food wherever we travel. Benchmarking at trendy spots in Denver, Mexican restaurants in New Mexico, or a new vegan cafe, exposes us to new flavors and ingredients. We must be the most annoying dining companions because we tend to analyze every part of the meal, from the weight of the forks to the width of the lettuce chiffonade.”

Jimmy Menacho, New York Pizza Co., Danielson Connecticut

Jimmy Menacho: “We stay relevant by involving the community and making them feel like part of our family. We do contests on social media, kids-themed days, couples’ events, etc. to bring in business. We also have a pizza trailer to take NYPC on the road if needed. On the product side of things, we create some clever, creative and of course delicious dishes and pizzas. Our 28 tap lines don’t hurt either!”

What is the biggest struggle you face as a small market mom and pop shop?

Sara Covert: “Sourcing high-quality food products has been our biggest struggle. We are small and in a rural
location, so we do not have a lot of leverage to get the products that we see in the trade magazine or sample at Pizza Expo. We do strive to select what is the best of the products that are readily available to us though, and sometimes this means an hour drive each way to pick up some of those products.

As much as we love our customers and location, we certainly aren’t convenient for most people. A trip to our shop is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. If someone comes out our way, they are coming for pizza.  We make all of our dough in-house, so we occasionally run out.  This is good for us as we have no waste, but we also have to turn customers away. Everyone usually understands but we hate to tell folks we’ve run out.”

Brian Wildrick: “The biggest struggle we face is recruiting and retaining staff. Maximizing the space we have is difficult when there is just mom and pop. Balancing family time and work is a constant challenge, and in the time of COVID, it is even more challenging to expand services and train employees. Housing is expensive and limited, the weather is often rainy, and living here isn’t for everyone. On the other hand, for the right person, it can be a wonderful adventure and opportunity to cook for a captive audience, learn new skills, and have fun.”

Marita Klevgaard: “Our biggest struggle is the size of our town in the lean winter months and the arrival of a franchise chain pizza place this fall. Add the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions from our Governor, and the lean winter months have become do or die. We could depend on the winter weekend bumps of hockey teams, skiers and weddings. The challenge is adjusting to the lack of big catering orders due to COVID restrictions.”    

Vicki Koch: “It’s a challenge to find staff that is willing to invest themselves fully in our operation. Experienced cooks want to make their mark over in one of the resort kitchens.  Young folks only want to make a buck while waiting for a “real job” to come their way. People tend to think, ‘It’s just Leadville’, or ‘it’s just pizza’. For us, the pizza place is our whole lives. Our reputations are affected by every pizza we serve. It seems like every time we mess up an order, I hear about it in the grocery store. Our challenge is to help our staff realize the joy of a job well done. Practicing excellence working at a pizza joint in the middle of nowhere can provide skills to succeed anywhere.”

Jimmy Menacho: “Our biggest struggle being a small business is a loaded question now with COVID. Obviously that has been our biggest struggle yet, and I hope that all remaining small businesses can survive this. Aside from the pandemic, a struggle has been competing with national chains. We know we have a superior product. We use fresh ingredients and put a very good recipe and product in front of people, and we just hope they realize the difference.”

The post The Mom and Pop Pizzeria Perspective appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizzeria Owners Offer Visions, Trends for the New Year

Let’s face it: 2020 was a rough year. With the challenges of COVID-19 and dining restrictions, it was extremely difficult to plan for what’s next with your pizzeria. As we’ve entered a new year, uncertainty still looms — but many see a light at the end of the tunnel. What will 2021 have in store for America’s pizzeria operators? We asked a handful of pizzeria owners to share their resolutions for the new year. We also wanted to know where they will spend their resources and what they see as trending in 2021. 

Tony Troiano
J.B. Alberto’s Pizza, Chicago, Illinois

Tony operates one of America’s busiest independent pizzerias. He has been at the helm of the delivery and carryout pizza shop for three decades.

Brittany Saxton
Six Hundred Downtown, Bellefontaine, Ohio

Since taking over Six Hundred Downtown, Brittany has grown the concept, expanding its footprint. Brittany is a four-time pizza champion.

Mike DeNunzio
Fine Folk Pizza, Fort Myers, Florida

Mike and Brie opened Fine Folk in 2015 and has become a community staple in Fort Myers, Florida. Fine Folk has become known for it championship winning pizzas and a focus on its “kinfolk” approach to its employees.

Nicole Bean
Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana, 2 units, Houston, Texas

Since taking over the operations of her family business, Nicole has guided the pizzeria to add multiple pizza styles, relocate its original location, add an additional unit and grow the business.

Adam Sweet
King Dough, Indianapolis, Indiana

Originated in Bloomington, Indiana, as a food truck and then a brick and mortar, Adam quickly expanded the wood-fired pizza concept to the Indianapolis market. Today, King Dough thrives in its Indianapolis neighborhood.

What is your 2021 New Year’s Resolution for your
business?

Tony Troiano: Since my business has always been Delivery/Carry out only, we were well positioned for the pandemic. However, I am always trying to improve on what we already have, because when we stop trying to improve we begin to fail. One of the things that I will focus on doing better is my curbside pickup. I feel that customers really like the convenience of sitting in their car while we bring the food to them. This is proven by the fast food drive thrus. Many times they would be much quicker to walk in and pick up; but, as I said, customers prefer the convenience of staying in their vehicle. Since we don’t have a drive thru I want to make pickup as easy as possible and perfect the curbside pickup experience. I believe that post pandemic this will be a trend that people prefer over walking in.

Brittany Saxton: Our goals and focus for the new year will be to focus our efforts on marketing and community involvement; continue to improve our carryout experience, along with team alignment and growth around staying current and innovative within our operation; and looking at what items we may be able to further streamline and improve.

Mike DeNunzio: 2020 forced us to pivot our business and take a hard look at what was going to work and what would not work for the foreseeable future. Corona made us put a band-aid on many systems that had to be changed or were just flat out not going to work. With the rise of minimum wage, the need for healthcare and higher supply chain costs, we feel the massive weight of staying competitive in the market, keeping our team happy, and still providing fantastic hospitality. 2021 is about finding permanent solutions, refining our systems to help with consistency & duplication to increase our store’s profitability, and give core team members more opportunity. We are hyper-focused on growth right now and know that sometimes you have to scale back to move forward. 2021 watch out. We’re coming for ya!

Nicole Bean: 2021 will be primarily focused on growth in specified areas we consider to be “new” demographics. I’ve been watching our market grow over the past four years and have mapped out these target areas with zip code maps to really dial in.

Adam Sweet: In the coming year I’m focusing on creative avenues to get food to people’s homes without them coming to us. Be that pizza delivery, prepared meals, or frozen pizzas.

What do you see as the biggest restaurant trends for pizzerias in 2021?

Tony Troiano: With the huge focus on carryout and delivery this year, I believe this trend will continue. I believe that as pizza operators we have an advantage — because many of us were already doing delivery. However, so much more competition has been added for those same dining dollars. Many of the restaurants whose focus was dine in but pivoted to delivery will continue to do so even when dine in returns to full capacity. With the added competition, we have to be better than ever at what we do. Because, as I said earlier, we are competing for the same dollars. We have to be better, easier and faster because that is what customers are demanding.

Brittany Saxton: I think from an operational standpoint we will see us almost revert to old school ways. Delivery and carryout being the focus of the operation as dine in continues to plummet (in a lot of places it’s not allowed). I think you will see a lot of amazing operators take the challenges and lead in the ways that are possible in an impossible situation. Menus will become streamlined as we try to maintain our costs and overheads. I see a lot of ghost kitchens come in to play.

Mike DeNunzio: I think we’ll see more vegan specialty pies, better gluten-free pies, improved delivery systems, and more modified restaurant systems to offset the rise in increased labor costs.

Nicole Bean: Fast casual and pop up concepts are HUGE trends right now, lots of people dipping their toes into the pizzeria segment and marketing to lower price points with less square footage, and ghost kitchens. I’ve been inundated with calls, e-mails and texts about ghost kitchens.

Adam Sweet: I think the biggest thing coming to the pizza industry is over saturation due to non-pizza restaurants pivoting towards our industry (as it’s a tried and true success in these times, being so comforting and easily transportable).

What capital or operational improvements are you/will you add in the coming year?

Tony Troiano: My kitchen has always been pretty maxed out. I think that with the increase in business this year I will be trying to get creative and increase the footprint of our kitchen. This is easier said than done, but it’s something that has to happen. How I will do that remains to be seen, but it’s high on the priority list. I always feel that it is important to give my staff the proper tools to succeed, and in this case it’s more space.

Brittany Saxton: We are on track to be transitioning our point of sale at the beginning of the year. We will also be starting our planning of another expansion we plan on doing within the next two years.

Mike DeNunzio: We’ve temporarily converted our dining room at Fine Folk to create more storage and kitchen space to cater to a higher demand for pick up, takeout, and delivery orders. We are also in the process of enhancing our outside dining experience by adding tiki torches and a new audio system.

Nicole Bean: Contemplating a commissary operation. If there is one thing I know for sure, it’s that people crave consistency. If we plan to grow any further, I believe it would be a necessity.

Adam Sweet: We will be expanding our delivery program mostly to maximize ground covered and speed of delivery, but also move into prepared food to sell at local markets and such.

The post 2021 Restaurant Resolutions appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Around the U.S.

Blake’s Pizzeria | Carnation, Washington

Originally opened in 1987 by Greg Dunham, Emma Redman and Teanna Bergquist took over ownership in 2014. Blake’s is one of the longest running restaurants in Carnation. “People love to come in and revisit a place that has been a part of their childhood and teenage years,” Redman says. “As we mostly employ young adults, having a first job at Blake’s has been a rite of passage for many community members. Our walls are covered in picture collages of Carnation over the last three decades, which people really enjoy (what’s more fun than showing your kids your Little League team photo from 1997?!), and we make a real point to make customers feel like friends and family here. As for many restaurants, I think 2021 will bring a lot of creative new ideas to Blake’s! We’ll definitely be looking to expand our “grocery” offerings…more grab-n-go and fast takeout items like bottled salad dressings, DIY pizza kits, bulk dough and sauces. We’ve been very fortunate in the pizza industry to serve foods that are just as delicious in a box as they are on a plate, so we’ll just keep on keeping on with as much takeout as we can possibly manage!” A favorite at Blake’s is the Suzy Q with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, black olives, roasted garlic and fresh basil.

CRUST | Miami, Florida

CRUST has received a ton of national press for its pizza with high praise for its Surf & Turf Pizza with shrimp, prosciutto, pepperoni and shaved Parmesan. Its specialty menu is divided into red and white pies. On the white menu is the namesake Crust Pizza with figs, prosciutto and blue cheese. The menu extends beyond pizza and features pastas, risottos and entrees, as well as small plates and salads. Small Plates include Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese that includes candied walnuts, croutons, passion fruit glaze and EVOO. Pan-Fried Mozzarella is served with homemade marinara sauce with fresh basil.

Frank & Helen’s | University City, Missouri

Frank & Helen’s has been going strong since 1956. This year, the pizzeria made The Daily Meal’s list of 101 Best Pizzas In America. The square-cut St. Louis-style pizza menu includes The Antipasto with a garlic dressing base, provel, mozzarella, bacon, tomato, pepperoncini, black olives, pepperoni and anchovies. The pizzeria is also known for its Italian dinners and broasted chicken.

The post Destinations: Blake’s, Carnation, WA, Crust, Miami, Frank and Helen’s, Unviersity City, MO appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza Jawn | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

It began as a popular mobile pizza unit until opening the brick and mortar location. Pizza Jawn offers multiple pizza styles: hybrid Neo/NY, a hybrid Grandma/Sicilian style and an extra thick but light Detroit style. “We take a lot of pride into each style of dough we make,” says owner David Lee. “All are a culmination of my years of studying different dough styles from around the world.” A customer favorite is the Grandma. “It ferments longer than a traditional Grandma pizza, but we still don’t parbake it. The cheese goes down first, then sauce on top. We also use a sesame seed bottom like Freddy’s and Paulie Gees,” Lee says. During the pandemic, he adds, “We have gone exclusively to takeout. Pizza is ordered a week before, so Thursday night at 8 p.m. a link will go live for next Thursday’s pizza order; same for Friday and Saturday. We normally sell out in under 10 minutes for the next week. 120/130 pizzas a day with a three-person operation (one front of house, two back) from 4 p.m. till 9 p.m.”

Big Z’s Pizza and Brew | Katy, Texas

The Chicago-style pizzeria has recently celebrated it’s one-year anniversary. Built as a community gathering spot, its first year has been a wild ride with dining restrictions. At 100-percent dining, the pizzeria hosts karaoke nights, live music and sports-watch parties. The menu features both Chicago thin crust and Deep Dish, as well as a Windy City favorite, the Italian Beef Sandwich and a Chicago-style hot dog.  The pizza lineup includes the Swamp Pizza with shrimp, Andouille sausage, minced garlic and green peppers, and the El Macho with chorizo meatballs, red onion, jalapeño and cilantro.

Ambrogio15 | San Diego, California

The three-unit Milano gourmet pizza company features a paper-thin-crust pizza with imported organic flour (white, wheat and gluten-free) and involves a 48-hour rising process, making it light and easily digestible. The Pizza Rosse menu features Bresaola, Rucola e Parmigiano with mozzarella Fior di latte, Bresaola (cured Italian beef), shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, arugula and EVOO. The menu also features unique house-made focaccia like the Gourmet Spicy Meat with San Marzanos, tomato sauce porchetta, Nduja, burrata, red onion and a spicy EVOO.

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Continued — More firsthand accounts of how pizzeria owners and leadership have handled the COVID-19 Pandemic (Page 4)

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DoubleDave’s Pizzaworks 

Tackling The Pandemic Peace by Piece — The arrival of COVID-19 to the United States in early 2020 has caused significant issues for the restaurant industry. From the plants producing ingredients to the employee making our pizzas, our world has been rocked to its foundation. Thankfully, our industry has been shielded more than most due to the comfort of pizza at home and the ease of delivery and takeout of our products. For DoubleDave’s Pizzaworks to not only survive but thrive, we needed to look at many of our processes and change to stay effective.

We started with our most important priority: our team. We talked with our staff about COVID-19 to discuss what we knew, how we would move forward to make their work environment safe and secure, and how we were responsible for keeping our guests as safe as possible. By wearing masks, increasing our sanitation schedule, closing our dining rooms, installing plexiglass barriers for cashiers, and conducting daily health checks, we set the expectations for safety. We also made a focus with our franchisees to keep everyone’s mental health at the forefront. For many, this has been an anxiety-filled time working as essential employees, and we worked hard to remind them that each person is valuable to the team and that their health/mental well-being came first.

Next, we focused on our ingredients. Supply chain issues across the US have caused many interruptions in producing key ingredients and transportation to our warehouses/restaurants. We worked with our key distributors to add additional safety stock for all our essential items (dough, meat, sauce, cheese, proteins, boxes). While most of our vendor partners did their best to keep their products moving at a regular pace, problems did occur, such as reduced plant capacity, missed purchase orders, and temporary outages. This safety stock we created has helped us soar over these challenges.

Finally, we honed in on our strengths. We’ve been successfully executing the pickup/delivery model for over 35 years. However, it was imperative that we not only do our jobs well but also adapt and improve to serve the new normal. We instituted Curbside Pickup and Contactless Delivery, improved our delivery platform with GPS tracking for delivery drivers, tested text-based communication with our customers, updated our website, and pushed for increased overall communication and feedback. Menu changes also took place, such as eliminating low selling items and adding comfort items like ice cream pints. Adaptation is the only way that restaurants can survive in today’s environment, and we’re here for it.

2020 will be one for the record books. DoubleDave’s is proud to have weathered the storm and come out stronger on the other side. To date, we have not lost one location.

Instead, we opened a new powerhouse in the San Antonio market. We’re proud of our employees, our franchisees, and our vendor partners for their determination, patience, and willingness to adapt.

We look forward to the day where COVID-19 will be a distant memory. Until then, we’re ready to provide our best slice to help out our communities…Peace by Piece.

View DoubleDave’s whole Tackling the Pandemic Peace by Piece presentation.

Buddy’s Pizza — Detroit, Michigan

Phase One – Reactive Adaptations

In March, Michigan’s governor instituted a Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order, closing all indoor dining for the foreseeable future. At Buddy’s Pizza, creator of the original Detroit-Style pizza, 70 percent of sales came from dine-in visits, so quickly adapting the company’s service model to adhere to the executive order while still servicing customers was vital for sustaining business.

Business Adaptations

Buddy’s immediately reimagined its carry out model for efficiency, in preparation for a high volume of orders. The restaurant immediately began offering curbside carry out, with an assigned team member monitoring for incoming customers. Additionally, for the first time in its 74-year history, the company implemented online ordering and a no-contact payment method.

Since Buddy’s does not offer native delivery, the restaurant made ordering food more accessible by offering free delivery through DoorDash.

Health & Safety

To keep all employees and customers safe, Buddy’s immediately put extensive health and safety measures in place, adhering to all CDC guidelines, including:

• All staff members wearing gloves and a mask at all times.
• Social distancing between each team member.
• Weekly, professional sanitation of each location.
• An assigned team member responsible for cleaning surfaces every 20 minutes.
• Taking employees’ temperatures before starting each shift.
• Anyone who was in contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 would take a mandatory two-week paid leave to quarantine.

With these measures in place, it was important Buddy’s communicated all protocols to its customers, giving them peace of mind when ordering from the restaurant. The company included all details in media materials, on the website, emails and on all social media channels.

Additionally, Buddy’s provided frequent internal communications from CEO Burton Heiss and store managers to keep all employees updated on operations and health/safety protocols.

For those who remained working, the team increased pay and offered extra paid time off. Leadership provided complimentary meals to all workers, including those who opted to take a temporary leave.

Community Initiatives

With community members working on the frontlines during the pandemic, Buddy’s wanted to create a special way to thank them. In April, Buddy’s launched its Feed the Frontliners initiative (becoming what the company believes was the first frontliners initiative created by a restaurant group in Michigan), giving all healthcare workers and first responders 50 percent off their entire order. In six weeks, Buddy’s donated more than $100,000 in free and discounted meals to those working on the front lines.

Buddy’s immediately received an influx of requests from customers, offering to donate money to support this program. The team then launched its second phase of the initiative, allowing guests who ordered online the option to add a Hero Pie to their order for $20, which helped cover the costs of meals for frontline workers. Buddy’s also invited the community to visit the Buddy’s website and nominate a public service organization that was working the frontlines. The company delivered meals to hospitals, police stations and fire stations and other frontline businesses.

Carry Out-Only Grand Opening

Leading up to the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order, the Buddy’s team was in the process of opening its newest location in west Lansing, Michigan, originally scheduled for mid-March. While the team planned a robust grand opening celebration, including the first 100 people through the door receiving free pizza for one year, the team immediately shifted gears planning for a carry out-only opening and implementing all new health and safety protocols at the location, which pushed back the opening date. The company immediately began training staff at the Lansing location on how to perfect new protocols to keep everyone safe. Once everyone was fully trained on the operations and procedures, a new opening date was set.

To keep the community involved and to reward them for the extended wait to open, Buddy’s shifted its free pizza for one year initiative, making the whole program virtual. Buddy’s invited Lansing community members to sign up to be entered to become a Very Important Buddy (VIB). The team then chose 100 individuals at random to receive free pizza for one year. The adaptations made the west Lansing opening one of Buddy’s most successful openings to date and allowed the restaurant to donate more than $14,000 of its opening-day sales to a local hunger and homeless nonprofit shelter.

Phase Two – Opening at 50 Percent Capacity

When Michigan’s governor lifted the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order in June, Buddy’s shifted its service operations yet again. Allowing in-store dining at 50 percent capacity after 2.5 months meant the company was entering a new phase of the global pandemic.

Health and Safety

In addition to safety measures implemented during phase one, Buddy’s executed additional protocols for in-store dining, including:

• Closed tables to allow for 6 ft of distance between parties.
• Employees wearing masks at all times.
• Guests wearing masks unless seated at their table.
• Single-use cutlery and menus.
• Relocated the hostess stand outdoors and began waitlists that allowed customers to wait in their cars to control restaurant traffic.

Marketing Initiatives to Drive Sales

The biggest obstacle Buddy’s faced was how to drive foot traffic inside restaurants. To incentivize in-store dining, the restaurant launched a series of marketing initiatives including driving awareness of patio seating, summer holiday deals, discounts during off-peak hours, all-day happy hour specials, back to school deals for teachers and more.

To get word out about the marketing initiatives, Buddy’s used a combination of owned and earned media. With a large portion of its customer base made up of families, Buddy’s also partnered with parenting bloggers in all markets to conduct gift card giveaways and promote the various deals to further reach this specific audience.

50% Dine-In Capacity Grand Opening

The next focus was opening a new restaurant in Portage, Michigan – the second opening amid the pandemic. While the restaurant would open at 50 percent dine-in capacity, the obstacle remained the same – maintaining and communicating health and safety measures. To ensure the community was aware of all precautions, the team included its safety messaging on all external marketing channels.

Like Lansing, Buddy’s kept the Portage VIB program virtual, giving the community a chance to win free pizza for one year. The Portage location offered the same services implemented at all other restaurants, including curbside carry out, no-contact payment, socially distanced indoor seating and more.

Being part of and supporting the communities they operate in is one of Buddy’s company core values. They did this in Portage by forming a partnership with a local housing resource organization that not only had ties to Portage, but throughout the county, allowing the donation of all opening sales to reach even more people in the community.

Phase Three – The New Normal & Future Plans

As proven throughout 2020, nothing is certain. Buddy’s has continued to maintain the highest level of health and safety services for its team and communities. Open communication is at the forefront of all efforts, as the team recognizes this as a direct line to customers.

As everyone acclimates to the new normal and state-mandated changes based on fluctuations in virus cases, Buddy’s will continue to uphold the following protocols:

• Specific tables closed to allow for 6 ft of distance between customers.
• Employees wearing masks at all times.
• Guests wearing masks unless seated at their table.
• Single-use cutlery and menus.
• Keeping the hostess booth outdoors (weather permitting) to control restaurant traffic.
• All staff members wearing gloves and a mask at all times.
• Social distancing between each team member.
• Weekly, professional sanitation of each location.
• An assigned team member responsible for cleaning surfaces every 20 minutes.
• Employee temperatures taken before starting each shift.
• Anyone who was in contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 will take a mandatory two-week paid leave to quarantine.
• Offering curbside carry out.
• No-contact payment methods.
• Delivery through DoorDash

Looking Ahead

As state regulations consistently change, the Buddy’s team is looking ahead. They are currently planning to launch a new catering and loyalty program. In-person gatherings are limited to 10 or less in the areas where Buddy’s has restaurants, so their normal catering promotion has shifted to accommodate and highlight smaller gatherings and offerings. However, sign-ups in their new loyalty app are rising steadily with no paid or earned promotion, strictly thanks to mentioning the program to in-store and carry out customers, with more than 3,400 sign-ups generated in three weeks. The Buddy’s team is also preparing to open its third location during the pandemic to round out the year.

To continue momentum and finish the year strong, the Buddy’s team will be using its legacy promotions, along with new ideas and promotions, to generate sales through Q4 and into 2021. Promotions for Halloween and the holidays will be adjusted for 50 percent dine-in capacity and carry out Michigan’s governor has not announced a timeline for returning to full dine-in capacity.

— Vice President of Growth Katy Dean

Andolini’s Pizzeria — Tulsa, Oklahoma

Watch as Owner Mike Bausch details what has happened at Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma since the COVID-19 Pandemic began in March.

Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom — (81 units) Boulder, Colorado

Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom has had quite a year. The previous parent company, Craftworks Holdings, filed for bankruptcy early March, right before the pandemic broke out. On June 1, 2020, SPB Hospitality, an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC, became the new owner of the Old Chicago brand. Restructuring a brand out of bankruptcy presents its own set of obstacles. Add in a global pandemic that has been catastrophic for the restaurant industry and the recovery becomes even trickier. Yet, these challenges have brought new inspired new levels of excitement and commitment from the Old Chicago team who is determined to not only survive the rest of the year, but also prepare for a monumental 2021.

While Old Chicago had to unfortunately furlough a portion of the workforce at the beginning of the pandemic, they were able to bring back many employees to help reopen the remaining 81 Old Chicago locations and start the process of revitalizing the Colorado-based brand.

Like all restaurant concepts, we had to shift our Old Chicago strategy to cater to reach consumers through off-premise channels, as well as streamline our menus to improve margin and efficiencies.  We have continued to see success and increased sales in these revenue streams, especially through delivery. Pre-COVID-19, delivery accounted for 7.5% of total sales. Now, it’s about 25%.

Now that Old Chicago is back and better than ever, we can focus on what we do best: serving craveable, handcrafted pizzas that are perfectly paired with local and legendary brews from down the street and around the world.

Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria — San Mateo, California

Like most other pizza restaurants, we already were geared to handle more pick-up and delivery sales — even though we’re a full-service restaurant with upscale dining rooms.

One decision we made was to take advantage of greatly reduced advertising rates to help us build and reinforce our brand.

In addition we recently signed two leases to add ghost kitchens within CloudKitchens locations.

— President Peter Cooperstein

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Continued — More firsthand accounts of how pizzeria owners and leadership have handled the COVID-19 Pandemic (Page 5)

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Snappy Tomato — Burlington, Kentucky

We were fortunate that all Snappy locations had a delivery/carryout component to them. This allowed us to keep all locations open during the duration of the shutdowns. Snappy has many locations that were primarily eat-in buffet models so the biggest change was reinventing them with a carryout/delivery focus. This focus on ‘delivering’ for the customer is how we are succeeding.

Being a franchised operation with locations in multiple states, it was imperative for us to have a constant line of communication with our franchisees about changes from Federal, State and Local levels. The situation was very fluid and changing daily so being able to communicate these changes and adapt quickly was one of the biggest challenges we faced. Keeping our team members and customers safe was our NUMBER ONE priority. We quickly introduced a curbside pickup service type so the guests did not have to enter our establishment. This kept overcrowding from happening and allowed us to practice safe social distancing. We introduced special incentives for and additional staff and staff training for carryout order success, to keep our delivery operation running smoothly and our service times acceptable.

It is also imperative to have a COVID-19 plan in place should any team members / management become exposed or feel ill. Don’t wait until it happens, plan so you don’t have to shut your doors. You can’t do anything without your staff – they are the most important part of your organization.

Don’t stop advertising. Your customers need you and need to continue to hear from you. Tell your customers you are here, you are open and you are here for them.

The major lesson that can be learned from all of this; is that you need to stay the course, be adaptable and do not panic.

Snappy and our franchise group have always taken the position that we want to be more than just a pizzeria, we want to be part of the community. During the pandemic, more than ever, our community has needed help and we were there willing and able.
– We have assisted the Homeless Veterans in the region and the Veteran’s Administration with housing support and pizza meals
– We have coordinated with the Girl Scouts to purchase cookies and gift them to our customers. The Girl Scouts could not go door-to-door and sell so we stepped up and helped them
-We have donated pizza lunch and dinners to area first responders and healthcare workers

As appreciation for all the support our communities has given our pizzerias, we feel it’s only appropriate to pay it forward.

— Director of Marketing Andy Ritter

Romeo’s Pizza — Medina, Ohio

How has Romeo’s Pizza weathered this time?

The brand was built with a franchise first approach, product integrity/differentiation and to positively impact our environment and COVID-19 did not change us, but it has made us better.

“The pandemic forced a change in consumer behavior and the pizza industry has been a beneficiary of this shift.  We have learned to become more proactive than reactive in all phases of our business operations. We are operating as a unified team with improved communication and enhanced trust.  As a team we engage in healthy conflict and are committed to our mission and vision through a culture of accountability”, said Ryan Rose, CEO.

During the pandemic, the company has opened five new locations and has laid out an aggressive expansion plan to reach 250 units within the next five years.  In addition, Romeo’s Pizza has recently signed several Area Development deals that include:

• A 40-unit deal in Nigeria

A 30-unit deal in Northeast, Ohio

In negotiations/discovery phase within multiple states

Adapting to the pandemic:

With Romeo’s significant growth during the pandemic, it has accelerated our choice and purpose to give back.  Our goal is to become the best community partner within the markets we operate.  A good example of this is our partnership with the Ohio Restaurant Association who established a Restaurant Employee Relief Fund to assist with displaced employees.

What kind of lasting changes will you adapt moving into 2021?

The power of being a cohesive team.

“Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare” —Patrick Lencioni

Mr Hardy Pizza — Parsons, West Virginia

Our story is we started out July 2019, we purchased the pizza shop my wife Robin worked at, we knew the basics of running the shop, never having our own business before, we were doing really well, we had 3 employees not including Robin and our daughter. Then covid hit, we had just purchased new hand made Amish furniture to make our dining area more friendly and doubling seating to 45, we never offered delivery so we focused on making our shop a place to come in and feel comfortable to eat in, we had to shutdown dine ins, limiting only 2 customers in at a time ,we also offered curbside so customers didnt have to enter, we worried it would damage what we had accomplished, when school was shutdown being a family that has lived here in this town our entire lives we started giving school students free cheese pizzas and burgers daily, we knew times were difficult for some and wanted to do our part to help were we could, the community rallied around us supporting us, instead of losing business we increased our sales by 175% we went from one food delivery a week to 2 a week, we went from 3 employees to 10 sometimes needing 7 on each shift, we had to purchase a new double conveyor oven and double deep fryers to keep up with orders. we are humbled by all the support we have been given, we love our little town with a big heart. We named our shop after our initials MR Pizza Mike & Robin and we hope to be able to continue building our shop into a successful small business.

— Owners Mike and Robin Hardy

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Read firsthand accounts of how pizzeria owners and leadership have handled the COVID-19 Pandemic

We asked pizzerias, large and small, to send us their stories of weathering and even thriving during COVID-19. We’ve created this COVID-19 Capsule, where you will find full stories in the operators’ and company leaderships’ own words.

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The Pizza Place — San Francisco, CA

We are The Pizza Place on Noriega at Ocean Beach/San Francisco, CA, I am Cindy Co-owner/GM along with my husband Kevin, Co-owner/Chef and we have been in business since 2007.  We seat appx 90ppl and are a neighborhood gathering spot, so when shelter in place went into effect here in SF on 3/17, it hit us (like everyone) hard.

We do takeout normally but a big part of our business has always been people sitting at our 12 seat bar and ordering pints of beer and glasses of wine with their slices and so our beer sales are down about 70-80%. We are selling six packs of beer and bottles of wine to go and quickly made a pizza kit and some specials for people to make pizza with their families while they passed the time during lockdown.

We added online ordering for the first time and started selling beer/wine thru Grub Hub along with our food. lWe adjusted our hours and now close an hour or so earlier than we used to and stopped doing lunch on Mondays. It was a really big adjustment for us. We were allowed to do outdoor dining starting mid June but so far have opted out of it as our staff wasn’t ready and quite frankly we weren’t ready as well. Here in SF we were going to have to monitor people to be wearing masks upon entering and also wear them to the restroom and not get up from their table and make sure kids didn’t get up from their seat (we are a pizzeria and kids are used to running wild on our back patio) and it just seemed too much to handle and too risky so we have not done outdoor dining up to this point.  We are now considering it via a program the city of SF implemented, Shared Spaces but we found out we can’t use the bus stop in front of our location even though it has been suspended since March/April so we want to get that figured out through the city so that we can generate more income w/ outdoor dining.

We collaborated with a local organization that is usually an outdoor education/camp (mewaterfoundation.org)for low income/troubled kids here in the city and helped provide them with a fun Friday pizza night a few different times during the pandemic as these kids and their families are facing food insecurities. . It was great to see how excited the kids were to still be able to get a treat like pizza when they normally wouldn’t be able to afford it.

We are in the midst of collaborating with our local Irish pub up the street to provide food for them to re-open outdoors and sell our food (in SF for bars to reopen outside they need to have a bonafide meal offered to guests) We adjusted our staffing and had to reduce some employee’s hours. We’ve had a couple covid scares and have all been tested two different times. We are lucky to have a great community that has always had our backs these last 13 years and are very supportive of our business.

—Co-owner/GM Cindy

Venezia’ Pizzeria — (5 locations) Phoenix, Arizona

The past 6 months have definitely been the most challenging in my 22 years of being a restaurant owner. I will never forget the day in March when I had my head down in my office debating whether or not I could handle the pressures of what we were up against. I had serious thoughts of closing down because of the uncertainty of the virus.

I had many conversations with friends and family and gathered my thoughts on what I thought was best for Venezias.  The decision was to put safety precautions in place for our employees & customers and keep the engine going. My major concern was  that of my 300 employees and knowing that I needed to pull myself together and be mentally strong for them first and foremost.  It was a lot of stress on my shoulders but I knew it was what was best for the company. My Area Manager, Renny Mitchell, and Director of Ops, Derek Clark, did a phenomenal job in putting policies and procedures in place so that we felt confident about our decision to remain open.

As we moved forward with business in this new, uncertain environment, the support of the employees is what kept us going . They thanked me daily for still having a job and we all felt blessed when we were deemed an essential business. It gave me more courage to stay strong and carry on as one of the leaders in the community by being able to provide food to our customers since many of the restaurants in our area had shuttered.

Again I feel so blessed to have such an amazing staff that keeps sacrificing each day to keep Venezia’s functioning.  In March, some policies that were put in place were mandatory masks, checking temps, making sure any employees who had any known COVID symptoms were kept at home.  We had some push back from a few employees but this was the best way to keep all employees safe and limit exposure in our workplace.  We have recently added in app questionnaire that asked employees before they start their shift for COVID related symptoms.

I wanted to give back to my employees so we decided to schedule 2 benefits for our employees. The first was an Employee day which happened on Tuesday April 21st. On this day we gave back all 100% of every sale we made for that day. It was an amazing turnout from the community to help support our employees as they have been working so hard over the past month. We ended up having sales of $72,000 for all the employees. This also did not include all the tips they received that night. I recall a few customers in the parking lot handing a $20 or $50 extra tip as a “thank you.” It was great to see the amazing gratitude.

The second benefit we put in place was we gave each employee a $2 per hour  raise for the next 2 months as an appreciation. I actually ended up extending the $2 per hour an extra month so it ended up being a 3 month benefit for all employees.  We were considered a “hot spot” nationally so I felt it was the right thing to do.

Looking at our current state of business now in August, we are currently at 50% capacity for our dine-in.  We lost most of our corporate business for lunch and dine-in has suffered but we continue to be busy for takeout and delivery. Our sales at are flat at a few stores and a few are down 5 to 10%. Our busiest location which is close to ASU unfortunately has taken a big hit from the loss of corporate delivery orders, lunch business and the college being closed and is down about 15%. We are just thankful that we have been able to persevere over the past 6 months and keep our employees working .

We will continue to follow all CDC guidelines and continue to be diligent so that we can see this through since the virus is still around us.

—Owner Domenick Montanile

Jet’s Pizza — Sterling Heights, Michigan

Don’t miss an engaging roundtable discussion with Jet’s Pizza leadership, including Jimmy Galloway, Vice President of Franchise Sales; John Jetts, President; and Jeff Galloway, Vice President of Store Operations. Watch the engaging video:

Pizza Heaven — Luzerne, Pennsylvania

Hello! My name is Jake Schell, I am the 24 year old sole owner of Pizza Heaven in Luzerne, Pennsylvania. We are an independent Sicilian Style shop and have been in operation for over 11 years, and I have been an employee for about 8. I purchased the shop in January from the previous owner, Bud. The plan was for him to take his leave in March. A little after 3 months of ownership things were great and we were cruising into our first busy season in good shape. Then, COVID. What could I do?

Honestly it doesn’t seem like I did much in hindsight, but I know I did. I put an admittedly janky homemade sanitizer station out front, and closed for dine in as required by the state, as well as followed all other requirements. Closing was never a consideration personally, but I have the utmost respect for any operators personal decisions. Collectively, our entire staff agreed that we wanted to keep working. Everyone’s lives came to a screeching halt aside from one aspect, Pizza Heaven.

We have never been so busy. Everything happened so quickly and suddenly that all I could focus on was ticket times and dough counts. My plans and metrics laughed at me as they flew out the window. Once the phone started ringing after the NBA cancelled their first game, it didn’t stop from open to close for 3 months. It seemed like every day I had to run for more product. Suddenly our weekly cooler was empty every night. But we made it work. Day in and day out anybody who wanted our food got it. We ran curbside orders in the pouring rain, dealt with the increased CC rates from keying in cards over the phone, had full kegs that were now illegal to sell. You name it, we’ve seen it in the last 6 months.

Now in September, things are shaping up to look normal again, thankfully. Most machines aren’t designed to run at maximum output ever, let alone for 6 months.

To my staff, thank you. You all wanted to stand up and be counted; and you absolutely saved my ass.

Without your hard work and unwavering commitment our shop would be nothing.

To Bud, thank you. You built a bombproof pizza shop with the best folks I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting. You gave me a job, and a path in life that has shaped me into the man I am today.

To everyone else, thank you. Stay grateful and if you lose your mind, you can always have a pizza ours.

Finally, to God, thank you for pizza boxes.

— Owner Jake Schell

Verde Pizza — Baltimore, Maryland

Leading up to our March 16, 2020 virus closing we were having a very good start to the year. All the work we and our staff put in was finally giving us the comfort level every restaurant owner looks forward to. Then suddenly the light at the ends of the tunnel went dark and we were left with an empty restaurant.

As a pizza restaurant we already had a reasonable presence, in Baltimore , for delivery but delivery comes at a steep cost. Since we use third party delivery services we needed another revenue stream that favored us. In late March we began to develop our own online ordering presence with an emphasis on pick up and supporting local as our vision.

As the weather became more suited for outdoor dining we expanded our outdoor dining  footprint and began to offer pizza making kits to go, cocktails to go, beverages to go (all for pick up at Verde)

This expansion in services was compounded negatively by servers not wanting to come in because unemployment insurance was high, or they wanted to stay home because they were concerned about their health or they felt sick and we insisted on two COVID tests before they came back, if they were negative (which everyone has been negative so far).

Additionally figuring out how to allocate the PPP, with all the confusion and changes, was a task which occupied a lot of time in applying for and executing. Servers misunderstood the program which lead to confusing and concerns and a lot of hand holding.

In July Baltimore allowed indoor dining at 50%,  but after two weeks we were shut down again and had to redirect our staff to focus on to go and delivery more. In August Baltimore opened up indoor dining at 25%, which is a baby step in the right direction, and again we had to changed our staffing prioritizes  Concerns about bar and restaurants abated somewhat, as the curve trended downward, but I contend that Bars are very different from Restaurants in their clientele and revenue streams!

Currently we are in September and our ability to serve guests indoors is still limited by the City and the diners reluctance to eat indoors. At Verde we have our menu available

on line, we disinfect every table and area after each use and have set up barriers and or social distance to follow the CDC guidelines, but it is a major challenge every day to stay focused as the target moves often.

Food cost are up but we have held our prices at February levels and will revisit them later this month. To further cut cost we have suspended our valet service, reduced our trash pick up schedule, reduced our cable expenses, lowered our A/C settings and increased our monitoring of labor hours. Our commitment to our staff has allowed them to work throughout this pandemic and we have continued to offer and underwrite health insurance for our team.  We have provided sick leave pay to staff, if needed, and have encouraged every staff member to use this paid leave to regroup and restore themselves as needed.

I must say that Baltimore City has acted in a way conducive to helping small business survive and it has been very welcome in many ways. They have reduced fees and or returned them. We get much faster service on permits and a more empathic ear when voicing concerns.

Overall the experience this year has been unprecedented and exhausting but so far Verde can count itself as a lucky one to fight on for yet another day.

—Owner Edward Bosco

Little Pizza Heaven, Caruthersville, Missouri

My wife and I opened in September 1980, so this is forty years in business. We are located deep in the Bootheel of Missouri right on the Mississippi River.

Over the years we have been through bad times and good. Tornado which took out thirty percent of the city, an ice storm which left us without power for two weeks, and most recently a flood which almost topped the levee. It didn’t, but all my employees and most of the people left town for a while.

Like everyone else, I have never seen anything like this.

We had two servers before all this hit, one who quit to go back to school, the other one I had to fire for drug use. So we didn’t have to lay anyone off. We kept the delivery people and the kitchen crew.

We have not reopened the dining room yet. I really don’t know when we will. A large part of our dine in business was parties so it would be difficult to maintain social distancing.

Overall, though business has slowed down, we are doing all right.

—Co-Owner Mike Trainor

Captain’s Landing — Moravia, Iowa

Captain’s Landing, a little Mom & Pop restaurant in the middle of nowhere–nearest town 5 miles–but next to a 10,000-acre lake, experienced a sales increase of 40.6% and net income of 102.6% over 2019–wow!

Having a drive-through saved us!  And it also created some problems as the line snaked until customers were parking alongside a state highway waiting to get in.  We widened our driveway!  We now order to-go packaging by the bundle or case.  Number of employees went from 12 to 22.

And increased volume created another challenge:  Keeping enough product on-hand to sell and the capacity to store it.  And then came shortages:  When we opened, we had a full case of toilet paper on-hand–yes!   But paper towels are still a problem.  At times, pickles, ice cream toppings, several appetizers wouldn’t come in on the order.  Weekend crowds have wiped us out of French fries, breaded pork tenderloins–a Midwest favorite, loose-meat hamburger, BBQ pulled pork, our homemade salads of coleslaw and bacon-dill potato salad and our chicken salad.

Captain’s Landing is seasonal, only open from mid-March to the last full weekend in September.

We were open the first weekend and our Iowa governor shut down restaurants–except for those with a drive-through.  We have a patio with 4 tables, half-capacity designated with caution tape, and customers sat on it anyway.  The dining room re-opened and we eliminated chairs and one table and placed them six feet apart, down to a total of six tables.  Six-foot markers were placed on the floor for order-at-the-counter.  And, yes, we’ve had to ask customers to step outside and wait for someone to leave. Our state health department inspector tells us that if someone takes a picture of our little place being over-capacity, the third time we would lose our license, permanently.  We weren’t in this business to “police”, but to serve food.  If big cities can’t get a handle on crowd control….maybe they should lose their license!

Some things amaze us, like two people in their own car, both masked and gloved, ordering food, handling money or a credit card, three feet away from us—un-masked.  (We’d like to watch someone try to eat with a mask on!)  The Iowa governor didn’t mandate masks, only “recommends” they be worn.  We will close if mandated as we would over-heat, perhaps lose consciousness, with a suffocating mask.  We’ve watched servers in other restaurants adjusting masks, pulling down below their nose, sometimes their chin, touching their face.  So far, we have remained virus-free and only two employees were exposed elsewhere, quarantined, and tested negative.  We sanitize everything, from tables & chairs to pens and cash register and wash our hands until skin peels from cuticles.

And we are exhausted, loving our loyal customers and several thousand new ones, but looking forward to our seasonal closing Sept. 27th.

— Co-owner Karen Tuttle

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A Look at Pizzeria Across America

L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele | Hollywood, California

The Los Angeles outpost is the first U.S. location of the famed Neapolitan pizzeria. Instilled with the same food philosophies as the restaurant in Naples, the LA spot has a unassuming entrance. Inside, the pizzeria is chic with elegant lounging couches and bar. The ambience of its outdoor patio with a view of the pizzaioli has been a welcome dining experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. L’Antica offers the quintessential Neapolitan favorites. The pizza menu also features the Montanara with its deep-fried dough, marinara, fior di Latte, Parmigiano and Basil. The pizzeria menus scratch-made pastas, appetizers, entrees, as well as breakfast and brunch. Its gelato menu features an assortment of flavors, many of which are vegan.

Wilson’s Pizza & Grill | Kansas City, Kansas

The Kansas pizzeria was touted as one of America’s hidden gems on The Daily Meal’s 101 Best Pizzas in America as No. 100. Wilson’s is an old-school pizzeria offering a regular and stuffed crust with meaty gourmet and a veggie pie options. On the Gourmet Pizza menu is the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato. The pie is topped with bacon and mozzarella cheese blend and baked. Thern it is topped with lettuce and tomato. Wilson’s menu features calzones, fish, fried chicken, and burgers. The menu also highlights Pizza Fries with traditional pizza topping or other combinations like bacon, Ranch and jalapeno.

Food + Drink | Reno, Nevada

The Daily Meal’s 101 Best Pizzas in America gave the restaurant a thumbs up for its flavor combinations, like the fig + pig with mozzarella, asiago, fig preserves, prosciutto, balsamic glaze, arugula and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. Though Food + Drink is known for their pizza and tacos, pizza has dominated. The Superyummydelicious One (syd1) is a unique pizza in which the dough is baked dry then topped with evoo, sea salt, burrata, prosciutto and arugula. The menu suggests adding poached egg to this one.

The post Destinations: L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Wilson’s, Food + Drink appeared first on Pizza Today.

Continued — More firsthand accounts of how pizzeria owners and leadership have handled the COVID-19 Pandemic (Page 2)

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Pizza Zone — Spring Texas

We are one of the lucky ones. Thankfully, we had been in the carry-out/delivery business for 17 years prior to relocating to a bigger location 3 years ago, where we opened a brand new dining room along with our carry-out/delivery services. We closed our dining room to the public on March 14th, 3 days before the directives were made to close down dining rooms in our state. Thankfully, our business increased and we started seeing record sales due to all the restaurants and bars around us that had to close.

Since our roots were already in carry-out and delivery, there was no new training or nothing new to implement…..just doing what we had always done best. As time went on and people became more and more scared about the virus, we implemented “no contact delivery” and curbside pickup. This was a reassurance to the customers who didn’t feel comfortable in our shop to offer these services. Our governor still has an order in place that restaurants can only open with 50% capacity right now, but we still have kept our dining room closed down. We’d rather focus our efforts on the carry-outs and deliveries rather than having to use an extra person to keep up with all the current regulations required to having a dining room open. Someday when we feel the time is right again, we’ll open it again. In the meantime, we’re still kicking butt with the carry-out delivery business.

— Owner Debbie Gainor

Marion’s Piazza — (9 units) Dayton, Ohio

Roger Glass here, President of Marion’s Piazza, with nine locations in the greater Dayton and norther Cincinnati, Ohio areas, founded in 1965.

What a crazy year it’s been so far with all of the changes, regarding how we do business since COVID-19 hit the scene! Before the pandemic hit, 85 percent of our business was dine in ( our restaurants seat approximately 500 patrons each) and about 15 percent was carryout. We never offered delivery service until last September when we signed up with DoorDash, and believe me, as things have turned out, we are glad we did!

In March 2020, the state of Ohio ordered all Ohio restaurant dining rooms closed and imposed COVID-19 guidelines for employees and restaurants that were permitted to remain open with carryout and delivery. This meant that all employees were required to wear masks while working, daily health checks were performed by management, restaurants had new strict daily sanitation protocols, and employees were required to social distance as much as possible in the kitchen.

Thus, during the period our dining rooms were closed, something called “Curbside Pickup” was born, where “runners” bring your order out to your car in the parking lot! For the two months that our dining rooms were closed, curbside pickup and DoorDash delivery were the only two options for conducting business. In the first six months of this year our sales were down 11 percent. If you take the bar sales from 2019 that we lost during the time our dining rooms were closed our sales would have been down only $2,000 for the first six months of 2020.

With the knowledge that our dining rooms would be reopened at some point, we installed iWave Ion air purifiers that kill the COVID-19 virus in all restaurant air conditioners as an added protection for our employees and customers. In May 2020, Marion’s Piazza was allowed to reopen dining rooms with additional mandates from the state of Ohio. Approximately one half of the dining room capacity was required to be removed, reservations were now required, parties of more than 10 people were not allowed to make reservations and masks were required for all customers (unless they were eating).

To date, only six of our dining rooms have reopened due to staffing shortages. Potential employees hesitate to work due to the fear of becoming infected. But to our credit, during these challenging times, we’ve never had to lay off any employees. Even with dining rooms operating at half capacity, customers evidently are still leery of dining inside. As a result, our curbside pickup and delivery currently account for about 70 to 80 percent of our business.

I think until a vaccine is proven effective and readily available to the public nothing will return to the way it was before COVID-19. I hope that everyone makes it through this pandemic and I believe that it is fortunate we are all in the pizza business during these trying times. Admit it…who doesn’t like pizza?

— President Roger Glass

Stoney’s Sourdough Pizza Co. — Kokomo, Indiana

“If you can’t tell by our name, sourdough is our thing. Every pizza, strom, breadstick and everything in between is handmade with real sourdough that we make in-house. We even began selling our own organic sourdough bread after it occurred to us that we could “recycle” our leftover pizza dough into bread loaves.”

Being the father of 2 young children and having the ultimate responsibility to keep my family and staff (and self!) safe during a very uncertain time, I made the decision to temporarily close up my shop to sit back and see how this pandemic was going to play out. When we closed, which was March 20, there were not a lot of cases going around in our relatively small town of Kokomo, IN and there was a lot of uncertainty of how fast this virus spreads and how it would affect a food business if word got out that an employee tested positive. Would it be detrimental to your company if there were rumors that someone in your restaurant tested positive? Would people steer clear of your establishment to avoid COVID? With all the chaos and panic going on, it sure seemed so. That’s why my wife and I made the ultimate decision to close. Although it seemed like the takeout pizza business was booming (since people could not eat at dine-in restaurants), the profits were nowhere near as important than keeping my family and staff healthy, as well as doing our part to be part of the solution to this whole thing.

I will admit, it was nice to have a little break from the non-stop hustle of running a pizza joint, but I could not stay idle for long. Although I had closed up shop for the time being, I had to find something else to keep myself busy (and maybe make a little money, too).

Since there was an apparent bread shortage at grocery stores, and we just so happen to bake our own bread, we began selling our organic sourdough bread and hand-delivering it to basically the whole city of Kokomo.It was an experiment in which I had nothing to lose. If it worked, cool. If it flopped, it did not affect my company in anyway. It just so happened to take off. Now people could be guaranteed freshly-baked (and organic!) locally-made bread without having to leave their house. The response was great and I was so busy baking and delivering bread that I could hardly keep up.

Since I knew that grocery stores were struggling to keep up with bread demand and I knew that people liked my product, I figured I’d take a shot at trying to get it in Kroger grocery stores here on a local level. So began the journey of establishing contact and eventually getting accepted, as a new vendor in Kroger! It was an exciting accomplishment for me and my company.

We reopened our pizza shop in May after being closed for about 6 weeks. We had a better idea of how this virus was evolving and felt it was safe to reopen (with precaution). We all wear masks and have been really pushing our curbside service so customers do not have to come in (especially if they order online).

I guess we had been missed by many because we sold out of everything for days and even weeks on end. I though “Is this the new normal?” Business since then has been very steady and we are extremely fortunate that we have a business model that allowed us to close and then reopen as if nothing ever happened. Our community has also been very supportive during these times. We really feel the love.

— Owner Adam Neher

Mountain Mike’s Pizza

Learn how Mountain Mike’s Pizza with over 220 locations across the U.S. has handled the COVID-19 Crisis from Co-owner/Co-CEO Chris Britt, Jim Metevier, President and COO, and Ed St. Geme, Co-owner/Co-CEO.

Famous Pizza — Bethel, Connecticut

We continued our support for the local school lunch program we called “Pie it Forward” for the ENTIRE remainder of the year with the support of local organizations, businesses, and individuals.  We would use Facebook Live Videos every Monday morning when it was Pizza Lunch Day to help recognize those who sponsored us that week and inspire others.  We were able to get sponsors for weeks 2 – 11 (we donated week 1) and wanted to see it through so we donated the last couple weeks supplying over 1,000 large pies in total.  What started with a simple intention to help those in need turned into a huge community event with amazing support.  In addition, we made sure to donate to pizzas to all healthcare workers and first responders in the area to show our appreciation.

We still have our store closed for public entry even though CT allows for dine in at 50% of occupancy.  The support from the community has been overwhelming with our Curbside Pickup & Contact Free Delivery and feel that this best protects the safety of our staff and decreases the likelihood of any potential infection.  The feedback we have received is that our customers feel very safe with this decision and appreciate the extra measures.  We have added custom signs in the parking spaces out front with our name and phone number and a parking space number to help make curbside as simple as possible.  We also have a large sidewalk A frame sign that clearly outlines our procedures.  We have also added (2) 4’x8′ huge custom banners on the outside of our building promoting “WE ARE OPEN” & another uplifting one that says “BETHEL STRONG”.  We offered Make Your Own Pizza Kits that were a hit in the beginning but not as much currently.

I am proud to say that although we had 2 servers that were not cross trained and were not able to come back we did hire additional drivers so that the total employees has not changed at all.  All of our employees have been very well compensated with the increased tips this entire time.  Everyone seems to be extra generous and appreciates the hard work and morale has been great.  We have not had any labor issues throughout and our sales have increased from the same time last year even without our entire dine in business…we are truly blessed!

We close every year the week of July 4th and decided to take an extra week since everyone has been working hard.  My entire full time kitchen staff received a paid vacation for BOTH weeks and were very appreciative.

The big news is that we are making changes.  We had a tenant (we own the building) next door to us that never re-opened after the virus hit and decided to move to that smaller (1500sf) space and change our business model.  We have been noticing a shift in recent years from the dine in business to delivery and thought this was the perfect time to make a change.  In addition, the minimum wage just went up and will continue to every year so anything we can do to cut labor will help us.  We are building out a new kitchen with a limited menu and are fine tuning all of our recipes…lean & mean in 2021!

I forgot to mention even though it is assumed but when I went for a coffee I was reminded that following the rules in place are not being practiced by many restaurants.  We have been wearing masks in the store at all times and gloves are worn by everyone in the kitchen.  We were taking temps of all employees but discontinued that practice since guidance has changed.  We also have setup a few tables across the street on our town green where customers can call us and are welcome to eat although full service is not available.  It is basically curbside to a table we provide.

— Co-Owner Perry Anastasakis (My parents founded the family business in 1982 and I took over in 1997)

Fong’s Pizza — Des Moines, Iowa

The pandemic has proven to be one of the most challenging times for business, but has brought out an even greater drive for me to help our community.   When Iowa shut down restaurants and bars in March; my first thought was “How can we help the helpers?”  Big Mr. Rogers fan  🙂   My sons and I donned our Pizza Ninja suits and ended up donating pizzas to our healthcare heroes and essential team members who weren’t able to stay home and isolate.  Here’s a link to the adventure that continued once the community learned of our efforts and encouraged us to create a fundraiser.  We ended up feeding over 3000 heroes.  https://www.facebook.com/donate/225068735361278/

Now, we are focused on helping our teachers and students to make sure they’re all equipped with masks for those that have in-person learning.  Des Moines Public Schools (where my sons attend) is still 100% virtual right now as Iowa continues to be a hot spot with our Governor refusing a mask mandate and many folks not taking the pandemic seriously.  It’s a tough time, but we focus on doing what we can to support the community.  You can check out our mask giveaways on our Facebook page and we’ve already donated 500 masks in less than a month.  https://www.facebook.com/fongspizzadesmoines

— President & Co-Founder Gwen Page

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Continued — More firsthand accounts of how pizzeria owners and leadership have handled the COVID-19 Pandemic (Page 3)

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Ron’s Original Bar & Grille — Exton, Pennsylvania

Adapt. Change. Overcome.

That’s just what we did here at Ron’s when faced with the COVID-19 pandemic. We adapted to the new rules and regulations handed down by the government. We made changes to our facilities, policies and procedures to better service our customers. And we are constantly overcoming this ever-changing situation, day by day.

When COVID-19 began to impact our area, restaurants were ordered to close their doors to dine-in customers. We quickly jumped into action and introduced our new Curbside Pickup service. Realizing we needed to do more, we turned to closing our doors completely, in order to regroup and come back better than ever. We cleared out our inventory by having an amazingly successful (and socially distant approved) sidewalk sale, then took to our brainstorming sessions for nearly 2 weeks to develop a plan that would meet and exceed our customer’s expectations. As quarantine progressed, we continued to follow through on every mandate and recommendation handed down to us from the CDC and Health Departments. From apps that track our restaurants cleanliness to patented floor to ceiling sanitizing systems; we have maintained impeccable cleaning and sanitization standards, provided safe social distancing protocols and have done our very best to ensure everyone in and around our establishment feels safe.

We adapted. We changed. And we are still overcoming. At Ron’s we believe in providing the best because our customers deserve the best and we will continue to provide the best and safest possible dining experiences.

Sibie’s Pizza — Amherst, Pennsylvania

My name is Matt HD, I am an actor, filmmaker, and video producer, and a proud team member of my family owned Sibie’s Pizza. Our little pizzeria is located in Amherst, MA, a small, rural farming community rich in arts, history, and culture… and five colleges.

Our family opened Sibie’s in 2001, and with my dad, George Duranti, bringing his lifelong experience as a chef, we slowly carved out our niche as the locals pizza shop in the area. In the past couple of years, we had been focusing on two new revenue streams – sports catering & vegan pizza.

2020 was off to a great start for us- our vegan pizzas popularity was spreading faster than expected and in our prior year we had our highest catering sales to date. Momentum was moving in our favor and this year was going to be a solid year of expansion.

When the pandemic hit, this all changed. We were faced with new challenges and ultimately a new way of life.

We immediately changed up our procedures adapting to a contactless service for both pick-up and delivery and adopted new enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures. We were doing what we could to stay open, but things were increasingly risky for our team and ultimately we decided to close for three weeks and see how things with the virus would develop.

While we were closed we started brainstorming on things we could do differently because COVID-19 wasn’t going away anytime soon. There were no sports teams to cater to. No more meetings or parties that needed a supply of hot cheesy goodness. The former bustling college was unseasonably quiet. Our former business model was no longer viable and with the business closed we needed to find a way to stay connected with our community we had been serving for almost twenty years. We needed to try something new…

This is where I decided to combine my personal passion for filmmaking & storytelling with the family business to amplify our presence in the digital landscape. With a background in marketing and entertainment, I wanted to find a way to connect with those who were stuck inside with fears and unrest.

The idea I came up with for Sibie’s to continue to stay vocal in the community while closed was to create a DIY video series on making my family’s pizzas at home (Titled, “PIZZA TV”).

So I pulled together all the available production equipment I had, including a first-gen iPad, GoPro, and some old iPhones to create a 5 camera set up around my dinner table.

I shot four episodes with this make-shift, epically-indie setup, which I am now calling “Season 0.”

During filming, I connected with a well-known photography/media brand that was inspired by our story and what I was trying to accomplish and offered to support the PIZZA TV project.

This allowed me to upgrade the indie setup to a pro 6 camera, 4K shoot – which I used to produce an official 7 episode season 1 of “Pizza TV.”

This has been an amazing experience for me because it allowed me to work with my family figuring out new recipes and how to adapt these large commercial kitchen recipes to a small batch home kitchen & oven. Since we started putting out this new video content, we have been able to expand our reach and our voice in the community. We have been blown away by the responses we have been receiving and are feeling more connected than ever to our customers and our community.

Through these tough times, it’s important now more than ever to support one another as we are all truly in this together. We believe it’s important for small businesses to step up and become local leaders as we are the first line of support to our community. It’s important to have transparency, and compassion and be open to new practices as we all have new mindsets about what is needed to survive.

So currently, with Pizza TV, I am deep in post-production, editing future episodes to be released soon, but mainly just trying to take things one day at a time and being open and okay with all the change the comes.

We are proud to do what we do and stand among all the other pizzerias, restaurants, and family’s finding their way through these pandemic times.

Stay safe & Eat healthy.

— Matt HD, George Duranti and team Sibies.

TailGate Brewery

Listen to the upcoming The Hot Slice Podcast for an in-depth conversation with Owner and Brewmaster Wesley Keegan and Marketing Manager Liz Tarry. 

Photo via Tailgate

We’re a craft brewery that launched a pizza kitchen about five years ago, and ever since we’ve gotten more and more recognition for putting out some of Nashville’s best pizza. Which is still crazy to us! We had absolutely no background in pizza when we first started – just a love of beer and a desire to see more quality pizza + beer in the city. From the beginning we agreed that we’d only commit to starting a restaurant component if we were equally as passionate about the product as we are about our beer. So from our love of pizza + beer came a combination craft brewery and pizzeria. It’s helped us differentiate ourselves, and brought pizza lovers in the door that may not have sought us out otherwise.

From the outset, we’ve never been structured like a traditional pizzeria. It’s always been about getting people into the taprooms to drink our beer, and to buy that beer at grocery stores and craft beer shops to expand our distribution footprint. So we’ve never operated – like a traditional pizzeria would – with things like takeout or delivery. We’ve only ever had one phone line! The bottom line is that COVID changed everything for everyone, but lots of pizzerias had the structure in place to pivot to a to-go model. We didn’t. But! That didn’t stop us from doing it anyways.

We changed everything on the fly, and never missed a day – never had to close our doors. We launched our own pizza and beer delivery the same day we got the shelter-in-place order, and brought back our 50+ person team the next to work takeout, curbside and delivery across our three Nashville locations. We changed POS companies to institute a better online ordering and menu management system. We launched pizza kits to appeal to guests looking for at-home entertainment. Liquor laws began changing, so we introduced frozen liquor slushies called Bushwackers that we mixed with one of our most popular beers. Paired with our pizzas, it was an instant hit. We prepared for dine-in re-opening and once it did, we continued offering all of our to-go options to accommodate all levels of guest comfort.

Owner and Brewmaster Wesley Keegan

Ultimately the key to success for us has been relying on that core pizza business. We continued our rotating Pizza of the Month specials – two of which have been the most successful ever, Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza and Thai Chicken Pizza. We run a half-price pizza Wednesday special that we adapted to our new to-go model rather than abandon a tradition that’s much-loved in our community. We were able to keep all of our people as takeout business grew, and today we have more employees than ever. Pizza and beer is ideally situated for takeout and delivery, and we love being able to occupy that space in our community.

Looking forward, we’re going to continue to run lean. We’re going to keep the team that we have on and continue to attract the best talent in the city. We’re working on a new menu because in our space, breweries that have never dabbled in food are adding kitchens, and pizza is a common entry for the beer category. We’re going to find new ways to elevate our current offerings and make our menu better. We’re going to make our guests feel even more appreciated. Delivering a genuine “Thank you for being here. We’re so glad to have you,” goes a long way. This year may have been rocky, but we’re going to continue to grow despite – and because of – the challenges, and we’re looking forward to a lot more pizza in 2021!

Slingin’ Pizza — Laguna Park, Texas

I’ve been working in pizza since I was 16 years old and I very quickly fell in love with how people get pizza on there best day and their worst day and I’m honored to be apart of both and very quickly my dream became to have my own shop. In April 2019 we opened… in a lake town, where the lake happened to need to be closed to tourists that year because of flooding, that was pretty terrifying… but we pushed through and even grew.

Now that we’ve come to the end of our second summer in the middle of everything that’s going on…we are still growing.

Right before this all started, we were so excited for our “first summer with the lake open!”

It was a hard blow for our spirts when this all started right before, but with my amazing amazing crew, we just decided we were going to come out of the gates fighting and we did.

We make sure that along with our awesome food that were loving on every customer that we can.

Chatting with them, seeing how they’re doing, seeing if they need anything; and if they do and it is in our reasonable power to help them out, we do.

We decided we wanted to be a bright point in people’s day, so we blast music! We dance around like weirdos while we’re tossing out dough. It is so much fun and we see it daily put smiles on people’s faces!

I knew how much I was going to have to sacrifice to make my dreams a reality, my dreams of having a pizza shop that genuinely loves on every person that comes through our doors, but nothing could have possibly prepared me for what has been my first few years of owning my own shop.

We closed the lobby and started handing pizza out through our makeshift take out window that actually is just our front window.

We bought extra food to sell to try and help our customers not have to go into the chaos that had become a typical grocery store trip as often. Like chicken, beef, extra veggies. When bread started to become a hard thing to get, we started turning our pizza dough into bread…it actually became so popular that we now make our sandwich bread every morning!

Then my awesome quilter Aunt Jayne started making masks! She was using money my amazing Grandma Audrey left her, so she very generously donated them to us. We got the masks in right before the mask mandate came into effect in Texas. So because she blessed us with them in turn we got to bless our customers with them and when they ordered we gave them a free mask with each order. It just lit up my heart being able to give masks to people that were having trouble finding them or finding them at a huge mark up. It got to the point where I had to charge for additional masks to try and get them spread out to more families. Which honestly in turn help us pay some bill, so this project helped out everyone!

What I’ve personally learned through this time is that while yes, putting out a good product is of course important…what people are seeking is just people to be genuine with each other again.

Im in the process of creating “Sling’ it Forward” Basically im just hoping to give our customers a safe place to help each other out and fill needs.

— Owner Audrey Jayne

Punxsy Pizza — Punxsutaney, Pennsylvania

Since the beginning of the pandemic we have gone form 15% down to 30%+ increase in sales.  Sounds terrific but it’s been a rough ride.  I only have 7 out of 17 of my staff left.  The increase in sales & the way business falls – all in one big rush every day has left my staff stressed or just not able to keep up.

To try to cope with this I have had to adjust scheduling, inventory (different items selling) and hours of operations.  Shortages in the food supply chain have affected us too, even the best manager can’t guess what suppliers will be out of next or speculate what the food cost will be.  The sheer volume we are doing is keeping us in the black as food cost has soared.  We raised prices once and plan doing so again.

The cost of doing business has been another area where we had to adapt and invest.  Our delivery has increased so we have put money into newer & better delivery equipment to deal with increased delivery times.  Customers demand contactless transactions so our Online Ordering platforms and apps needed to be updated.  Along with that credit card sales have tripled so more expenses to be dealt with.

Our biggest challenge through all of this and now is the lack of people willing to work, let alone work hard.  While a stimulus check & extra money from Unemployment have been a blessing to many, for a small business like mine it has devasted the job pool. I have empathy for my staff; It is miserable working in a hot kitchen, wearing a mask & cleaning more than ever before.  I try my best to a leader & not just a boss, I have never asked more of them then I ask of myself.  My hours spent working have doubled.  My last day off was to take my Father in for an outpatient procedure.

The SBA’s PPP loan was a big help in the beginning of the pandemic.  I have unsuccessfully applied for several grants to be able to give out some form of hazard pay to employees.  In the mean time I have given raises & bonuses to keep morale up.  The OT looks great on a check but my employees have certainly earned it.

We try to take one day at time and do our best.  There is much anxiety in the air but I feel that our business will endure.  I look forward to adapting to whatever the new normal is.

— Owner Scott Anthony

MORE COVID-19 STORIES:   Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Back to Main Page

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Climbing Higher

Ventura family centers pizzeria around outdoor community

Miguel’s Pizza is synonymous with its region of Eastern Kentucky.

The unique pizzeria has been a pizza and rock-climbing destination at Red River Gorge since Miguel and Susan Ventura opened in 1983, first as an ice cream shop. They quickly transformed the old 1930s general store into a pizza restaurant.

Today, Miguel’s looks seemingly the same until you walk to the side of the vivid yellow building and see the 2,000 square-foot extension that was added a few years ago. “That was the goal with the addition — to emphasize the original Miguel’s. And when you come through the front door, it feels the same and you do not lose that feel,” says general manager Dario Ventura.

The feel that Dario refers to is a funky mom and pop pizzeria hangout. It is eclectic and artsy. In, fact, Miguel is an artist. His brightly colored carved work and paintings can be found from the moment someone walks up to the handcrafted front door with its hand-painted sign above. Miguel’s artistic mark is displayed throughout the restaurant.

Each year, the Ventura’s reinvest in the business with updates. The expansion was the biggest yet. They did a remarkable job blending the old and new spaces, giving guests the reassurance that they were stepping into the Miguel’s they loved, just a new and improved version.

The new space includes a large dining room and a large kitchen with two pizza makelines for peak times, a massive rotating deck oven and combination walk-in/reach-in refrigerator. A basement area with additional seating was completed this spring.

Since its inception, Miguel’s has been the gathering hub for rock climbers. The Ventura family have expanded the grounds to include a campground with pavilion and a shower house and a top-of-the-line rock climbing shop. “They are the ones that really built this place,” Dario says of the international climbing community. “We’re doing great now and this place has boomed in the last 10 years, I would say. Prior to that, this was a bit of a ghost town here.”

Even Miguel’s workforce is made up of climbers, almost exclusively until the past year a handful of locals have been added to help man the shop.

“Our base is climbers. They are the ones that come every day. They are always there for us. We revolve around the climbing community.”

Climbers were the driving factor behind Miguel’s varied menu. Its diverse ingredients list is a surprise find in rural Kentucky. It boasts over 40 meat and veggie toppings from anchovy, chorizo and roast pork to avocado, sweet potato and black beans. The cheese selection is even impressive with three mozzarella choices and cheeses like feta, ricotta, provolone and non-dairy. There are also a half dozen sauces. Pizzas are 16-inch and can be purchased as half or whole pies.

Dario says they don’t feel a need to advertise that the tomatoes, basil, zucchini and green peppers are all locally grown by a neighboring farmer. The local focus with scratch products is evident in its pizza quality. Dough, sauces and bread are made in-house and cheese is shredded on premise.

Miguel and Susan’s approach to food fuels the menu. “They cook and it’s very basic food,” Dario says. “It’s good food so they don’t try to reinvent the wheel too much. I think that transferred over to the restaurant. If it starts out good, it’s going to end good. We’ve always went with that as the mindset.”

As demand arose, Dario says, they added new items like breakfast items and oven bowls. The pizzeria also offers salads and sandwiches.

It’s a new dawn at Miguel’s. Dario and his brother Mark grew up in the pizzeria. They both left to go to college, Mark studied business and recently returned to Miguel’s, while Dario wanted to seek out other opportunities. “Actually, going to school and taking business classes I realized how much I like the whole family business aspect of things and what a good thing I had,” Dario says of his decision years ago to return to the family business.

The next generation has stepped up at Miguel’s. Dario runs the day-to-day and Mark handles the financials. “Now he has kind of taken my mom’s job but with a more new-school approach with apps,” Dario says of his younger brother. Miguel is still often in the kitchen tinkering with the pizza sauce.

It’s a family business in the truest sense of the word. And that business is in the midst of change. Just as they christened their new building, the liquor laws in the area changed. “That was a real hard transition for us to serve alcohol. It was the transition of our staff being comfortable serving alcohol because of all of the liabilities they throw at you with serving alcohol and the responsibilities you take and us not wanting to change that atmosphere,” Dario says. “We don’t want it to feel like a bar. You have to kind of keep that balance.” Luckily with purchase limits and using a single service line, the pizzeria has a built-in moderation to keep its family-friendly setting.

Miguel’s Pizza closes through the winter months from December 1 to March 1. But with the expansion, the Venturas experimented with staying open through the winter last year. “We just stayed open on the weekends,” Dario says. “It was a huge success. It was surprising. Limited hours, core crew that stuck around. I mean, we weren’t slammed but it was worth it.”

Then, enter the COVID-19 Pandemic forcing the restaurant to shut down for almost three months during Miguel’s busiest season of the year. Miguel has always applied a steady approach to improvements and business. “That mindset has saved them in stuff like COVID that’s hit us because you know we’re not in debt to our ears,” Dario says. “We’re stable. You can weather stuff out if you’re not being sucked dry and you are doing it slow and organically.”

When Miguel’s reopened this summer, the systems were completely different. They switched to a 100-percent to-go model and launched an online ordering system. “Of course, there are increased numbers but our cost of staff is way up because we have to staff a lot more to keep everything sanitized and keep the process more friendly,” Dario says. “Prior to that we are the most minimalist place. Your pizza comes on a tray. You get forks if you want them. There is not much to it. But now everything is packaged. The price of products is up a little higher just because everything is to-go.”

Even amidst the three-month closure, Dario says, year-end sales are on pace to match last year. Miguel’s is churning out 700 to 800 pies on its busy nights and that’s exactly what the location was built to do.

Though Miguel’s has weathered COVID-19 better than many, Dario longs to get back that Miguel’s vibe. “The one thing that COVID has really done is business is still good, but it definitely kills the ambiance and community feeling, especially this place,” Dario says. “You come here on a Saturday night it’s glowing. That place would be full of people having a good time.”  

DENISE GREER  is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today On the Road: Miguel’s Pizza, Slade, KY appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Around the Country

550 Pizzeria | Laredo, Texas

Janet Duran envisioned opening her own pizzeria the first time she made pizza. Even a pandemic didn’t get in her way of fulfilling that dream. Launched with carryout only in June, 550 received instant community-wide support that she continues to return tenfold. While waiting out the initial blow of COVID-19 in the spring, Duran says, “I became a ‘woman on a mission,’ delivering my pizzas to everyone in town who was doing their part to keep our community together—from nurses, to physicians, to teachers—I made hundreds of pizzas and delivered them every day to say thank you for all they do. Eventually, I was able to open and the response has been amazing! I have sold out on doughs many days now, and have had to add lines to my phone just to keep up with the demand. I truly believe the extra time I was given—be it because of the pandemic—not only helped me to prepare for my opening, but also gave me a sense of purpose in what I do that I now infuse into every pizza I make.” One of the best sellers is The Ghost with pepperoni, Italian sausage, smoked ham, fresh mozzarella, Parmesan and Gorgonzola cheese. “A customer for many years (Mr. Resendez), he loved the combination and asked us to put it together” she says of a regular at the pizzeria she worked at for many years. Another local favorite is The Chicken Chori-Queso with tomatillo sauce, Roma tomatoes, onions, chicken and cilantro.

Pop Pizza | Portland, Oregon

New kid on the Portland pizza scene, Pop has brought its Detroit-style pizza to the competitive market. For now, the shop is open limited hours (4-9 p.m), and closed Monday and Tuesday. Pop is focused on selling six specialty whole pies and salads. Customers can order the square pie regular or gluten free. The pizza menu is straight forward with a choice of Triple Cheese, Pepperoni, Veggie, Sausage, Pineapple or Kale pizzas.

Nick & Vito’s | Chicago, Illinois

Congratulations to Nick & Vito’s. The Southside Chicago pizza landmark has turned 100. Rose George continues the tradition her family started a century ago, serving up its famous cracker thin crust pizza. The pizza institution still maintains its roots with its wide menu of sandwiches, pizza, pastas, dinners and sides. There are four pizza menu options (sausage, half sausage/half cheese, cheese or cheese and egg), plus a build to order with premium ingredients like ground beef, sliced beef and shrimp. The pizzeria also offers pizzas par-baked.

The post Destinations: 550, Laredo, TX, POP, Portland, OR, Nick & Vito’s, Chicago appeared first on Pizza Today.

Moving with the times

Louisville pizzeria embracing change amidst the pandemic

Running a restaurant during a pandemic certainly tests one’s ability to adapt on the fly.

As information, safety protocols and local guidelines change frequently during the COVID age, those who are able to make decisive and quick judgments and roll with the punches are the ones who are coming out on the other side less scathed.

As the cliché goes, the only constant is change … and that has never been more true.

Anthony Lusiak, Mac’s Dough House, Louisville, Kentucky

Anthony Lusiak opened Mac’s Dough House in Louisville, Kentucky, in October 2018. Less than a year later he was toying with a new opportunity to open a second pizza spot within an existing brewery. He came to an agreement with the owners of the brew house (Mile Wide Beer Co.), and in July 2019 Mac’s at Mile Wide was opened. This location had a different oven, offered a different style of pizza and represented an exciting new chapter for the young pizzeria owner. And then came the virus.

“It definitely changed everything,” Lusiak says of COVID-19. “We hadn’t been open at Mile Wide long and then everything shut down and we had to stop serving for a little bit.”

Though he worked quickly to adapt to the new normal and figure out a different way of doing business, the days of large gatherings in a restaurant or bar were put on hold. With one location counting on that bar traffic, and another counting on dine in, Lusiak had to step back and make some evaluations. Ultimately, he decided to go in a different direction entirely with his sit-down spot (Mac’s Dough House is in the process of converting to a new, non-pizza concept), but Mac’s at Mile Wide is very much focused on turning out Neapolitan-style pizzas for the in-house beer customers (the Brewing Co. is back open and serving patrons under new Kentucky-mandated social distancing/headcount restrictions).

“This style of pizza isn’t really very well suited for takeout,” says Lusiak. “It doesn’t travel well. As soon as they were allowing restaurants to re-open and operate at 33 percent, we got right back to it. It was slow going for the first couple of weeks, but the brewing company has a lot of loyal followers. And, honestly, we have a lot of loyal followers, too.”

Changing the concept of his original restaurant wasn’t an easy decision, either.

“COVID has impacted us quite a bit there,” Lusiak says. “And there are probably 10 or so pizza restaurants within a 10-mile radius of us there. We did okay with carryout, but it was definitely a big hit for such a large restaurant. But we’re grateful to be back up and running here at Mile Wide and there were a lot of people excited to see us get back open.”

Operating within a small footprint that requires minimal crew (some days it’s just one pizza maker, others it’s two), Mac’s at Mile Wide is an ingredients-focused and labor-efficient business. Additionally, the brewing company put some large “beer tents” in the parking lot right outside the door so clientele could enjoy their beer or pizza outside during the warm weather months and better social distance.

“The tent was a great thing they wanted to do to expand, and that really helped us out.”

On our visit to Mac’s at Mile Wide in July, Lusiak knocked a few pizzas out for us in his kitchen. He starts with a 280-gram dough ball (00 flour, water, salt and yeast) that he stretches to 9-10 inches. The dough is cold fermented for an extended period — Lusiak says he likes them best at four to five days.

“They’re good at two days, but at four to five days they definitely have a beautiful leoparding and I can notice the difference,” he says.

He can also notice the difference in stress on the body during the pandemic. Restaurant kitchens are already a hot and physically grueling place to work before adding in the mask requirement.

“It’s definitely challenging,” Lusiak says. “It’s not something any kitchen worker ever expected, but we we’ve gotta do what we’ve gotta do for everyone’s safety. The good thing is that our oven holds its heat so well. You don’t really get any heat off of it unless you’re directly in front of the chamber opening to load the pizza. You could pretty much hug the oven and not get too hot.”

Lusiak keeps the oven floor around 700 F, which he says makes the ceiling around 900 F. His bake time is near three minutes.

“It’s a style of pizza that needs to bake fast at a high heat,” he says. “We also do wings, pretzels and some small bites and roasted vegetables out of the oven. We make a beer cheese that we serve with the pretzels. They’re a pretty big seller. They’re actually one of our biggest sellers. So we aren’t limited to just pizza out of the oven even though we have a small kitchen with minimal equipment. We try to offer as much menu diversity as we can with what we’re working with.”

The Mac’s at Mile Wide menu is pretty streamlined, but Lusiak says he’s added some specials recently that he felt would appeal to customers seeking something on the go. But the biggest addition, he says, has been using an electronic ordering system that utilizes QR codes and allows the restaurant to text the customer when their order is ready.

“We’ve added some things to the menu, and one big thing that helped us the most is that our system has the ability to do online ordering,” he says. “Before I had to have someone take an order and come hang it in the kitchen. Now it all comes through electronically and I don’t have to swipe a debit or credit card, and we can send them a text when their order is finished. I have been really pleased with that and how it has worked for us.”

Mac’s customers appear pleased as well, though Lusiak does miss the days when it was easier to read a patron’s facial expressions to know you’re on the right track.

“It’s definitely a challenge because you do like to see that smile and see how people are viewing your product,” he says. “But even though it’s a little bit difficult, people have been very accommodating and understanding of the new procedures that are required to be in place, and overall it’s been pretty good so far.”

While he has no idea when things will return to normal again, Lusiak says the adaptations he and other pizzeria owners have been forced to make will ultimately forge stronger businesses.

“You analyze your systems like never before,” he says. “You scrutinize everything and get lean and don’t keep what doesn’t work.”

JEREMY WHITE  is Editor-in-Chief at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today on the Road: Mac’s Dough House, Louisville, KY appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias In the United States

Cascadia Pizza Co. | Enumclaw, Washington

Co-owner Thomas Reinhard says, “Cascadia is a food-truck first company. While we now have a brick-and-mortar location and have plans for a second in the near future, we started with just a small wood-fired pizza trailer, doing catering only. Now, with two food trucks that are operating daily with events and catering, we are able to expand our brand and customer base all over the Seattle/Tacoma area.” A hot seller is The Northwestern with a garlic butter sauce base, mozzarella and provolone cheese blend, prosciutto, pear slices, and topped with fresh arugula and balsamic reduction. Cascadia rolled out its food trucks to cope with COVID-19. “We have found a lot of success bringing our food trucks to residential neighborhoods. Neighbors break out their lawn chairs and beer koozies (six feet apart, of course), enjoy some awesome wood-fired pizza, and get some much-needed social interaction during this tough time, Reinhard says. “It is really cool to be able to promote community-building with wood-fired pizza… plus, the volume is great, too!”

Monza Pizza Bar | Charleston, South Carolina

The Neapolitan shop took time to regroup when the pandemic restrictions began. It slowly rolled out a carryout program featuring the house favorites. When the restaurant had the opportunity open its in-house dining, Monza instituted a reservation-only operation and a full lineup of menu offerings, including Ciccio Pizza with ricotta, mozzarella, Pecorino, Parmigiano, garlic and chili flakes. There is also the Nazarro with tomato sauce, mozzarella, bacon and sweet red onion. Monza also offers pastas, sides and wine to go.

Del Popolo | San Francisco, California

This Bay Area hot spot built its fan base as a popular food truck. Del Popolo brought its naturally-leavened, wood-fired pizza the Nob Hill neighborhood as a brick-and-mortar location in 2015. It has received high marks from The Daily Meal’s 101 Best Pizzas for its classic margherita and its white pie with mozzarella, ricotta, basil and garlic. There is also the Potato featuring Yukon gold potatoes, red onion, fontina and rosemary. Nearly a dozen small plates accompany the pizza offerings. The Little Gem & Frisée Salad features sweet and hot peppers, Pecorino, breadcrumbs and a creamy lemon vinaigrette.

The post Destinations: Cascadia Pizza, WA, Monza, SC, Del Popolo, CA appeared first on Pizza Today.

Staying Humble

The Hunt Brothers quietly built an Austin icon

Brandon and Zane Hunt are humble and soft spoken when talking about their multi-million-dollar pizza company, Via 313 in Austin, Texas.

“We just serve good pizza and try to take care of people,” Zane says.

The Hunt brothers have amassed an incredible following in Austin and beyond for the Detroit pizza they perfected 10 years ago, at a time when the only likely place you could find Detroit-style pizza was in the Motor City. With three brick-and-mortar locations and two permanently placed pizza trailers, Via 313 crushes annual sales at more than $12 million and consistently ranks as one of the hottest pizzerias in the country. This year, Via 313 receives a new distinction as Pizza Today’s 2020 Pizzeria of the Year.

Rising up from a rough childhood in Detroit, the two self-made entrepreneurs took an idea to recreate the pizza they loved as kids and open a neighborhood pizzeria. After relocating to the Lone Star State, the two pulled the trigger on the first trailer in downtown Austin in 2011 and before the year was up, they added a second trailer.

Check out more on Via 313’s origin story and the Hunt Brothers.

Pizza Today on the Road: Via 313, Austin, TX

Self-made Hunt brothers’ Via 313 initiates Detroit-style pizza’s move west. Before Detroit-style pizza became the hit thing outside of the Motor City, trailblazers Brandon and Zane Hunt decided to bring their hometown pizza to Austin, Texas. It wasn’t called Detroit-style pizza then. It was just pizza… READ MORE.

When it came time to open the first brick-and-mortar location, the brothers had done all the legwork to launch a new spot, but they needed a little motivational push from industry greats like the late Big Dave Ostrander and Tony Gemignani to put the plan into motion. The brothers opened their first sit-down restaurant in the Oak Hill neighborhood in 2015.

“I think that when we opened the restaurant down in Oak Hill, we already had this positive momentum and there is already this yearning for a different option, maybe a downtown brand per se at that time to open in their neighborhood,” Zane says. “So now we are in this family neighborhood. At the time, we feel like we took a chance by opening that first restaurant in Oak Hill.”

The leap paid off as eager customers lined the block on opening day and the location continued to thrive. A North Campus location followed in 2016 and a restaurant in East Austin in 2018. The trailers still focus on pizza, while the restaurants offer a full menu and bar.

“When I look back onto what we’ve been through in the almost 10 years since we started, I feel like we rose up to meet demand,” Zane says. “We did it really organically. We did work hard at it, but we also got lucky. A lot of this that has happened is being in the right place at the right time honestly.”

Success often blends fortitude and good fortune. Via 313 is culmination of the fruition of the brothers’ dream; a tenacious work ethic; strong business sense; a lead, not follow mentality, people-focused values and a little bit of luck.

Authenticity

Brandon and Zane built the Via 313 concept around themselves. “That was the whole point of starting the business to be a bigger thing, an extension of us, whether it be the black building or the music that is playing, the pictures on the wall,” Brandon says. “It’s all curated of who we are, that’s for sure.”

The stores and trailers are designed to be gritty in the best possible way. Each location is polished but intentionally made to look like the pizzeria has been there for 30 years.

“That’s really what we wanted to do is open a pizzeria in the classic sense, very old fashioned, full service, pitcher of beer after softball or soccer, that whole thing with kids and families,” Zane says.

The concept was built to center around the pizza, that signature rectangular pie with sauce on top and caramelized edges. Moreover, it’s about creating a sensory experience. “There was shit that we ate when we were kids that tasted a certain way, that we had memories to and we tried to get as close to that as possible,” Brandon says. “You know when you eat a pepperoni it tastes like a pepperoni, but does it hit a memory?”

Zane continues, “For us pizza nerds and the folks in the industry that nerd out about this stuff like us, we know what those things are, those little flavor profiles that you are trying to hit those notes. We know what we need to do to take it there, but our customers don’t know really, for the most part. Although they are more educated now than they were 10 years ago about these things. It is about hitting on those things that are deeply embedded in your mind. I say that while also acknowledging that Brandon and I are fortunate enough to grow up in southeast Michigan, which has a wonderful pizza scene.”

Taking care of people is at the heart of the Hunt’s business. “We have raving fans,” Brandon says. “We haven’t spent any money on advertising. It’s all been trying to provide a five-star atmosphere, whether that be the first-timer welcome, dumdums when you’re done, having a server that might be intimidating looking but ends up being the most pleasant person that you’ve met. The focus is customer service.”

That hospitality extends beyond Via 313’s customers. “If you’re bragging about not paying for marketing and taking care of people,” Brandon says, “that doesn’t stop at the customers. That goes all the way down to the employees, to the Favor drivers. We have to be there for everyone. It takes a community to support everything.”

Brandon and Zane have assembled a team of nearly 200 employees. It’s important to the brothers that wages are well above the Texas minimum wage, but also show equity across positions. “We probably lean a little more sensitive to kitchen people,” Zane says. “I think they get the short end of the stick in Texas, where they can’t get tipped.”

Via 313 has packaged impressive employee benefits, like paid time off for employees who work 30 hours a week. The brothers also try to cap everyone’s workweek to 40 hours. Employees who work 20 hours a week are eligible for company health insurance. Managers receive mileage reimbursement and cell phones.

With the sheer volume at each unit, the jobs can be demanding and challenging, but it’s a fun environment with an eclectic mix of staff members. “It’s pizza, ice cream and beer and those things lend themselves to being inclusive,” Zane says. “Our environment and culture should be as inclusive as possible. We try to make it as inclusive as possible.”

Zane and Brandon always look to being better leaders and learn from their team. That requires them to evaluate and re-evaluate their business constantly. “We’re old by Austin standards. So, we don’t always have our finger on the pulse,” Zane says. “We can always learn and evolve and the only way that is going to happen is through listening to (our team) and listening to the community that we are in. We are trying to be a good community partner that lends itself to the team, as well. We need to be a good community partner within the restaurant with our team.”

Learning and Adapting

When it comes to the business, It’s not enough for Brandon and Zane to be good. “I say we are like 85-percent nailing it all the time,” Brandon says. “But I think that 85 percent goes a long way. And we are constantly trying to make it 90 to 95, trying to get to 100. I think the customers pick up on that we are always trying to get better. Every time you come to the restaurant something has been updated or changed or cleaned up. We’re constantly reinvesting in the business. I feel like that goes a long way, too.”

One of the most beneficial changes Zane and Brandon made a little over three years ago was switching to a tablet-based POS system. “Adding that new POS system really made us more efficient and helped cut down on the errors, as well,” Brandon says.

Brandon and Zane strive to keep learning and growing. “I always feel like being a small business owner is just doing a bunch of things that you are probably not comfortable doing or not really good at,” Zane says. “There are some things I think we are good at, not a lot. We are willing to learn. And now that we’ve gotten a little busier, we can hire people that can help fill those weaknesses.”

A willingness to learn had helped Via 313 become beloved in the Austin food scene. “The fact that we are nine years in and not irrelevant,” Brandon says. “I think that is the hardest thing is staying relevant in the current climate. And just having that loyalty from the customer base is just incredible.”

New Challenges

Just as every pizzeria has adapted to operating a restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic, Via 313 quickly shifted to a carryout-only model. With a large percentage of Via 313’s business coming from dine-in, Brandon and Zane built the model to run at 60 percent of its normal sales. They restructured staffing needs and adjusted server pay to fit a carryout model. They also added a service charge that goes to the team. “The days are condensed and it’s just one shift for everyone and we cut out everything, you know, no table-seating app, very little CO2, no linens being delivered,” Brandon says. “We pretty much have the bill down to everything that is the bare minimum that we need to run the restaurant with a carryout platform, and it’s proven to work well.”

Zane concurs. “(The model) works and we’re fortunate that it works,” he says. “It’s sustainable like this for the time being but this isn’t what we set out to do. Yes, we can serve a lot of the pizzas like this, but the hospitality piece is lost for the most part.” The hunt brothers are eager to get back to what love: hospitality.

Our 2020 Independent Pizzeria of Year offer parting advice to fellow and prospective operators: “I think it’s just doing it whatever you want to do,” Brandon says. “That’s the biggest life lesson that I have learned from all of this. ‘Man, I wish we would have done this five years ago.’ You just got to do it. If you have an idea, just put it on paper, make sure it makes sense financially and do it.”

Zane follows up Brandon. “Nobody is going to give you anything,” he says. “You’re going to have to go work for it and prove yourself, prove your worth.”

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

DIVE DEEPER: Read Detroit Style Pizza: A Guide to Detroit Pizza

Special thanks to Consumable Content providing some of the images for this feature.

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Visiting New York pizzerias amid COVID19

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

It took a few weeks before I realized how much trouble NYC was in. I wasn’t watching the news and my social media usage was entirely devoted to putting out content to keep my audience (and myself) distracted. All that changed after about two dozen calls and texts from friends in the pizza business checking in on me. I had done such a good job ignoring reality that I had no idea New York City was the epicenter of the pandemic. Weeks have since passed and the Big Apple is finally waking back up so I’ve been cruising the streets on my trusty bicycle, checking in on the city’s pizzerias.

Everybody knows NYC’s pizza culture is centered around slice shops. These are the hole-in-the-wall places on just about every corner. It’s always been about take-out and delivery at slice shops, so most of them were able to continue service seamlessly throughout the lockdown. Reopening the city has meant more foot traffic since people are starting to trickle back to their daily commutes. The only difference is now customers are met with plexi shields, social distance spacing markers and signage reminding them to wear masks … but beyond that they’re operating with no major alterations.

Pizzerias with dining rooms are in a different situation. Without the ability to allow customers inside, many have converted their front windows into points of sale. Most of our restaurants let directly onto the sidewalk, so it’s possible to purchase items without veering off one’s route. Lots of pizzerias are offering a limited menu to cut down on ingredient inventory and some are even selling ingredients directly to customers. In my neighborhood, a wood-fired pizzeria with a huge dining room has turned into an open-air grocery store.

With relaxed rules for take-out and delivery alcohol, pizzerias are leaning on booze for support. Lombardi’s suddenly has frozen sangria and margaritas for those strolling around Soho, and Gnocco has frozen pina coladas in Alphabet City. The downside is that takeout alcohol attracts large crowds and that’s no good for safety. It’s one of the reasons the rules might snap back to normal, but I’m afraid of what will happen to restaurants that no longer have the revenue stream.

Pizzerias that weren’t able to pivot to takeout and delivery made use of the downtime. Greenwich Village institution Arturo’s repainted their facade and fixed their old coal-fired oven. Two blocks west, Song E Napule made good on a vow to replace an inherited wood-fired oven with a better one, plus they renovated the interior while they were at it. David Sheridan, owner of Wheated in Brooklyn, saw the writing on the wall and completely gutted his dining room. He replaced the tables and chairs with an expanded kitchen to make room for more food production as he expands his menu to better suit the situation.

I’m truly impressed by some of the creative maneuvers by pizzerias like Fornino, whose Brooklyn Bridge Park location takes all orders by mobile app and delivers food to tables on the ends of long pizza peels. Emily and Emmy Squared locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn have a QR code on their front door, leading directly to their online ordering platform. Wheated is managing their service flow by letting customers reserve pizza for a specific pickup time.

We all know that this is going to be incredibly difficult and some of our friends and colleagues aren’t going to make it out the other end, but we certainly don’t have to let that thought slow us down. In fact, it just might be the inspiration we need to speed things up.

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A Look at Pizzerias from Around the U.S.

Juniper Pizza Café | Price, Utah

Juniper strives to balance ingredients’ flavors on every scratch-made menu item. There are a dozen pizzas on the menu. “The new favorite is our P3 pizza, which is a real labor of love,” Sherry Nehl says. “We make the barbecue sauce, pickled jalapeños, pickled red onion and pulled pork in our kitchen. We then top it with a little pineapple, provolone and mozzarella. The Chicken Pesto Panini is our best-selling item, overall. We use this gorgeous ciabatta bread, our own basil pesto, charbroiled chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta and mozzarella. I’ve made this sandwich for family and friends for years and cannot express the joy in seeing how loved it is at our restaurant.” Juniper has shifted with the restrictions of the COVID-19 crisis. “We transitioned to online ordering and contact-free delivery in two days,” Nehl says. “We use social media as an inexpensive marketing tool to keep our customers informed and showcase our efforts to keep our customers and staff safe, while also quickly adapting to new circumstances. We started offering pizza kits and, eventually, quaran”team” meal kits for families. Above all, we tried to display the love and care we always have for our small community.”

Rock City Pizza | Allston, Massachusetts

This Boston-area pizzeria has a wide menu with something for everyone, from pizza, pastas, salads and entrees to burgers, calzones and subs. The pizza menu has over a dozen specialty pies. The Steak Bomb is topped with shaved steak, mushroom, peppers and onions. There’s also the Eggplant Parm pizza with provolone, mozzarella, red sauce and eggplant. Among the two dozen subs is the Rockin Roast Beef with bbq sauce, red onion and mayo on a brioche bun.

Wild Garlic Pizza & Pub | Reno, Nevada

Wild Garlic’s pizzas are visually striking with their outside edges hand-braided. The namesake pizza features wild garlic sauce, mozzarella, chicken, red onions, pepperoncinis, roasted garlic and grated Parmesan. Plato’s Pie is topped with hummus, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, Kalamata olives, red onions, artichoke hearts and feta. The menu also features panini, like The Pesto Alfredo Panini with Canadian bacon, chicken breast, Roma tomatoes and mozzarella.

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Rocky Shanower named Pizza Today’s 2020 Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

When the team at Pizza Today and Pizza Expo set out to find our 2020 Young Entrepreneur of the Year, scores of outstanding candidates from across the country came in. After reviewing submissions and four-minute videos, Rocky Shanower, co-owner of Park Street Pizza in Surgarcreek, Ohio, stood out on top. He is a visionary, trailblazer and enterprising restaurateur. Since opening Park Street in 2003, Rocky and his wife, Courtney, have set into motion not only a restaurant, but a Philosophy of Pie that lives by its creed and commitment to its small Ohio community. Let’s hear from Rocky in his own words.

An Essay to Young Entrepreneurs

Our 2020 Young Entrepreneur of the Year offers some valuable musings to his peers

Why pizza? I am a self-taught, first-generation restaurateur. I never attended a business class, never went to culinary school, and have never had financial investors. I opened my first restaurant at 22 years old. If I hadn’t found a creative outlet in pizza, I am certain I would be doing something similar in another field. I see opportunity and love the challenge of taking something that exists and improving on it. The beauty of pizza is that it appeals to nearly every person on earth. It has decent profit margins, and there are countless interpretations of it. The best pizza is subjective…so we can all work hard to become the BEST PIZZA for our own community.  

My values include Service, Quality and Culture and embody the following:

1. Have a servant mentality, show gratitude to every customer, be authentic, make a real connection, encourage staff members to be their authentic selves and show your team members how much your customers mean to you, don’t just say it. Be on a first name basis with everyone.
2. Tell the story behind your pizza – not just quality but the why. Local partners can be your best allies. Mutual support, create one-of-a-kind products they can only get with you.
3. Creating a positive culture. Live your mission, truly care about your team members, be vulnerable, admit fault, sacrifice for each other and care about the long-term impact of your business. Leave things better than you found them, not just the environment, but your team members, customers and community. Invest in your people. The restaurant is our home. We are a family and we are serving our friends and family dinner every night. Treat people this way.
4. ‘Do the right thing.’ When you use this as your guidepost, it allows you to think about things in a selfless way and you almost always do the ‘right thing’.

Service, Quality Product and Price are the three main focal points of building any business. These are all critical, however, to build a business that feels magical and makes people want to be a part of it, you need to look closer. Beyond those initial criteria comes making an emotional connection with your guest through energy, atmosphere and purpose. These are the invisibles in a business that makes it go from average to exceptional. A restaurant can have the most amazing food, but if they lack these other traits, people will not be drawn back. I believe strongly that the emotional connection you build with your guests and community far exceeds anything else you can do to become successful. I believe that to be a successful entrepreneur you cannot undervalue any one of these things. You must create a harmonious balance and focus on all of these characteristics of your business.

It has been said that good food in any restaurant is not optional. But, I see many businesses that only focus on creating a good product without spending any time thinking about everything else that goes into the guest experience. I like to look at my operation through the lens of our guests: How does it feel to come into our building, how am I being greeted, how comfortable is the environment, do I feel welcome, and do I feel appreciated? When it comes to energy: Do I feel lucky to have a table? Do people seem happy? Do the team members seem to enjoy their work, and does it lift my spirits? How about purpose: what does it mean to support this business? Do they support their community? Do they treat their team well? Does the money I spend impact someone I care about, and does this business seem to care about only making a profit or being a part of the community in a larger way? When people (your guests and your team) know you care about their experience and happiness, they will care about your success and well-being.

There is a concept that I teach to every team member on day one: ‘Our restaurant is our home.’ This is one big dinner party in which we are inviting friends and family to come over for dinner. You cannot look at guests in your restaurant as paying customers that you hope to make a profit on. You need to look at the guests in your restaurant as friends you are eager to serve and please. When you look at it this way, you never get frustrated about a re-fire or discount. You look at it as making their experience matter because you truly care about them. That mindset will translate into building a relationship of gratitude and trust where everyone benefits. When your team members see you treating people this way, they will act the same way. How the leader of an organization acts rubs off on the team, for better or worse. Building a culture of gratitude and respect for others will permeate throughout your team and help make it a good place for everyone involved. Developing this type of environment will make it a place people will want to be a part of!

The more I think about it, my life is like many others who are in this industry. We came into the pizza business at a young age to earn some extra cash until the next thing in our lives. But then something happens…there is a magic force that takes control of you. The feeling of creating something from scratch that brings happiness to others; that feeling of camaraderie after a long Friday night when the team pulls together and finally clears out the ticket window; that feeling you get when you see all of your hard work starting to pay off; the feeling that there is no limit to what you can do, that the more you pour yourself into your business, the more returns it will yield. All of these reasons are why I am still in the pizza business after 17 years and nearly half of my life. Another reason I love serving pizza is that everyone has sentimental attachments to it from their childhood. It brings a sense of happiness and togetherness for people. As a neighborhood pizza joint, we get to be woven into the happy memories of all those kids that grow up eating our pie.

Our business has been a constant evolution from day one. As we started to see our hard work yielding results, we continued to reinvest in our business. I always look at the profits of our business as fuel for its growth, especially in the early days. I never looked at that money as ours… I wanted to use it as a competitive advantage to gain market share and do more for our customers. This meant improving the quality of our ingredients, remodeling our building, investing in our team members and giving back to our community.

Being charitable is easy when you view what you are giving back as a way to thank your community for supporting your business. The more we supported those in our community, the more they supported us.

I find it interesting when people want to try and classify our pizza into a specific style. In the early days, as we worked to develop, refine and constantly tweak our dough and sauce recipe. We never thought about what style of pizza we were creating. We were just a couple of self-taught pizza makers from small-town Ohio tinkering around and finding our way. We used our own palates based on what we liked to determine what we wanted in the finished product. Both Courtney and I came from blue collar families with parents that struggled to get ahead. We didn’t inherit any expertise on running a restaurant or secret family recipes. It’s amazing what can happen when you spend every day doing the same thing. You see subtle details that can help you identify how small changes to a recipe can impact the finished product. Over roughly the first 10 years in business we kept tweaking, learning and experimenting to finally come to the recipes that we use today, never being satisfied with “good enough”. It’s an evolution. It’s never complete. There is always room to improve. Our pizza at Park Street doesn’t fall into a particular style, but if I had to give it a name, I would affectionately call it a “neighborhood” style pizza — because it is a style that exists only in our neighborhood.

Our dough incorporates a small amount of our own sourdough starter, cold ferments for 24 hours, gets a second rise in the pan and is baked in a gas convection oven. It was developed in this way because these were the tools we originally had to work with. We shaped the process around achieving the desired final result, so our recipe is quite non-traditional. The result is a soft, pillowy dough with a crispy edge that can stand up to heavy sauce and lots of toppings. It is dialed in to what our locals crave first and foremost, but we have found it has mass appeal to nearly everyone who comes from far and wide to try it.

One of the biggest compliments I can receive is hearing from someone who is not from our area that it’s the best pizza they have ever had. That tells me it’s not just a regional favorite, but something that could thrive in other markets as well.

Parting Thoughts with Rocky

I’d like to leave you with some points on effective collaboration, team building and exploring opportunities.

To succeed in the restaurant business, you need collaboration. You aren’t on an island. Positive collaboration can be a powerful thing. For example:

The power of collaboration

1. Collaborate with farmers, local business owners and charitable organizations, etc.;
2. Get as many people on your side as possible and create allies in the community;
3. Show people that you care about their success as well, not just your own;
4. Be generous, pay people what they are worth, and they will do the same;
5. Never burn bridges — this goes for employees, vendors, guests and other businesses.

Building a team

1. Hiring practices, being intentional, hire before you need people;
2. Identify strengths in people, creating a path for growth so they are motivated to stick around;
3. Surround yourself with people who have strengths that you do not. Understand your own strengths and weaknesses;
4. Learn to delegate. What are you the best at? What yields the most from time spent? Delegate, but don’t disconnect from your people or the process.

Identifying opportunities

1. Listen to your gut.
2. Does this scare me or excite me?
3. Being an entrepreneur is exciting because I realized early on that there is limitless potential for improvement and refinement. It can be a double-edged sword because there is no end and it can easily make your life become unbalanced.
4. Finding balance between family and business. You need to be careful to not fall into the trap of pouring every waking minute being consumed by your business thinking that you are doing it for your family to one day wake up and realize that you sacrificed your families needs for that of the business.
5. Evaluate the market you are in. You never want to mimic or copy your competitor, but you need to be aware of what is currently available and how your product or service will stack up. You will know it’s a good opportunity if you feel confident you can offer that community something better than what is currently being served. Common sense says, “if I can offer a better product or service than my competitors CONSISTENTLY, people will take note and support that.”

Special Thanks to Luke and Mikayla of Agrape Photography for providing photos for our Young Entrepreneur of the Year feature. Visit them at agapecreativeoh.com/bahler-commercial-food-photography/.

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A Look at Pizzerias around the U.S.

Qua Pizza | Manasquan, New Jersey

Qua Pizza is a new pizza shop on the Jersey shore capitalizing on the trending and classic Roman-style pizza featuring its light, crunchy and flavorful square pizza. “Our pizza and fun atmosphere is what makes us stand out the most,” says Cristina Varriale. “Can’t forget our homemade meatballs…everyone goes crazy over them! We have a history of running both old school pizzerias and high-end restaurants and our vision for Qua was to blend the two giving people a place they can eat affordable and all fresh house made food every night of the week.”

A best seller is the Parmigiana with lightly fried eggplant, mozzarella, tomato sauce and fresh basil. Another favorite is the Cacio e Pepe, a pizza bianca topped with Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano Reggiano, mozzarella and black pepper.

Being a young pizzeria during an international crisis, Varriale says, “We quickly adapted to the circumstances by implementing additional safety procedures and social distancing measures for pickup. We introduced ‘take and bake’ pies created to allow people to pick up during off peak hours, added family-style entrees to our menu, offered a 20-percent discount on all pizzas ordered online and donated to local essential workers.”

Pizzeria Portofino | Chicago, Illinois

The chic pizzeria received good news during the quarantine that it was named Best New Restaurant by the Chicago Tribune. During Chicago’s dining restrictions, Portofino temporarily closed, launched a limited pickup and delivery pop-up serving its artisan pizza, spritz kits and other specialty items. A family meal included Caesar salad, margherita pizza, Pugliese Pizza (with crumbled fennel sausage, chili flakes, rapini and Pecorino), Baked Rigatoni Amatriciana and tiramisu. There is also the Due Funghi with roasted mushrooms, mozzarella and porcini crema. Its hip, downtown location includes boat access on the Chicago River.

Bluebird Pizzeria | San Leandro, California

Bluebird has garnered a solid takeout reputation in the Bay Area amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a straight-forward spot with pizza, salads and cannoli, that’s it. The pizza is New York style with a broad array of pies with several meatless and vegan options. The Kellie Grrrl is topped with mushrooms, green olives, Calabrian chilies, ricotta sauce, mozzarella and ricotta.  Vegan pies are extra saucy with no cheese. The Heart of Glass features artichoke, mushroom, piquante peppers and spinach.

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A Look at Pizzerias Across the U.S.

Joe’s Station House Pizza Pub

Normal, Illinois

Joe’s is a modern, yet traditional pizzeria. The community-driven shop opened in 2009. Joe’s responded well to the COVID19 crisis. “We’ve completely adjusted our entire operation from being nearly 85-percent dine in to being 100-percent curbside/delivery,” says co-owner Joseph Wargo. “We had things like online ordering/3rd party delivery, so it made the early stages go quicker, but definitely not easier. We added at home pizza-/pretzel-making kits to give families something we enjoy at home with our own family.” Joe’s offers a diverse menu of apps burgers, sandwiches and pizzas. Hands down, he says the best thing on the menu is the Italian Beef Roll. “We use a thin sliced Italian beef from Chicago, house shredded/blended mozzarella cheese and wrap it in our fresh dough,” he says. “Then it’s baked and brushed with garlic butter, cut into dunkable strips and served with the Au jus from the beef, aka gravy. It’s literally the thing our fans say is a ‘must have’”.

Sammy G’s Pizzeria

San Jose, California

Sammy G’s is a trendy spot that serves up thin-crust pizza, craft beer and tot-chos. Wait, what? Tot-chos are customizable tater tot nachos. Pizza combinations are creative, too, from the Buffalo Mac and cheese pizza to the Banh Mi Lover, based on the Vietnamese sandwich. The pizzeria has a lineup of breakfast pizzas served all day, like the Huevos Rancheros Pizza. Sammy’s focusted on feeding first responders and medical workers during the COVID19 pandemic.

DaddyO’s Pizza

Houston, Texas

DaddyO’s operates three locations. Its first wood-fired pizzeria opened in 1995. Even before the pandemic, DaddyO’s has been community centric with a Houston strong approach. The pizzerias have maintained a menu of apps, salads, subs, calzones, pastas, pizzas and desserts. A popular specialty pie is the Queens Meat Lovers with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, Italian sausage, ground beef, fresh garlic and whole-milk mozzarella. Bronx Bomber is also a big hit with pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, jalapeños, fresh garlic, whole-milk mozzarella and house pizza sauce.

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A Neapolitan Dream Realized

Louisville, Kentucky-based Pizza Lupo finds a home in a surprising place

Max Balliet dreamed of opening a Neapolitan restaurant since he was teenager. A decade and a half later, Pizza Lupo was born with authentic Neapolitan pizza, fresh pasta and an atmosphere befitting the streets of Naples.

Max Balliet

“When I was a teenager, I took a trip to Italy,” Max says. “That was the first time I had ever seen Italian-style pizza period, but that was the first time I had ever seen Neapolitan pizza. There is a lot to get wrapped up in with the romance of it with the wood-burning oven and these cool dudes that are working the peels. And then you get this pizza and it’s different than anything you have ever had, and you realize pretty quickly that this is a style that is rooted in the absolute origins of pizza.”

After the life-changing trip, Max began working in restaurants with wood-burning ovens, learning from classically-trained chefs and advancing to a sous chef position in Louisville, Kentucky.

At 25, he veered in a completely different direction and started a taco food truck. “It was an opportunity to be my own boss, be the owner of a business with the lowest overhead I could figure out,” he says of the Holy Mole truck.

This was at the genesis of the food truck movement. “At that time in Louisville, there weren’t any other food trucks, he says. “There were a lot of legislations and we sat in on a lot of city hall meetings to do all the legwork to get the laws written on how they could do it. It definitely formed how I look at business and dealing with the city and communities just to do what it is that you want to do.”

While attaining business acumen, Max also gained a high-profile culinary prominence for his unique take on gourmet-style tacos.

But, in the back of his mind was that Neapolitan restaurant. He teamed up with his sister Sarah (Balliet) and her husband Adam Turla to find the perfect location and open what would be named Pizza Lupo. Sarah and Adam are also members of the touring Indie rock band Murder By Death.

Lupo is the partners’ first venture into restaurant ownership. While other locations didn’t pan out, there was something about a circa-1860 brick house off the beaten path in the Butchertown neighborhood. “It’s tucked away, and we are literally absconded by this 10-foot flood wall,” Max says. “When I first laid eyes on it, I said this is a spot where if we are going to do any business out here, we need to have something different. This needs to be a destination. People are not going to go to a destination location without a purpose so we need to throw out the idea of doing anything that anyone can get anywhere more convenient… If there is a destination concept that I can put into this location, it’s Neapolitan pizza.”

The Balliets and Turla undertook a complete renovation in 2016. “When we bought it, it had been converted into an art studio, but it still retained all the features of the house,” Max says. “We replace every floor joist in that building, took them out and made the bar out of them and tried to reclaim all the wood we could.”

During the buildout, they paid particular attention to the sound to create that intimate atmosphere they wanted. “We had a buddy who is a sound engineer build these baffles that we have all over the ceiling,” Max says. “It was just night and day. You could tell the difference in the echoes and just the coziness of the room.”

After a year-long renovation and community-wide anticipation, Lupo opened to crowds of diners to its 75-seat dining room. Max handles the day-to-day operations of Lupo. He says, they fine-tuned everything for the opening to be ready for the rush. “The biggest key to a successful opening is to expect there to be a crowd and know how to handle it,” he says, adding that the opening went seamlessly.

Lupo’s opening menu of Neapolitan pizza and seasonally-focused pasta dishes was a hit in the Louisville market, not accustomed to Neapolitan pizza. A big key to its initial success, Max says, was “guiding people and letting them know this is a little bit different than what you are used to.”

Its focused pizza menu has less than 10 pies. The Margherita is always popular. A local hit is the Sting Like A Bee with sopressata, spicy local honey, tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil. White pies include the Moonchild with Taleggio, potato, Moroccan olives and an oyster mushroom béchamel.

Max mixes up the pizza menu with seasonal specials, like the Salsiccia pie with fennel sausage, anchovy rapini, buttermilk ricotta and mozzarella.

Lupo’s scratch pasta focus has grown since opening. In the beginning, pizza outsold pasta 80/20 percent. Now it’s a 60/40 balance. Max attributes the rise in popularity of pasta dishes to incorporating more classics like carbonara to accompany the less familiar seasonal pastas.

Throughout the menu, high-dollar ingredients can be found, from oysters on the antipasti menu to sopressata and n’duja on the pizza menu. “Expensive ingredients, you just have to know how to price it and you have to know how to incorporate it into a dish,” Max says. “With proteins on pizza especially Neapolitan style, less is more.”

The presentation of every menu item is precise and beautiful. Lupo is very strategic about its social media. Most posts are dedicated to jaw-dropping food photography, behind the scenes kitchen video and a focus on new food and beverage items.

The intricacies of Lupo’s scratch menu excites its 20-member team. The employee culture is engaged and educational. “I feel so honored and lucky to have the people I do,” Max says. “We have folks that genuinely see what we are doing and appreciate it and get excited about it.

“That’s a dream come true to be in an environment of like-minded people that want to learn and grow together,” he says.

Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, Lupo has temporarily closed after shifting the Neapolitan dine-in concept to takeout only. “We had some long conversations and we decided to completely shut down,” Max says. “It’s such a heartbreaking thing to do. It’s something I never thought we would face this year completely shutting down my business. It’s my baby. We’re making plans for when this is something in the past. (Right now), we are biding our time.”

Max says, he misses that family. During the shutdown, the restaurant has operated as a grocery for its employees who have been laid off.

At the beginning of May, Kentucky restaurants were still restricted to carryout and delivery only. Max says, “I think the reality is that nobody knows right now because it’s uncharted waters.”

As with many dine-in focused restaurants, Max waits. “Going forward depending on what they are saying is the safest way we can do it, we’ll operate business in that way first and foremost.”

As the restrictions subside, Max says, “I’m excited to get back to work. I think like everybody is. Let’s take this time that when we are through this, let’s take everything for granted a little bit less.”

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today On the Road: Pizza Lupo, Louisville, KY appeared first on Pizza Today.

Chris Decker,

Las Vegas pizza maker Chris Decker stepping into the spotlight a bit with new concept in the works

For well more than a decade Chris Decker quietly built a reputation as one of America’s finest pizza makers behind the scenes. As John Arena’s prized pupil at Metro Pizza in Las Vegas, Decker’s inquisitiveness, passion for perfection and dedication to all things related to the craft earned him the respect and admiration of his peers in the industry. Eventually word got out that if you want a high-level Sicilian crust, Decker was the guy with whom you needed to speak.

Driven to learn, content to stay in the shadows and yet eager to share knowledge, big-name pizza makers soon counted him amongst their ranks. The first to recognize his considerable talents, the aforementioned Arena — Decker’s mentor — sings his praises any chance he gets.

“He is, without question, one of the finest pizza makers in the country,” Arena says. “He’s never sought attention for himself. He’s always been happy to hang out in the kitchen and do his thing and not step into the spotlight. But he deserves his due. He’s an incredibly brilliant guy, a world-class pizza maker and anyone who has worked with him will tell you that.”

While filming a pizza demonstration for Pizza Today recently, Audrey Kelly of Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder, Colorado, walked viewers through the steps she takes to produce her Sicilian pie. She makes only 10 per day, and when they’re sold out, they’re sold out. When asked where she turned when she was learning to make a Sicilian pizza, the answer came readily: “Chris Decker in Las Vegas,” she said.

John Arena walks alongside the make table at one of his Metro Pizza locations and grabs a pan with a par-baked dough. He’s going to make us a Sicilian, but not because we need more food for the photo shoot. He’s already made us plenty of pizzas to photograph. No, he wanted us to see something with our own eyes and feel it with our own hands and mouths.

“Mine will be pretty good if I’m having a good day,” the humble and self-deprecating Arena says. “But Chris’, when you have his, you’ll notice the difference. He does it just a little bit differently during the process, and the end result is … well, it’s just better.”

Decker says his goal when making a Sicilian is for the finished crust “to look heavy as a brick, but feel light as a feather.”

And it does.

Arena was right: there was just something special about Decker’s.

Same formula, same ingredients, slightly different mix, according to Arena. Says Decker: “John’s pizzas are always amazing. He pours his heart and soul into them. He has taught me a lot over the years.”

But what you can’t teach, at least not easily, is passion. Either deep down in your gut you want to be the best and are fueled by a fire to excel, or you aren’t. Not everyone has that drive, that it factor, that burning desire to transcend mediocre and good and settle for nothing less than great. Those who have it are the ones who stand out. Decker, says Arena, has it.

“And that’s why it’s so important to me, especially now as I’m getting older, to really recognize Chris and everything he does and to shine the spotlight on him,” he says. “He’s never wanted that, but it’s time. The industry needs to know how good he is and he deserves to be up on that stage with the best of the best.”

To that end, Arena decided to give Decker his own concept. When we were in Las Vegas visiting Metro Pizza, we went to see the location that one day will be brought to life with, as Arena says, “Whatever Chris wants it to be.”

Explains Arena: “It’s going to be totally Chris’ concept. He can do whatever he wants with it and I’ll support it. He’s making all the decisions on equipment, ingredients, menu, name … everything. It’s all his.”

For his part, Decker is obviously excited about the opportunity.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he says. “It’s going to be stressful — it already is — and challenging, but fun. I’ve had a lot of opportunities over the years to go out on my own but never wanted to. I’ve always been happy with what I was doing. With this, it’s exciting because I have John’s support every step of the way and can lean on him. I don’t even know what I’m going to call it yet. I’ve had so many ideas and so many names, but nothing has stuck yet.

“It’s going to be a spot where everyone is friends and everyone knows they’re welcome. A place where friends go to hang out and not rush. So I thought about using ‘friends’ in the name somehow to reflect that, but I really don’t know yet. We’ll come up with something that feels right, but we haven’t really hit on it yet.”

While we were in Vegas to tour Metro and got the news of this new development, everything was in the early planning stages. Decker says he “has a general feel for where I want to go with the menu and we’re figuring out the equipment needs now and the ingredients and working off a skeleton outline and filling in the blanks as we go. It’s been really eye opening. The whole process. And I have John’s expertise and experience to help guide me and make it a little easier. It has definitely given me a lot of respect for anyone who has opened a restaurant before. When you’ve been doing this as long as I have, and you’re around all these people in the industry at Pizza Expo and on trips to Italy and get to know them and talk to them about their businesses, you have a pretty good understanding of what it takes to get a restaurant up and going. But even then something always comes along that surprises you. It’s very challenging, rewarding, trying, invigorating … all of those things. It’s going to be a fun ride.”

While Decker wasn’t exactly sure when his new Vegas concept would open to the public, we pledged to check in periodically and will get some video updates posted to PizzaToday.com later this year!

In the meantime, we want to hear about how the COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting your pizzeria. Send us an e-mail or a short video to the attention of our Editor-in-Chief, Jeremy White: jwhite@pizzatoday.com.

Jeremy White is Editor-in-Chief  at Pizza Today.

The post Chris Decker: New Horizons appeared first on Pizza Today.

Avalanche Pizza, Athens, Ohio

When area schools shut down, John Gutekanst and his team sprang into action to make bagged lunches for kids in need. The initiative has since expanded to a community effort with food donations and volunteers. In March, Avalanche helped feed nearly 1,000 people.

Your Pizza Shop, Akron, Ohio

Your Pizza Shop has rallied its community to get behind its #AkronMealsForKids. In the program’s first four days, they prepared 4,860 slices of pizza and 500 bagged lunches that ultimately fed 2,000 children.

Polpettina, Larchmont, New York

The Italian restaurant is working with the Junior League of Bronxsville in “Feeding the Frontlines” to help drop food to hospitals, police, fire and EMS.

Liberty Hall Pizza, Lambertsville, New Jersey

The pizzeria has closed its doors to the public but the team is still making Neapolitan pizza — Pizzas for the Pantry! They have created frozen pizzas to distribute to a local food bank. They’ve even set up a fundraising to increase their efforts.

Nikoli’s Pizza, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

Nikoli’s is spreading #pizzaonearth. The pizzeria has partnered with “Angels on Earth” in directly feeding the homeless, sponsoring a luncheon for the local fire department and much more. Nikoli’s is coordinating the luncheon, making the food and delivering it those in need.

The post Destinations: Pizzerias Answer Call to Serve Amid COVID 19 appeared first on Pizza Today.

The Long View

Las Vegas’ Metro Pizza has been evolving from the start, and that has led to long-term success

What would it take for you to pack up your belongings and move all the way across the country to open a pizzeria in a place you’ve never been? In 1980, after receiving a degree in film, a young and enterprising John Arena did just that.

“I wanted to do something that resonated with me and was meaningful to me,” he says. “I realized there were a million other people graduating from film school who were more talented than I was, and they weren’t getting a job either.”

John Arena, co-owner, Metro Pizza

He adds: “by the time I was graduating from college, I realized I really wanted to be a pizza maker. I grew up in a pizza family. My family owned some pizzerias on Long Island. My dad, my mom, my uncles and aunts all worked in pizzerias. Most kids devalue what their parents are doing until they grow up a little bit. When I started to grow up, I realized pizza is the coolest thing. Everyone knew my family, everyone comes to our neighborhood pizzeria. We are part of the social fabric of our neighborhood, and I started to see the value in that. I started to respect the value in that and to respect the responsibility of crafting food with your hands that becomes part of someone’s body.”

It wasn’t long after Arena got involved making pizzas before an unusual opportunity cropped up.

“We found a guy that had a pizzeria in Las Vegas that he wanted to sell,” Arena says. “He was a New York guy and he didn’t want to train anybody. So he advertised for one day in an Italian language newspaper in New York. One of my uncles saw the ad, cut it out of the newspaper, and threw it down in front of me and my cousin because we were always talking about getting out of New York and opening our own place out West. He said, ‘Are you going to talk about it, or are you going to do it?’ We called the guy up and he was willing to hold a note if we gave him a small down payment. So we came out here, gave the down payment, he handed us the keys and his address and said, ‘Send me my check. This is where I’ll be.’ We never saw the guy again. There was no contact other than mailing him a check every month until he was paid off. He wanted out of Las Vegas and he wanted out fast.”

That pizzeria eventually turned into Metro Pizza, the renowned juggernaut that’s so well known throughout our industry today. But, first, there were lots of preconceived notions to get out of the way.

Arena says it did not take him long once he was in Vegas to figure out that the pizza he grew up on wasn’t the only type of pizza out there. In fact, he can tell you exactly when he figured that out, nearly to the minute.

“I recall exactly when I realized it,” he says. “I realized it when I opened my doors on my first day, June first, 1980, Sunday, at 11 o’clock. The first customer who walked in was from Philadelphia. He asked me if I could make a tomato pie. I said, ‘What’s that?’ He said, ‘That’s real pizza.’ I was taken aback. In my eyes, like every New Yorker, the sun set and rose with New York and New York pizza was the defining pizza of America. The very next customer that walked in the door right behind them was from Detroit. We were like, ‘Wait a minute. Something’s going on here that we’re not aware of.’

“Thankfully we were young enough and flexible enough to realize we’d better figure some things out because people from all over the country and all over the world would be coming to Vegas.”

That’s how that pizza establishment, which he and his cousin had named The Original New York Pizza, grew into Metro.

“We immediately realized we needed to change that name because we were excluding styles from other places,” Arena says. “We immediately started the transition. It took us a few years, but we eventually changed the name to Metro Pizza, the impetus being that we were representing pizza styles from a variety of metropolitan areas.”

Ever since taking that first step in the process, Metro has been on a continuous path of evolution. That, says Arena, is key to its survival and its ability to thrive for decades. After all, he says, pizza itself hasn’t stood still. It, too, has drastically changed.

“Even the guys that claim to be purists, are they really doing what they did 75 years ago?” he asks. “Absolutely not. Because the ingredients themselves have changed. The thing that’s really important to remember, in my opinion, is that we have all these people in certain regions of the country that proudly state their pizza hasn’t changed in 50 years. Well, that’s great. Congratulations. You’ve built a museum. I’ll probably get hate mail over that, but if you haven’t changed your pizza in 70 years … your customer has changed. What they’ve been exposed to and what resonates with them is totally different. That’s why it’s so important to go to Pizza Expo, because you need to get that perspective.”

Fifty years ago, says Arena, pizza “was craft, but there wasn’t a lot of science and precision or evaluation. If you were lucky enough to be mentored by somebody who made a good pizza, then you were lucky and you made good pizzas, too. There was no intentional variation or experimentation.

“The fermentation times were shorter because we didn’t have the storage space because pizzerias were tiny. Why did Lombardi’s use a coal-fired oven? Because that’s the type of oven that was available in that building. That’s the major difference between then and today. Today there are conscious choices being made that weren’t available to the older pizzerias. Back then the choices were dictated by the environment and accessibility.”

What spurred that change?

“One of the things that happened is exposure,” Arena explains. “If you lived in New York 50 years ago you weren’t even aware there was another style of pizza. There was just pizza made in New York and that was it. Now we have places in New York that are thriving on other styles of pizza, such as Detroit-style pizza. Just the spread of information opens up new opportunities and new perspectives on what pizza really is. It’s not just in the United States, either. Pizza has changed in Italy, even, too.”

How has Metro Pizza been able to remain relevant in the industry for so long?

“It’s about staying connected,” Arena says. “When I’m in the restaurant, I’m often still making pizzas. And you see that with people like Tony Gemignani all the time. Go to San Francisco and go into his place and he’s covered with flour and sauce. He’s the most talented pizza maker in the country and one of the most knowledgeable pizza makers in the world and he’s making pizzas. Not because he has to, but because he wants to and that’s who he is.”

When asked if it ever seems rote, if whether his 81st pizza of the day seems less than enjoyable, Arena was quick to answer.

“I’m mindful that every time I take a dough ball out of a tray, I have an opportunity to do something good or something not so good,” he says. “Not only am I feeling the dough and looking at the dough, I’m also mindful of the fact that what’s going to happen to that dough is the sum total of who I am at that exact moment. I’m thinking about that. I’m thinking about how I transmit what’s in my mind and heart into that particular pizza.”

Jeremy White is Editor-in-Chief at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today on the Road: Metro Pizza, Las Vegas, NV appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Across the U.S.

Amici | Maryville, TN

“Amici,” meaning “friends,” and it’s the heart of the business from conception to day-to-day operations. Inspired by his own experience with authentic Italian cuisine while living in Europe, Amici owner and head chef, Chris Thompson opened Amici in June 2019. With fresh pastas and pizzas from scratch, Thompson combines the traditional Italian cooking techniques with local, southern ingredients. The menu changing daily, based on what’s in season. It’s focused on starters, pizza, pastas and beer and wine. Starters include Short Rib Arancini with roasted garlic risotto, red wine braised beef, mozzarella and Pomodoro. The Tessa Pizza is made using fresh pulled mozzarella Stracciatella, a house-cured Tessa pancetta and local greens. The Potato has a ricotta base with local potatoes, caramelized cippolini, rosemary, honey and mozzarella. Pastas include the Bison Meatballs with spaghetti, roasted red pepper marinara and Pecorino.

Hail Mary Pizza | Los Angeles, California

The small and cozy Hail Mary has a huge following in Atwater Village. The pizzeria has created a strong connection between its local farmers and customers. The pizza dough consists of a significant amount of whole wheat flour and it’s made using wild yeast. Its seasonal pizza menu features pies like the rad-boi with marinated radicchio, Gouda, mozzarella, confit tomato and garlic. The Casanova is topped with mixed mushrooms, ricotta, caramelized onions, Mornay sauce and arugula. The Madison features winter greens, mozzarella, raclette, garlic and lemon. Hail Mary has a unique variation on wings. The four-spice rubbed chicken wings has a peach glaze and giardiniera.

The Gypsy Poet | Houston, Texas

The Gypsy Poet is a newcomer on the Houston pizza scene. It’s an artsy pizzeria serving up artisan pies. It has an eclectic vibe with live music and poetry. The menu is small and straight-forward: pizzas, salads and desserts. The pizza presentation is a standout. Pizza is placed on parchment paper on a metal tray and finishing ingredients lie beautifully around the pie. Pies include the Cappellone “Big Hat” with tomato sauce, fior di latte, mozzarella, Portobello mushroom caps, shallots and Italian sausage. The Dream Catcher features tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, fior di latte, truffle oil, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, arugula and green onions.

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A look at pizzeria destinations across the U.S.

Cascarino’s Brick Oven Pizzeria & Ristorante | Montgomery, NY

Cascarino’s has been serving its community for just under 20 years. “Our pizzeria is defined by the outstanding customer service, as well as the authenticity and quality of our food,” says owner Anthony Cascarino, who always greets every customer with a “hello” and “goodbye”. It’s a family affair with Anthony’s wife, Diane; son, Anthony Jr. and his wife, Marisa; and son, Vincent and his daughter, Breanna, along with her husband, Robert, making the restaurant truly family owned and operated. “Along with our amazing traditional cheese pizza, Sicilians, and grandma pizzas, we have a tremendous following for all of our specialty pizzas. One pizza that has taken off recently is the Wild Boar, which features hot soppressata, sweet capicola, fresh basil, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella and shaved sharp provolone.”

Gracie’s Apizza | Portland, Oregon

This food turned brick-and-mortar pizzeria blazed onto Portland’s pizza scene with its opening last September. Gracie’s built its fan base all over Portland from a food truck that began rolling in 2018. Owner Craig Melillo calls Gracie’s pizza style neo-New Haven-style. People love the classic Tomato with red sauce, fresh oregano, garlic and grated Pecorino. The pizza menu also offers a half a dozen other pies. The Onion Pie is topped with red sauce, basil, red onions, onion cream and mozzarella. Briney Pie features red sauce, oregano, Castelvetrano olives, oil-cured olives, capers and herbs. Gracie’s even serves house-made ice cream, including a brown sugar ice cream with cognac preserved plums.

Sonny’s Pizza | Washington, D.C.

Nestled in the Park View Neighborhood, Sonny’s has become famous for its grandma slices and cool restaurant vibe. Its huge outdoor seating is called the Pizza Garden, equipped with a patio food truck for easy pizza and beverage ordering.  The inside is just as hip with unique booths. Sonny’s menu is concise with four to five options of slices and whole pies. Slices are classic pepperoni, cheese, mushroom or sausage and peppers. Whole pies include the Pesky Mario with tomato, mozzarella, mushrooms, rapini and Calabrian chilies. Sonny’s also menus a handful of sandwiches, a few salads, garlic knots and meatballs.

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Steel & Velcro

Steel sharpens steel. Being around the best makes you better. Knowing great people helps you become a part of their greatness. If you want to have a restaurant with no competition, I suggest you open a pizzeria in the middle of a desert. You’ll have absolutely no competition. You’ll also have no customers. Being a part of your restaurant scene locally as well as gleaning knowledge from industry colleagues allows you to avoid the nothingness and isolation of the owner who wants to go it alone. Nothing about business is done as a solo act, especially not a restaurant.

Any restaurant can become a debilitating and lonesome life for the entrepreneur that starts it. All your best intentions to help give people jobs and to be a part of a community can feel hollow when you’re closing out the cash drawer after midnight alone with only yourself to depend on. You feel like you’re the only one in the world who’s ever done this. You factually are not, not even at that moment are you the only one doing that.

There are lots of other pizzeria and restaurant owners across America doing the same thing. However, you don’t know them, and they can’t tell you, and you’re not mutually benefiting from each other’s experience.  I’m not suggesting you’re solely missing out on a shoulder to cry on or on a friend to say. “You can do it.” You are, but you’re also missing out on that other person’s experiences and how they strived through it. You are missing out on their example and their proof that there are more prospective and approaches to your current plight than the ones you have created.

I am no genius. I’ve learned a lot of lessons by getting my ass handed to me and from seeing what other peers in my community or across America have done in the same instance. My superpower is being able to tell myself that I probably suck at something and, therefore, could stand to learn from someone else’s example. Seeking to learn proactively from others enhances those relationships to not only be positive outlets to lean on, but also extends them as opportunities for growth.

Knowing people across the world who do this helps me be better. From visiting J. B. Alberto’s in Chicago to watch an insane make line that does 300 deliveries a night without a third-party delivery service. Or being on the line at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco and watching multiple ovens working in tandem from different stations all for a cohesive execution. Knowing other people in the industry, factually has made my pizzeria, Andolini’s, better.

That’s because steel sharpens steel and learning from colleagues makes you better. It’s helped me so much that I went out of my way in the last two years to engage with local entrepreneurs outside of the restaurant industry to see what helps them be successful. As much as steel sharpens steel, Velcro is worthless if it’s just the plastic hooks or only the fuzzy sides. Having the opposite of each other together makes Velcro become Velcro. Being surrounded by restaurant people is good, but it keeps your blinders on to our world. Knowing other entrepreneurs and business owners in your local community that has nothing to do with pizza is beneficial as well.

Entrepreneurial guilt and all the things that you have on your mind that you don’t want to dump on your staff because it would be inappropriate means you’ve got to dump it somewhere. For a lot of people, just dumping your problems on your spouse may not be how you want to spend your limited time with them.

Finding a network of like-minded entrepreneurs that you can rely on and that can depend on you, and having that resource is the key to not only being a better business person but also a better person in general. It’s not just networking where you give your card to some random character at the Chamber of Commerce. That’s not what I’m referencing. I’m talking about deep, meaningful relationships with those in your community that you can trust as well as they can trust you. I say that because this life is not an easy path.

One big key to being around other high-level Type-A personality entrepreneurs is not to be a jerk. Please don’t give your advice as a know it all, instead, give your experience on what you did wrong or how you handled something similar. The other person can gather what they want from it and be better without being told what to do by you or vice versa. We are all accustomed to telling employees precisely what to do so that we know it gets done. However, in terms of helping peers, for a more significant impact, I try to do the opposite.

Pizza Expo is like summer camp for me; I see my camp friends face to face, the people I have been texting and calling all year. I didn’t walk into these relationships day one, they’ve been curated over time, but they’ve made an indelible mark on me that allows me to gain clarity and maintain focus. I highly encourage you to attend and create relationships with the people in this industry, and Pizza Expo is a prime place to start.

To be your own boss means you sign up for an 80-hour-a-week career to avoid working a 40 hour a week job. The other people that get that can and should be your support system when everything goes to crap, which inevitably it will.  Talking to others about the scary financial stuff and failures is cathartic, and only those people not directly impacted by your hardships are the ones who can help, maintain perspective, and not be adversely affected by your venting like an employee would be. The same goes for your wins; it’s hard to tell a staff member or friend about how great sales are without them becoming jealous or envious.

Having someone to share the wins and the failures that aren’t directly affected by either of them is the key to successful peer-to-peer relationships in the modern work landscape.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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San Diego-based Woodstock’s Pizza strikes balance of legendary and relevant status

In November 2019, San Diego-based Woodstock’s Pizza became the highest performing independent pizzeria in the U.S., moving up to No. 1 on Pizza Today’s Hot 100 Independent Pizzerias list.

Pizza Today sat down with co-owners Jeff and Laura Ambrose at the Pacific Beach location to learn more about the eight-unit, $22.5 million pizza company in Southern California.

Rooted in college communities, Woodstock’s has carved out an over 40-year niche with pivotal moments that have driven its success and changed its course.

Jeff and Laura Ambrose, co-owners at Woodstock’s Pizza

Building a Legacy

Chuck Woodstock founded the first Woodstock’s Pizza in 1977 near Oregon State University in Corvallis, creating the foundation, principles and brand that are still present today. Chuck added a partner, Mike Chew, in 1980 as Woodstock’s opened its second store in San Luis Obispo.

While Jeff began as a delivery driver at that original location, he was quickly promoted to help open two locations in Santa Barbara and Chico. It was then that Chuck and Chew asked Jeff to be a partner on the San Diego State University location.   

Tragically, Chuck and Chew were killed in a private plane crash on their way to Pizza Expo in 1985, leaving family to oversee Woodstock’s Pizza. Jeff was later named Woodstock’s president.

Jeff and Laura purchased the California restaurants in 2001. Chuck’s wife Carol Lee retained sole ownership of the original location in Oregon.

The Ambroses have held true to Chuck’s vision. “We tried to hold on to many of the things that he originally started with this business,” Laura says. “We still use the same sauce recipe. We still do the fold over on the crust. We still have the same focus for the overall business. We still believe in his philosophies of a taste of every topping in every bite. There are certain things that he set out as a philosophy, even sharing ownership with the management team was a foundation of his business.”

“And evolve it and grow it,” Jeff adds. The Ambroses went on to expand Woodstock’s reach in California, adding stores in Santa Cruz and Pacific Beach.

Decades of Evolution

The Ambroses have approached Woodstock’s decades of evolution with a focus on the fundamentals and a keen eye on what’s next.

Woodstock’s Pizza is that pizzeria in its college communities that has reached a legendary, nostalgic status. It’s achieved this through adapting to the communities and customers. Each location has a large footprint with a capacity of 100 to 250 guests. They also have brand-unifying elements, while also being unique to the communities they serve. The signature tongue and groove wooden benches, brick and a young, hip vibe connect the locations. 

Woodstock’s has modified its traditional counter-service style to incorporate food runners and even testing a combination server model in its newest locations.

Staying relevant is always top-of-mind with Ambroses and vital to Woodstock’s growth. “We want to continue to have that kind of legendary status of what people love about the name and the brand but you still need it to be cool,” Laura says. “It means we can’t just be time warp on 1980 to still look relevant in 2020.”

The biggest changes and upgrades can be found at Woodstock’s two newest buildouts. The Chico store was relocated after the building was flooded and San Luis Obispo took over the neighboring square footage. Both locations received a complete remodel and updated look.

They created a unique space in San Luis Obispo called The Backyard, giving it an outdoors feel and it has been a big hit. “It was a decision that we were very successful there and we wanted to not be chasing away business. We decided to take the space next door to us,” Jeff says, adding that doubling its size sparked a 30-percent sales increase year-over-year.

The Chico location has incorporated more bar-height seating and introduced red cup chandeliers that Laura says is a branding design element moving forward.

Woodstock’s menu has grown from three combinations to nearly a dozen, a rotating mix of innovative pies balanced with the staples. The menu varies slightly at the stores to bring in local favorites. The beer offering went from three drafts to 24 and better wine choices. They’ve switched to more environmentally-friendly practices, like using washable, reusable dinnerware instead paper and plastic for dine-in and investing in recyclable to-go containers and compostable pizza boxes.

“What we recognize as we go through these iterations is that the market is changing and even amongst college students, there is much more interest in diversity of flavors and more of the range of beverage choices,” Laura says. “To stay relevant with a youthful audience we recognize that we need to be constantly aware of where the market is changing and moving in that direction without chasing fads, instead seeing that these are long-term trends and we need to be on top of that.”

Jeff adds, “We are trying to stay, as Laura, said, relevant, but at the same time appealing to the nostalgia of Woodstock Festival and just being around as long as we have been around. But it’s a constant reviewing of what’s going on, taking feedback from customers. Laura is really good about getting market data and surveys and trying to keep abreast of what people are looking for.”

Empowering Employees

In the beginning, it was Chuck, Chew and Jeff leading the charge. Then it became Jeff and Laura. “A long time ago, I wanted more out of owning this business than owning a job or buying a job. If it can’t run without me day-to-day, to me it’s not a business,” Jeff says. “We tried to build a team around us that can run everything operationally.” Today, Woodstock’s has a 13-member administrative team who oversees the stores, from marketing and finances to IT and human resources.

Woodstock’s has roughly 420 employees and frontline employees are at the heart of the operation. Jeff says they apply a servant-leadership model to employee management. “My job is to serve the people that are on our administrative team, whose job is to in turn serve the general manager/assistant general manager, who then support the shift managers and hourly team members, then ultimately supporting the customers,” he says. “Instead of a normal pyramid organizational structure, we actually turn the pyramid upside down. It’s really the approach that I try to give our people the tools that they need to be successful.”

Its core values impact every facet of the business. “Our core values spell out FUELS, which is fun, uniqueness, excellence, loyalty and service,” Laura says. “It does start with fun. And we do believe that working at Woodstock’s should be fun, no matter how many people you have and how insane it gets in the restaurant, it still can be pretty fun.”

FUELS attracts their target employees — college students. While other restaurants may stray away from hiring college students, Woodstock’s recruits them. “That is a very deliberate decision…,” Laura says. “We know the vast majority of our crew members will be moving on because they are in college and they have other career goals. However, when they are with us, they are so positive, full of energy, intelligent, motivated that we think it is a great trade off to have them for the time that we do have them.”

Through Woodstock’s “Make It Right” philosophy, frontline employees are empowered to help solve guest issues. “We have our philosophy and secret to service called Make It Right,” Jeff says. “If we mess up, our credo is to make it right for the customer, whatever you need to do to make that happen.”

In addition to competitive pay, Woodstock’s prides itself on providing team members with flexible scheduling. “It’s really important to us that we exhibit loyalty to our employees and that they in turn will be loyal to us,” Jeff says.

For those who want to advance with Woodstock’s, the company offers an employee stock ownership plan and a vigorous manager-trainee program.

Strengthening Communities

Woodstock’s Pizza has become a fixture in the communities, not just the colleges they serve.

“There is no doubt that we have had our strengths in California college markets,” Laura says. “That continues to be what our focus is. But what we’ve also realized over the years is that where we’ve managed to keep a very high volume in times when the universities aren’t in session is by also having a strong connection with the community. So ideally, we want to have a great mix of college age as well as community members enjoying it together.”

Chico is a prime example. The town is near Paradise, which was destroyed by the Camp wildfire in 2018. Woodstock’s continually fundraises for fire victims. Each store holds several youth and school fundraisers. Last year, Woodstock’s donated more than $200,000 back to local groups.

Woodstock’s has no plans to slow down. Jeff, Laura and the entire team are taking the company’s 40 years of experience to push into the 2020s with vigor.

Watch as Jeff and Laura offer essential advice to other operators in the On the Road video series available at pizzatoday.com/news/videos/ or @PizzaToday on YouTube.

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today On the Road: Woodstock’s Pizza, San Diego, CA appeared first on Pizza Today.

Movin’ On Up

La Jolla-based Regents Pizzeria skyrockets from $500,000 to over $5 million in sales

Regents Pizzeria in La Jolla, California, is a powerhouse of a single-unit restaurant, generating 5.2 million in annual gross sales in 2019. Its staggering sales earned Regents a spot in the Top 50 on Pizza Today’s 2019 Hot 100 Independent Pizzerias list.

Pizza Today visited Regents in January to find out what drives its success. Co-owner Bill Vivian summed up the restaurant brilliantly. “Magic happens when you have those three elements of food, service, facility on a bedrock of a solid culture,” he says.

Regents Pizzeria’s rise initiated long before it moved into its beautiful 4,100 square-foot corner restaurant in December of 2014.

In 2005, a talented chef, Stephen Carson, bought the under-performing pizzeria in the back of a commercial center in La Jolla near University of California San Diego. It was across the parking lot from from where it currently resides. The 1,100 square-foot pizzeria served New York and Chicago-style pizza. Carson kept the name and pizza styles.

Left to Right: Assistant GM Dani Dami, GM/Partner Cary Reutter and co-owner Bill Vivian

General Manager Cary Reutter joined the team eight months after Carson took over the restaurant. Reutter, Carson and Vivian set out to refine the concept and apply Carson’s philosophies on food.

“We actually built that from half a million to $2.5 million in that tiny little space by the end of 2014,” Vivian says. Restaurateurs often ask Vivian how Regents was able to increase its sales so significantly in the same space. “It was all about improving food quality and service quality,” he says. While others in the market attempted to level pricing by any means necessary, “We chose to improve the ingredients and raise the prices,” says Vivian, who joined the partnership in 2008.

Vivian says he and Carson also spent a lot of time traveling to restaurants regionally and around the country benchmarking operations that excelled in various aspects of the business. It helped them shape their operation and employee culture.

Just as the pizzeria was building momentum, tragedy struck. Carson developed Melanoma and died in 2011, leaving Cason’s wife and father, along with Vivian and newly joined Reutter as partners of the restaurant.

Before his passing, Carson and Vivian visited Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles. They loved the restaurant so much that later Vivian says they tracked down its architect, George Kelly, to design the new restaurant.

Kelly created a sleek, modern yet comfortable restaurant. With an expansive covered patio, large windows and an elegant ceramic-tiled façade, it stands out in its commercial center. The patio is below street level giving its awning a direct street view to hypnotize passersby on a busy thoroughfare with Regents’ motto repeated three times: “Eat more pizza, drink more beer, be more happy.”

Inside, the counter-service restaurant is hip with concrete floors, wooden tables and walls and dispersed honeycomb structured sound-absorbing ceiling tiles. Part-décor, part signage directs customers exactly where to go and what to do.

Vivian says Carson would be happy with what they’ve done.

Joining the conversation was Dani Dami, who took a summer job at Regents and quickly rose to supervisor, then assistant manager. Today, he’s assistant general manager. Vivian is quick to give credit to Dami and Reutter. “All three of us are co-creators of this concept,” he says.

Vivian, Reutter and Dami know the business inside and out. “We are fanatic about numbers. We know everything about our business. We divide our business into five business segments,” Vivian says. The segments are delivery, pickup, takeout, dine-in and beverage only, some of which have multiple sub-categories. “We’re always challenging ourselves how do we build each single daypart,” he adds. We don’t think about the business as a whole only. We think about each segment of the business.”

Authenticity of its menu runs through its staff and guests. “The single most important thing to us is quality and authenticity in our food and our guest experience,” Vivian says.

Pizza is 65 percent of food sales with New York outselling Chicago two to one. “But surprisingly Chicago in Southern California is very popular and that’s driven a lot by our slice business,” Vivian says. “Our most popular slice is the Chicago Meat Market. Each slice that we sell of Chicago is 14 ounces. The New York’s are around a half of a pound.”

Regents offers a full menu of appetizers, pastas, sandwiches, salads and desserts. “Pastas run about five percent,” Vivian says. “Salads run a little higher at around 15. Appetizers are at about 10 to 12 percent and that includes our wings that are about five percent of our sales.

“We go through a menu refresh about once a year and we’ve just completed one,” Vivian says. “Maintaining our prime cost at 60 percent is always a challenge so our latest rounds of increases have been relatively small at three to five percent. And we chose to not increase any of the prices of our whole pies but we did increase where we thought it was appropriate in the marketplace.”

The beer program was a major emphasis in the development of the new location. “Our mission was to become one of the ten hottest beer bars in San Diego,” Vivian says. “Nine months into it San Diego Magazine’s reader poll voted us runner up for best beer selection. About a year later the Zagat Guide said we were one of the ten hottest beer bars.

“The idea to test was, ‘is there a niche for an authentic American pizzeria with authentic American craft beer that’s constantly changing and constantly rotating?’” he says. “We have 32 taps, two of them are nitro, 28 of them are CO2 and two cast conditioned beers. On that menu 24 are home to a certain style of beer and every time a beer keg kicks or runs out, we replace that beer with the same style, different brewer. It’s always changing.”

Regents takes its beer prowess very seriously. “Anyone who touches our taps are Cicerone certified because we want authenticity,” he says of the beer expert certification program. “You can’t fool San Diego guests about beer. They are extremely knowledgeable. All of our bartenders have been here since we’ve opened. They have very deep knowledge of beer styles and the beers that are on tap.”

The entire crew is well educated on their positions. “We have 23 job levels each with its own salary range, each with its own list of skills that have to be mastered for that,” Vivian says, giving dedicated crew members the opportunity to advance in the restaurant. He admits that the restaurant is very management-heavy by design. “We feel that to deliver this concept, we have to have more people watching it,” he adds. “Every day, we will have a floor manager that watches every plate that comes out of the kitchen. We have a service manager that makes sure that our service staff is achieving their expectations. On our busiest nights we will have a manager managing our delivery and takeout side and we will likely have a manager in the kitchen.”

In the end, Vivian says Regents’ people drive its success. “We do something that lots of us talk about, but very few of us do, and that’s that we are an employee-centric company — so that means we focus on the happiness of our employees.”

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today on the Road: Regents Pizzeria, La Jolla, CA appeared first on Pizza Today.

All System Go

Naples, Florida-based Il Primo Pizza & Wings elevates through mastering the fundamentals

Il Primo Pizza & Wings hasn’t reached the success it has garnered today by sitting idle. The South Florida pizza company amassed gross sales of $8.6 million with seven locations in 2019, earning the 20th spot on Pizza Today’s Hot 100 Independents list.

Its latest location opened in March 2019. The new North Port store is a slight deviation from the other locations with its smaller footprint at 2,500 square feet — the average Il Primo square footage is roughly 4,000 — and it has a fresh, new look.

Director of Operations Jonathan Schroeter, Il Primo Pizza & Wings

Every Il Primo will soon join North Port with a fresh, updated look. As Pizza Today visited Il Primo in Fort Myers, another location in Naples was undergoing an interior update. Director of Operations Jonathan Schroeter lets us in on the refurbishment. “We are in the middle of refurbishing the stores and putting money back into the stores for long-term growth,” he says,  “make them little bit more modern and, of course, the wear and tear. A lot of it is the same as when the stores opened and you’re talking 10 to 15 years of some pretty decently high-volume pizzerias.”

Il Primo has encountered significant changes since its founding. Paul Conti opened the first Il Primo in Arizona in 1983, growing to three locations. But when Conti relocated to Naples, Florida, he closed the Arizona stores and opened his concept in Southeast Florida in 1999. He grow Il Primo to six locations.

Conti passed away in 2013, leaving his family to continue his legacy. It was around the same time that the position of director of operations was created for Schroeter, an Il Primo GM and veteran employee, who had risen from a counter service crew member in 2004.

Schroeter instills the principles and philosophies that Conti created so many years ago, while also bringing in new initiatives to aid employees and help the operations run smoothly.

Il Primo remains steadfast to Conti’s core: a family-friendly counter service concept that puts the primary focus on pizza and chicken wings.

“The three main principles for Paul were No. 1 cleanliness, No. 2 customer service and No. 3 quality product,” Schroeter says, that Il Primo carries today.

The kitchen at Il Primo Fort Myers is immaculate and well organized. Posters hang above each station aiding employees to keep the products consistent.

“We have so many stores and obviously the only way you are going to succeed with that many stores is that you find a way to control your consistency,” Schroeter says. “Make it the same. Make it as easy as possible. If you have a question about pretty much anything, it’s right here for you to see.”

With about 100 employees systemwide, taking the guesswork out of food prep is paying off for the local chain. “This is the restaurant business, it’s a given that your turnover — no matter how you treat your employees — is going to be a challenge,” Schroeter says. “It is the No. 1 challenge honestly for me. I felt it was important to create a system where someone could walk in and obviously having someone with them and training them throughout the day but once they are set loose whether that be one, two or three days, whether they should come up with a question or feel that they should just wing it, the answers to a majority of their questions is right there on the wall.

“It helps them feel as if as a company we actually care that they know what they are doing,” he continues. “We’re putting effort and providing materials for them to know what they are doing and what they need to do.”

As a counter-service concept, Il Primo has streamlined its operation so effectively that during slow periods, there will often be one front of house and one kitchen employee on duty.

With seven stores, Il Primo’s general managers play a pivotal role in its success. A common bond of the pizza company’s leadership is they’ve grown with the restaurants. Managers have worked their way from the ground up.

“With our general managers and kitchen managers, we offer them two weeks paid vacation every year, medical, dental after 60 days, a very competitive salary,” he says.  Moreover, Schroeter says they empower GMs to make each location their own. “We think of them as family. We trust them 100 percent, trust their judgment.”

In fact, Il Primo applies the same approach to all of its employees. “We’re family-owned and operated,” he says. “We treat all of our employees like they are family. Me myself I’m a huge believer in the concept that if you have happy employees, you have happy customers.”

Il Primo’s menu is straight forward. “We just serve pizza, wings, appetizers and salads. That’s it,” Schroeter says. “One of the quotes that Paul said back in the day when he had the stores in Arizona: ‘you can have a menu that has 30 to 40 items and get it right 70 percent of the time or you can have pizza and wings and get it right 100 percent of the time.’ And that is what we do. We focus on the pizza and wings. It helps food costs, absolutely. It makes operations somewhat easier.”

Everything is made in house. “We make the dough in house — a three-day cold ferment,” Schroeter says. “It’s a much better product. Let the yeast do its thing. Don’t rush it.  We make the ranch, bleu cheese, the pizza sauce, the wing sauces. We pretty much have nothing pre-made and sent to us.” Even cheese is shredded in house.

Wings are huge sellers at every Il Primo. “We go through 10,000 cases of chicken wings a year,” Schroeter says.

Traditional pizzas are always most popular. The vegetarian, the Hawaiian and the bacon cheeseburger are hot specialty pizzas.

Families are a big draw for Il Primo. Every Wednesday is Kids Night — $5 mini pizza, cookie and drink. Once a week, Captain Black visits each Il Primo store with face painting, balloon twisting and a movie.

Taking a versatile approach to marketing, Il Primo incorporates traditional opportunities, like box toppers, direct mail, radio and scoreboard ads, as well as digital options, like social and SMS marketing. “We do have a (SMS) platform we use with roughly 3,000 subscribers,” Schroeter says. “Whatever different events, time of the year that are going on, I cater that to the text blasts and send it out. We usually do once a month. I try not to saturate it.”

Each location hosts Spirit Nights for area schools. “We’re huge in the community,” Schroeter says. “Every year, we do free pizza to veterans on Veteran’s Day. It’s a good way to give back to the veterans. That’s one example. Teacher Appreciation Week, we probably donated 400 pizzas to them. Every community is a little bit different. Each store is its own individual, the way I see it, it’s always different. If I had to guess, we donate probably 5,000 pizzas a year. We’re also very active in the youth sports.” 

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today on the Road: Il Primo Pizza & Wings, Fort Myers, FL appeared first on Pizza Today.

A look at pizzerias around the U.S.

Bertolli’s Pizza | River Forest, Illinois

Famed Chicago chef Jeff Mauro proclaimed Bertolli’s pepperoni panzerotti one of his most favorite bites on the Cooking Channel’s “Best Thing I’ve Ever Ate.” “Bertolli’s Pizzeria is a staple in the River Forest community. It’s history, service, products, pizza, and traditions brought from Italy by Frank Bertolli have made it a home away from home for many people over the 40 years in the same location,” says co-owner Carlo Bertolli. “There are so many delicious homemade items on our menu to choose from; from our traditional tavern-style thin crust, to our pan style, our stuffed pizzas, and our most recently praised Detroit-style slices, all which are topped with fresh ingredients. Carlo recently created Detroit style pan. “(I) was playing around with some flavor and has put (my) own take on the Detroit style — not a traditional Detroit, something with a lot more crunch and airy texture bite to perfection,” he says.

Emmett’s | New York, New York

This Chicago-style pizzeria has found a home bordering the Greenwich Village and Soho neighborhoods since 2013. The pizzeria has announced on Instagram that a second Emmett’s is coming soon to the West Village. Last year, Emmett’s added a farm to grow produce and herbs. The menu features both deep dish and Chicago thin-crust pizzas. The deep-dish menu includes This Buds For You with spinach, white onion and mushrooms. The Hot Papi is on the thin-crust menu with pepperoni, red onion, jalapeños and house-made paprika Ranch. In addition to pizza, Emmett’s menus other Windy City favorites, like Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches. There’s also the Char Dog that is grilled over open flame.

Saucy Brew Works | Cleveland, Ohio

The Cleveland-based brewpub and pizzeria is growing. Saucy has an offshoot in Columbus and Detroit, which was recently announced. Saucy brings its own twist on New Haven-style apizza. Its food menu features shareables, including Bavarian Pretzels & Beer Cheese, Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower and Saucy Balls. Apizzas include Bees Knees with saucy red, honey, spicy capicola, mozzarella and red pepper flakes. The Fritatta is topped with sriracha, avocado, Boursin, bacon, dried tomato, bourbon maple syrup, egg, oregano and Pecorino Romano.

The post Destinations: Bertolli’s, IL, Emmett’s, NYC, Saucy Brew Works, OH appeared first on Pizza Today.

Good People

Fort Myers, Florida-based Fine Folk Pizza goes from bootstrapped to booming

Fine Folk Pizza is all about the people.

When Michael and Brie DeNunzio started the business, they wanted to be “that” pizzeria — the kind of place that thrives on people-centered principles for its team, customers and community. They delivered on their ideals in the most fulfilling way.

Fine Folk Pizza is coming off another high, getting back-to-back wins at the 2019 Caputo Cup in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Pizza Today stopped by the pizzeria in Fort Myers, Florida, last fall to see what’s behind the championship pizza. What we discovered was a business that was willed into existence and is hitting its stride.

We met up with owners Michael and Brie, who showed us around the shop. “As soon as you walk in, you’ll look up and notice we have this giant custom pizza paddle chandelier. It has old school Hobart whisks as the light covers,” Michael says. “My mother-in-law actually put that together. As we go though, you will see that a lot of the décor in here is actually stuff that we’ve done ourselves. There were a lot of people who came together to make that happen.”

GM Chris Batties, owners Brie and Michael DeNunzio

Craft décor including the Fine Folk sting art, wine cork pizza slice and pizza utensils wall art give it a fun vibe. The beautifully intricate mural on the back wall pulls visitors from concrete floors and a dominating red wall. Even the restroom is full of surprise décor.

“We want to have an opportunity to wow a person on so many levels,” Michael says, even in the restrooms. “When people break away and they come back to the table, it’s something to talk about. It’s just a big standout.”

Fine Folk’s footprint is a tight 900 square feet, with seating for 25. Storing pizza boxes and flour in the front of house adds to the pizzeria’s cred.

Michael and Brie continue to share what went into the space. “We came in and we had a budget and we went way over,” Michael says. “So, what happened was we had a lot of friends and family come through and help us out with the promise of free pizza for life and trades.”

Fine Folk Pizza’s abridged origin story goes back to a 12-year old Michael, when he began reading Pizza Today at his uncle’s pizzeria. Michael has worked in pizzerias since he was 15. He opened a seasonal restaurant, DeNunzio’s, with his parents in Seas Isle City, New Jersey. One off-season winter, Michael moved to Fort Myers. “I fell in love with the area,” he says. “I fell in love with the girl. And we decided to eventually open up a shop here.”

Chris Batties, general manager, has been with Fine Folk the whole way. Michael urged him to move to Florida and help open and run the pizzeria.

With days until its soft open, Michael and Batties were having such issues with the adapted dough formula from New Jersey that they delayed Fine Folk’s opening, while the two tweaked several dozen batches until they came up a crust they were proud of. “We really go for a chewier style of pizza,” Michael says.  “There’s a little crisp to it but it’s not as crispy as your New York-style pizza but that is very intentional.”

Fine Folk Pizza opened in the fall of 2015, serving up whole pies and slices for dine-in, carryout and delivery, which have an even split of sales. The shop has become famous for its specialty pies, like the Yo Paulie, a white pizza with a roasted garlic olive oil base, pepperoni, fresh basil, a hot honey drizzle, shredded mozzarella and ricotta.

Earl Morris brought home a first-place win in the non-traditional category at the 2019 Caputo Cup with The Squeeze, featuring lemon garlic-herb cream cheese base, mozzarella, sliced zucchini and squash, sliced almonds and finished with fresh handpicked squash blossoms. Last year, Batties captured second place in non-traditional at the Caputo Cup with The Secret Garden, which has a butterfly pea flower tea-infused crust, Alfredo sauce base, sharp cheddar, mozzarella, wine-glazed mushroom medley and butter-fried capers. The championship pizzas have become limited-time offers.

Game Time, a Buffalo chicken pizza with bacon and ranch, is most popular pizza with the MLB’s Boston Red Socks Fenway South Park spring training stadium next door. The swirl rolls, pepperoni pinwheel appetizers, are also a hit and often sell out.

From its opening, Fine Folk positioned itself as the community pizzeria. Inside of the pizzeria, pizza makers show off their dough-tossing skills at the table to the delight of families and even get kids in on the action. The pizzeria’s dough tossing has appeared on America’s Funniest Home Videos twice.

“We do a ton of work with charities,” Brie says. “One of the biggest reasons we named it Fine Folk Pizza is because we wanted to be that pizza shop in the community and be that pizza shop that you call for Brownies, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Club…”

They’ve held school dough tossing lessons for math classes, career days, and bring kids with special needs into the shop for private pizza-making parties. “We do it because it makes our hearts happy,” Michael says. “We do it because we believe that it is our job to pay forward all of the amazing love and support Fine Folk is blessed with.”

Another aspect of community is what Michael calls, “taking Fine Folk’s fans along for the ride.” The pizza shop’s social media posts are more than daily specials. The small crew bring them inside the operation and take them to events like the Caputo Cup and Pizza Expo.

Year two is when everything began to fall into place. Michael and Brie studied the business, went to Pizza Expo and built a community of pizzeria owners. The two switched to a banking system that they had read about in “Profit First” by Michael Michalowicz. “It changed the business for us from us working for $2 or even pennies an hour to us making a living wage and being able to pay ourselves, pay our team, knowing that I’m going to have rent,” Brie says.

Michael adds: “We paid off $67,000 of debt in a year and during that time we were still able to pay ourselves a good amount.”

Michael, Brie and Batties have built a strong core team, which can be as many as 22 during peak season in spring. “We’re in a place where we have a great management team and our entry-level employee training is gone really well,” Michael says. “A lot of people really care what’s going on in here.”

Fine Folk’s employee stability is a testament to the philosophies and principles that were set at the very beginning. The staff are reminded of those values every day on a board above the makeline. They center on fun; growth; cleanliness and quality; responsibility, communication and integrity; and health.

Hiring has been critical. “We try to hire really nice people, genuinely nice people,” Michael says. “Our interview process is very vigorous and very selective. We have set interview hours once per week right now — making it easy to apply and making it very apparent that we are always hiring the right people is something that we do. We really look for hungry, humble and smart.”

With a trusted team, Michael and Brie have been able to step out of the day-to-day operations and work on growing their business. Fine Folk’s core team were hungry for opportunity and that drove Michael and Brie to create those opportunities by firing themselves from jobs at the pizzerias.

“When we fire ourselves from a job to give it to someone else, we find another job to do,” Brie says. “So when I stopped taking deliveries and Michael stopped working in the pizzeria, ‘ok, this is eight hours that we never had before.’ So, we are able to branch out really well by firing ourselves from certain positions and creating new positions. We are always working but it’s different.”

One of those projects has been the catering aspect of the business, including launching the Folkswagon, a food truck that specializes in 30-second ticket times to separate it from other mobile unit competitors.

Michael has also taken his positivity and business experience to start a restaurant coaching business.

Today, Fine Folk Pizza has become that pizzeria Michael and Brie envisioned. They plan to stay forward-focused and continue to deepen its connection with its community.  

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today on the Road: Fine Folk Pizza, Fort Myers, FL appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Across the U.S.

Bad Dad Brewing Co. | Fairmount, Indiana

Originally opened as a brewery in 2017, Bad Dad added a full-scale pizzeria operation a year ago. “We live by the mantra that ‘quality ingredients and attention to detail lead to an exceptional product,’ says Derek Howard. “All of our meats are sliced in-house on our Berkel slicer, and we use our brewing equipment to formulate a secret water profile for our nearly world-famous dough! Brewing beer is a very meticulous process, and we put the same dedication and time into our pizza by making everything from scratch. Our fans love the ‘Yo, Paulie’! It’s topped with mozzarella from a local cheese producer (Golfo di Napoli), soppressata, sweet sausage, ricotta, hot honey, & basil.”

Gusto Pinsa Romana | San Francisco, California

Gusto serves up a very old pizza style with a new spin to the Bay Area. Pinsa is a pizza/flatbread hybrid that’s known for its nutritional qualities. Its high-hydration dough contains soy flour, rice flour and wheat flour, as well as dried sourdough. Its Pinsa menu has 18 options, like the Dolce & Salato with mozzarella, pears, Gorgonzola, honey and walnuts. There’s also the Cotta & Melanzane with mozzarella, Grana Padano, prosciutto cotto, eggplant and red onion. The restaurant also features appetizers, pastries, craft soft drinks, a coffee bar, beer and wine.

Angelo’s Pizzeria | South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Danny Di Giampietro’s Angelo’s Pizzeria has been a staple in the Philly pizza scene in its original location in Haddonfield. Since moving to Ninth Street, Angelo’s has received an explosion of new interest. Recently, Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy proclaimed Angelo’s the best pizza in Philly with a 9.1 rating. Crowds have been lining up to try the take-out only, whole pie pizza spot. Angelo’s has square pie and round, including a Trenton tomato and grandma pie. The Big Joe is a white pie with mozzarella, hot sausage, hot cherry peppers and fresh garlic. There’s the Upside Down Jawn, a thick-crust square pan pizza with sauce on top of the cheese. Angelo’s is also famous for over two dozen specialty sandwiches.

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Explore pizzerias around the U.S.

Coda di Volpe | Chicago, Illinois

VPN-certified Coda di Volpe joined Chicago’s ever-expanding pizza scene in 2016. It’s located in the Southport Corridor, not far from Wrigley Field. The restaurant is led by Executive Chef Chris Thompson. Neapolitan pizza is served with authentic pizza shears. Pizzas include Spicy CDV Soppressata with San Marzano tomato, shishito peppers, fior di latte, Pecorino, oregano and basil. There is also Funghi with roasted mushroom, scamorza, spinach, garlic, grana Padano and chili flakes. It also features a full menu of southern Italian cuisine, including Cavatelli Napoletana with San Marzano tomato braised beef, red wine, rosemary, black pepper and ricotta salata. Additionally, the restaurant has received high accolades for its Southern Italian wine list.

PHOTO CREDIT: GAGE HOSPITALITY GROUP

The Wylder | Boise, Idaho

Since opening two years ago, the pizzeria has become a must-visit Boise restaurant, garnering national attention from New York Magazine and Eater for its hand-crafted, slow batch pizza. The dough begins with a starter that is over 50 years old. The menu features 10 white and red pizzas including the Bronco with salumi, pickled fresco chilies, burrata and organic tomatoes. A fitting state tribute, the Gem State of Mind features organic potato, caramelized onion, rosemary and sage with Parmesan cream sauce. Along with a full menu of salads, starters and veggies, The Wylder also features Nightly Suppers, like Fried Chicken with apple cider slaw, biscuit and honey butter.

Licari’s Sicilian Pizza Kitchen  | Grand Rapids, Michigan

This laid back neighborhood pizzeria has been a go-to spot since opening in 2012. A second location was added in 2018 in nearby Hudsonville. The original Licari had a whirlwind start with celebrity chef Bobby Flay helping owners Gianni and Lisa Licari on their business journey in “3 Days to Open.” The restaurant serves up Sicilian staples. The Sfinciuni is a traditional Sicilian style pizza with pan-style crust, sweet and rustic style tomato sauce on top of two-year aged Parmigiano Reggiano. Licari also serves a stuffed-style Schiacciata pizza. The Castelo Schiacciata features rosemary-infused ham, green olives, bruschetta-style tomatoes and olive oil herb sauce.

The post Destinations: Coda di Volpe, IL; The Wylder, ID, Licari’s Sicilian Pizza Kitchen, MI appeared first on Pizza Today.

A look at pizzerias around the U.S.

Boss Lady Pizza | Boulder, Colorado

The spunky New York-style pizzeria opened in 2012. “There are two things I’m confident makes us stand out – the product and our name! I think having a name like ‘Boss Lady Pizza’ sets a special tone that draws people in,” says owner Whitney Gleave. “Fortunately, once they visit, they come back. The pizzas are all hand tossed, fresh ingredients and we aren’t afraid to be bold with our combinations. We try and brainstorm ideas outside the box that we can have fun with. The fans loooove our Spicy Veggie Hawaiian pizza with bbq sauce, jalapeños, red onions, pineapple, cheddar and a light drizzle of house-made ranch. We can make a convert out of almost any ‘pineapple doesn’t belong on a pizza’ fan.” With nearly 50 specialty pies, there’s no shortage of creativity on Boss Lady’s pizza menu. The dessert menu continues its uniqueness with rainbow sprinkle Rice Krispie Treats and the Cookie Monster Pizza with cream cheese icing, chocolate chips, light mozzarella, globs of chocolate chip cookie dough and a light drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Nina & Rafi | Atlanta, Georgia

The rustic Italian eatery and pizzeria received a nod recently from Bon Appétit as a nominee for its 2019 America’s Best New Restaurants listing. Owners Anthony Spina and Billy Streck have brought Detroit Red Tops to the menu, in addition to a Neapolitan-style “Super Margherita” pizza and a thin Jersey-style “Old Fashion” square pie. The Caramelized Square is an Old Fashion with caramelized onions, roasted garlic, whipped goat cheese ricotta and shaved Parmesan Reggiano. There’s also the Super Round, a Super Margherita with hand-sliced pepperoni, meatballs, ricotta and Calabrian chilis.

Beebe’s | Long Island, New York

This hip and elevated wood-fired pizzeria resides in Boro Hotel. Reminiscent of New York old school thin-crust pies, pizzas are topped to the edge. The Jimmy Forager is topped with tomato, mozzarella, Pecorino, sweet fennel sausage, mushrooms, red onion and Calabrian chili oil. The Rooftop features mozzarella, house-made ricotta, Parmesan, arugula, lemon and olive oil. The popular and simple Blank Page has mozzarella, house-made ricotta, Pecorino and garlic. A menu standout is also Beebe’s Burger, a double pat lafrieda beef patty, American cheese, onion, pickles and Beebe’s sauce.

The post Destinations: Boss Lady Pizza, CO, Nina & Rafi, GA, Beebe’s, NY appeared first on Pizza Today.

A look at pizzerias across the U.S.

Oakland Pizza Co. | South Windsor, Connecticut

Opened in 2018, Oakland is the second pizzeria for Camille and David Noad. Their first spot, Camille’s Wood Fired Pizza, opened in 2013 in nearby Tolland. The South Windsor pizza parlor features mix and match small plates, seasonal pastas, greens, sliders and a lineup of artisan pizzas. The cup and curl pepperonis on the standard pepperoni pie are a big hit with customers at Oakland. Instagram Pizza is a white pie with fresh mozzarella, garlic, chicken, pancetta and lemon dressed arugula. The Sausage and Kale pizza is topped with chili flake oil, mozzarella, garlic and a light tomato sauce. The Spicy Roni pizza features fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, pepperoni, chopped chili peppers and onion. Desserts include Camille’s Cannoli and Triple Chocolate Brownie with Belgian dark chocolate, white chocolate, brown sugar caramel and topped with Madagascar vanilla bean ice cream.

The Independent Pizzeria | Seattle, Washington

The Indie is a cozy craft pizzeria in the Madison Park district on the waterfront. Its menu includes craft pizzas, salads and antipasti, and a rotating selection of craft beer and wines. Chévre + Honey is a simple yet delectable starter served with house-made grilled bread. Pizzas are made with sustainably harvested wheat flour from the Northwest. The Norwalk has an organic tomato passata base with grana, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto and arugula. The Syracuse has the same base with grana, caper, gaeta olives, pickled peppers and garlic. The Farmer features grana, fresh mozzarella, soft egg, speck, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, currants and basil.

Milo SRO | Santa Monica, California

Milo “Standing Room Only” is an old-school New York-style pizza spot and a sister DELCO and slice shop of the established bakery and pizzeria Milo & Olive. Whole pies are 18 inches. The Anchovy has tomato sauce, spicy pickled Fresno chili, capers, Castelvetrano olives, red onion, shaved fennel, garlic, fresh herbs and lemon zest. Each day Milo sells a limited quantity of 10 daily of its Cherry Tomato & Parmesan Sicilian Pie. Milo also offers fresh salads, eggplant Parmesan, calzones and house-made dipping sauces (roasted garlic oil, ranch, Caesar, chunky Giardiniera, chimichurri and hazelnut Romesco).

The post Destinations: Oakland Pizza Co., CT, The Independent, Seattle and Milo SRO, Santa Monica appeared first on Pizza Today.

The Season of Dante

Nebraska-based restaurant named Pizza Today’s Independent Pizzeria of the Year

Starting a culinary movement turned out to be just the beginning for chef Nick Strawhecker. It is a rarity to lead an entire movement in a city and also be able to sustain it and expand upon it.

It was seven years ago that Pizza Today visited a fresh-faced Strawhecker, a young chef who had ventured out on his own with a VPN-certified Neapolitan pizzeria concept that the city of Omaha and the state of Nebraska had never experienced. His restaurant Dante put Omaha on the culinary map for its Italian pizza style and concentrated focus on using hyper-seasonal ingredients from local producers.

Strawhecker came onto a crowded Omaha food scene with esteemed credentials. He studied culinary arts at Johnson & Wales in Providence, Rhode Island. After a stint at Northern Arizona University, he traveled to Italy to complete a Master Chef’s Program at The Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in the Peidmont region where he worked at a Michelin-rated restaurant in Tuscany. That experience laid the foundation for Strawhecker’s approach to food. He went on to work with world-renowned chefs in Chicago and Philadelphia before returning to his hometown of Omaha to open Dante in 2009.

Fast forward, it’s 2019 and Pizza Today has stepped back into Dante to revisit the restaurant as the 2019 Independent Pizzeria of the Year.

Chef Owner Nick Strawhecker

Neapolitan pizza is now a mainstay in Omaha and Dante has a decade of success under its belt. The restaurant continues to draw regional and national exposure. But Strawhecker has never been one to rest on his laurels. Dante has constantly evolved. “When we opened, it was really just focused on Neapolitan pizza with a small Italian wine list,” he says. “When we opened, we had TVs and a bocce court. I didn’t want to focus on the fine dining aspect. I didn’t want to do pasta. I didn’t want to do all these things.

“Then I wanted to evolve,” he says. “I started getting bored, frankly, and I wanted to do more things. We started making pasta in house. We started bringing in more proteins. We evolved the menu in a big way over the years. We added more cocktails. We really, really started focusing on Italian wines. We removed TVs. We removed the bocce court. We added catering early on with our mobile oven. We really doubled down on locality and hyper-seasonality and that is deep, deep in our core and in our roots now.”

Strawhecker has expanded his resume to include the newly-opened sister restaurant Forno, which features its own menu of Neapolitan pizzas, pastas, mains and Italian wines in the Blackstone District of Omaha.

Every aspect of Strawhecker’s businesses center on ingredient-driven dishes and his food philosophy behind them. “My philosophy is to try to stay within the seasons or hyper-seasonality as much as possible while staying local,” he says. “You will never see a fresh tomato at this restaurant in January. You’re only going to find fresh tomatoes in our restaurants when they are happening locally. And that goes for a lot of our fruits and vegetables.” 

Strawhecker sources produce and proteins from more than 25 farmers in the Midwest and sustainably caught domestic seafood partners. Finding local products has become less cumbersome than in the beginning when he worked directly with several dozens of area growers. Today, Dante still coordinates with local farmers like Carl, an arugula producer who dropped by and shared his passion for produce during Pizza Today’s visit. Strawhecker’s restaurants also use one source for many of its ingredients, Lone Tree Foods. “It’s a centralized aggregate, if you will,” he says. “Lone Tree represents, does the sales and billing, distribution for about 40 different farms within about 100 miles.” Strawhecker simply views lists of available in-season items early in the week and products are delivered in one shipment on Thursdays.

Justin Gilmore, who has risen through the ranks of Dante to become director of operations for both restaurants, says even with the restaurants’ food focus, its food costs stay in line. Both restaurants remain steady in the mid-20 percent range.   

Neapolitan-style pizza is a perfect vessel to present local, hyper-seasonal ingredients. “I can’t imagine doing any other pizza other than Neapolitan,” he says. “Cooking with wood is ingrained in my soul. It’s really all I want to work with.

“My roots are definitely Neapolitan,” he says. “The diversity of ingredients you can use with Neapolitan pizza and the living, breathing thing that is a wood oven is ideal to me. It’s ideal to my style of cooking.” 

Seasonality shines with revolving menus. Strawhecker admits that he has thousands of menus for Dante and Forno. Daily specials menus showcase delicate, seasonal favorite heirloom tomatoes and are featured raw on the Basilico pizza Napoletana with basil pesto and mozzarella. Another special is the Rucola, featuring arugula, wood-roasted mushrooms, tomato sauce and mozzarella.

Strawhecker is able to source some ingredients all year. Those pizzas and other dishes become menu mainstays, like the Giacomo (named after his son Jack). It’s a red-sauced pizza with smoked provolone, soppressata, Calabrian chili and mint. There is also the Cortona with farm egg, soppressata, olive, chili, wood-roasted mushroom, garlic and mozzarella.

Dante has earned its reputation as an authentic Italian experience. Strawhecker puts the same passion into scratch-made pastas and main dishes. He showcased some of Dante’s seasonal specialties. He was meticulous as he plated a ricotta tortellini with corn sauce, roasted corn, pea tendrils, popcorn and smoked paprika.

Each week, Strawhecker highlights seasonal ingredients used on each special in a video shared on the restaurants’ social media. He and his wife, Michelle, share social media duties. He also works with a public relations firm for regional and national exposure.

Dante has Omaha’s only all-Italian wine list with over 200 labels. Wine accounts for nearly 35 percent of sales.

As he presents a wood-roasted Santa Barbara Halibut with wood-roasted shishito peppers, okra and bottarga, he shares his recent travels to Alaska. He witnessed firsthand where his fresh seafood comes from. “I had been selling this one type of salmon for three or four years and I’m really hot on it,” he says. “It’s so delicious and our guests really love it. To be able to see it, we’re actually selling fish that I was on the boat on that caught that fish. The staff really love that and the guests love hearing about that.”

“Thirst for learning about food is just extremely important to me and learning where food comes from,” he says.

Every piece of food at Dante has a story. It is that story that has captivated Omaha diners for a decade. From an ingredient’s origin to plate, Strawhecker and his team translate its story to customers. 

“We do line up every day at 4:30 p.m. at both restaurants,” he says. “At that time, we talk about the different changes on the menu. A good example is last week, we had a new fish in that I hadn’t worked with at all. We tried it with the staff and we came up with our own conclusion of the flavor of the fish. Then we talk about it together and we come up with general conclusion of how we would describe it.”

Staff meetings are critical to Dante’s success. “We talk about menu changes, counts on menu, VIPs, always some kind of wine education and general announcements.

With a staff of 40 at Dante and Forno, Strawhecker says, “I’m very big into communication, especially communication with managers, and then what we call cascading messaging to the rest of our staff. That is the best way for our staff to describe and be able to sell things to our guests.”

Many on Strawhecker’s team have been with him since the beginning, including Hymie, who’s in charge of all dough production and Dante’s pizza station and Dave, who oversees the kitchen. “That is 20 years of experience at Dante which make it a lot easier on me that I can work on the creative things,” he says to grow his business.

It’s mesmerizing to watch Strawhecker interact with his kitchen team. He’s soft spoken, while keeping sous chefs on their toes. He says he’s glad that he’s of the generation that balanced new and old school. “I started at the right time for maybe being a leader in Omaha in kitchens and restaurants,” he says. “My philosophy is to be ultra hands on, make clear exactly what the expectations are, live those expectations yourself every day, show people exactly what you want done, keep on growing and expanding your menu, keep it interesting and just treat people with respect, the way that you would want to be treated. I’ve been very fortunate to have a lot of great people that want to learn, that care about food as much as I do, come through our back door and work with us.”

Strawhecker has cultivated a number of young chefs who have gone on to excel in their careers and even open restaurants. He has brought past kitchen talent back for alumni series dinners.

He capitalizes on his strengths and passion for food education in the restaurants’ community outreach. Dante has partnered with Omaha Public Schools to take third graders out to a farm that produced Dante’s fresh mozzarella. “They would see the cattle in the field grazing,” he says. “Then they would bring the cattle in, they would milk the cattle and they would do a demo on how they produced mozzarella and then they would bring the cheese out to our mobile ovens and we would stretch dough and make pizzas and use the mozzarella that they helped make.”

Dante also raises money for Saving Grace, a perishable food rescue dedicated to feeding the hungry.

Pizza Today also visited Forno, a sister restaurant that’s different from 10-year-old Dante yet embodies the tenants that his first restaurant founded in Omaha. It has a story of its own that reveals the realities of being a successful restaurateur — of knowing when to try something new and when to switch directions.

Two years ago, Strawhecker started planning the opening of a second restaurant, Dante Pizzeria Napoletana. At the same time, fast-casual pizza was surging across the U.S. “What Dante Pizzeria Napoletana was was an offshoot of Dante — pizza focused, value driven, counter-service concept,” Strawhecker says. “It was like the greatest hits of Dante. It had a lower price point. At first it was great, we’re going to open several of these but then it just didn’t have repeat business and revenue declined.”

Strawhecker had foraged out into the fast-casual pizza market ultimately deciding that the community wanted what he was known for. He closed Dante Pizzeria Napoletana and worked with Gilmore to re-envision the space as a full-service restaurant. Forno opened in April. It’s a concept that is truer to the foundation of Nick Strawhecker’s restaurant ethos.

Dante Pizzeria Napoletana had a static menu, while Forno’s menu is constantly changing. Forno has its own distinctive personality and infusion of culinary uniqueness, like Tigelle. One of the only imported Italian Tigelle presses in the country, the shareable features small flatbread that diners split open and stuff with divine house condiments, various meats and cheeses.

Now, both restaurants are moving in the right direction. Strawhecker says, his focus moving forward is to “sustain that, keep the numbers in line, keep the prime costs in line and stay a leader in Omaha and in the Midwest.” 

Denise Greer is executive editor at Pizza Today.

The post 2019 Independent Pizzeria of the Year: Dante, Omaha, NE appeared first on Pizza Today.

Two days and two boroughs in search of pizza bliss

In late July, Creative Director Josh Keown, Art Director Katie Veech and myself took flight to the Big Apple to hook up with Man on the Street columnist Scott Wiener in an effort to nosh on some of New York City’s primo pizzerias. Look, it’s a sprawling metropolis with five boroughs and more great pizza than one can imagine. There’s no way we were going to have the time or stomach space to hit all the legendary places or even attempt to hit a portion of the pizzerias you’ll find on various “Best of” lists.

No, instead, we simply wanted to complete this minor mission: hit up a variety of pizza offerings, ranging from old-school NY slices to Neapolitan to Detroit. You know, we wanted to run the gamut a bit. What better city to visit for that?

Katie is new to the pizza scene. She stepped into the Art Director role at the magazine midsummer, and she hasn’t even been to Pizza & Pasta Northeast in Atlantic City or International Pizza Expo in Vegas yet. She’s a foodie, but hasn’t been to New York since she was a kid and we needed to begin giving her a proper pizza education.

In all, we visited 10 pizzerias and had conversations with Scott, legendary pizza maker Anthony Mangieri and a wide array of other pizza personalities. We weren’t there to grade or judge the pies, but rather to learn, re-motivate ourselves as well as capture a glance of what’s hot on the nation’s most important scene now so that our readers can re-discover their passion for pizza and offer their customers a new perspective this fall and winter with limited-time offerings and menu experimentation.

Stilettos Slice Lounge

Truffle Shuffle, Stilettos Slice Lounge, Lower East Side, NYC

Day one began at Stilettos Slice Lounge in the Lower East Side. Stilletos is part of the Speedy Romeo family. Speedy Romeo burst onto the NYC pizza scene with much fanfare. Chef/owner Justin Bazdarich moved from the midwest to NYC in 2001 to attend the French Culinary Institute. After stints at a handful of restaurants he turned his eyes to pizza.

Bazdarich spoke to attendees at last year’s Pizza & Pasta Northeast, where he impressed the crowd with his enthusiasm for the traditions and ingredients that make pizza so special. That same love was on display at Stilettos, where we sampled “The Truffle Shuffle,” a slice featuring cupped soppressata, Provel cheese, cupped pepperoni and a ranch/truffle oil drizzle.

The Takeaway: Truffle oil continues to be a trendy pizza finisher. Also, for all those people who turn their noses up at ranch on pizza … Stilletos proves them wrong.

Prince Street Pizza

Cup-and-char Pepperoni Slice, Prince Street Pizza, Nolita, NYC

Our next stop was Prince Street Pizza. There was a small line waiting to get into the tiny storefront when we arrived, but we knew by the looks of the slices and squares that we saw walking out that we were in for a treat.

While the litany of celebrities who have enjoyed the fare from Frank Morano is long — their photos line the walls — we were all about getting our hands on a square slice. And, boy, was it a thing of beauty. Light and airy and topped with an unexpectedly sweet tomato sauce, a hint of garlic and cup-and-char pepperoni, it was easy to see why Prince Street is so admired.

The Takeaway: Cup-and-char pepperoni is where it’s at. They crisp up nicely, retain some oil and are so full of flavor.

Una Pizza Napoletana

Marinara Pizza, Una Pizza Napoletana, Lower East Side, NYC

As far as pizza names go, Anthony Mangieri is undoubtedly one of the biggest. We were filled with anticipation and excitement as we met up with Scott Wiener right as his day of giving pizza tours was winding down. He was scheduled to meet up with us at Una Pizza Napoletana, so it was like hitting the lottery twice: getting to hang out with our buddy AND chilling with Mangieri at the same time.

We ordered a tomato pie (simply called “Marinara” on the menu) as we really wanted to embrace simplicity and the roots of Neapolitan pizza. The dough was so light, soft and pillow-y. Mangieri is clearly a master of the craft. We also sampled the “Ilaria,” another simple pizza that was topped with smoked mozzarella, fresh cherry tomatoes and arugula. It, too, was divine.

The Takeaway: Smoked cheeses can really change the character of a pizza. The mozzarella had just the right amount of smoke flavor. Put it with the arugula and the taste was brilliant. Try putting your pizza up in smoke for a nice twist!

Scarr’s Pizza

Cheese Slice, Scarr’s Pizza, Lower East Side, NYC

From old world to old school NY, our next stop was Scarr’s Pizza. When you think of the oversized cheesy slice that surely would have been a favorite of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you just might be thinking of Scarr’s. This is no-frills retro NY pizza. Fold it and tear into it and let the cheese, tomato and crust do the talking. You get the crunchy and pliable exterior with the airy interior and the cheese shines. What more can you ask for?

The Takeaway: The NY cheese slice is revered for its timelessness. No matter what your menu consists of, you’ll always have a loyal fan base if you can get this right.

Lucali

Pepperoni, Basil and Shallots Pizza, Lucali, Brooklyn, NYC

We finished our first day at Lucali in Brooklyn. We were seated at the same table often reserved for soccer star David Beckham and celebs Jay-Z and Beyoncé because, hey, we’re Pizza Today! We had a calzone for giggles, but we were really there for the pizza. At Scott’s request we ordered a pie topped with pepperoni, basil and shallots and consumed it in the restaurant’s back courtyard as the sun went down on the quiet evening. We could not have asked for a better ending to day one.

The Takeaway: Yes, yes, you have onions on hand already. We get it. But the shallots brought a whole new dimension to the pizza. You need to give them a try in your shop. Trust us, they made the pizza that much different than simply using a yellow or red onion.

Best Pizza

Cheese Slice, Grandma Pie and White Pie, Best Pizza, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC

When Frank Pinello gave a keynote address at Pizza & Pasta Northeast 2018, I knew I had to check out his pizzeria in person. It took us nearly two years to get there, but we started our second day at his spot in Williamsburg. Best Pizza may be a gutsy name, but you’ve gotta love the New York swagger. We went with a few slices here — a white pie, a cheese slice and a grandma.

The Takeaway: White pies are so simple, yet delicious, and offer a break from the norm. There is no reason not to have a few on your menu.

L’Industrie

Burrata & Hot Honey Pizza, L’Industrie, Brooklyn, NYC

We were eager to get to our next stop in Brooklyn, L’Industrie. And it did not disappoint. Owner Massimo Laveglia greeted us with a warm Italian welcome and chatted with us about some of the other stops we’d made on the tour. He made a soda order, took some inventory and never let the conversation drop as our slices were being prepared. We went with a burrata slice and a pie finished with hot honey. The creaminess of the burrata really stood out and made this one of the more memorable slices we consumed on the trip.

The Takeaway: Burrata is a luxurious cheese that can take an already great slice to an out-of-this-world level. Get it on your menu.

Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop

Hellboy Slice, Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop, Brooklyn, NYC

Paulie Gee’s slice shop came next, and what a blast from the past! Wood paneling, a retro-television and an Atari system with popular 80s games draw attention and fit right in with the large, cheesy slices that are an old-school NY signature. There is nothing more old school than a classic pepperoni slice. We also had the “Freddy Prince” here — an upside-down Sicilian square slice with a sesame seed bottom. The seeds gave the slice a unique taste and texture, but the tomato was the star of this show.

The Takeaway: Upside-down pizzas — a Sicilian pan pizza where the sauce is on top — are gaining traction. They offer a nice visual contrast to what your customers are accustomed to. If you don’t menu a Sicilian, sauce on top or not … get on it. Customers love them.

John’s of Bleecker Street

Cheese Slice, John’s of Bleeker Street, Manhattan, NYC

Our final stop was at the legendary John’s of Bleecker Street in Manhattan. This is an iconic, no frills whole pie where the ingredients do the talking. We went for a cheese pizza and embraced its hot, gooey goodness as soon as the server sat it before us. With just the right amount of char in the perfectly hydrated crust and a combination of vibrant tomato and creamy mozz, there’s a reason we saved this spot for last. It was a fitting end to a great two days of consuming the planet’s greatest food.

The Takeaway: Let your ingredients do the talking. If you only work with quality ingredients in your pizzeria, your food will shine regardless of how simple you keep things.

The post New York City Pizza Tour: Apple of my Eye appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Across America

Houdini Pizza Laboratory | Fanwood, New Jersey

Its tagline is “Harry Houdini brought warmth and wonder to his life’s work. We work to bring you the same with every plate served.””Houdini is more than a pizzeria, we have great choices in fresh pasta, hand-made burrata, as well as creative specials. So it’s hard to pick one item…but if I have to choose one dish, it would be the Habanero Pizza. It is an outstanding crowd pleaser,” says creative director Jennifer Mortarulo. The Habanera is topped with mozzarella, tomato sauce, habanero pepper oil and cured spicy pork loin. There’s also the Nduja with hand-made spicy nduja sausage, shaved cappuccio cabbage, mozzarella and tomato sauce. Houdini offers a half dozen desserts including traditional northern Italian Panacotta, a soft setting custard with berry coulis.

Citizen Pie | Cleveland, Ohio

The two-unit Neapolitan-style pizzeria was founded by Chef Vytauras Sasnauskas The Northeast Ohio pizzeria’s pizza is so in demand that there are “dough meters’ online for both shops to let patrons know how much dough is left for the day. The menu is straightforward — pizzas and calzones. A local pizza favorite is the Mushroom with mozzarella, Brie, porcini truffle crema, bacon and red onion. Another highlight is the Caponata with mozzarella, hot soppressata, oil cured olives, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, currants and basil.

Via Farina | Omaha, Nebraska

It’s all about the dough at Via Farina. It’s a Euro-wheat sourdough with wild yeast and natural Italian flour. It deviated from a traditional Neapolitan style by using a levain sourdough starter and has a minimum of three-day proof to create a “crispy crusty crust.” Its 10 pizza menu options include the Salsiccia, a red sauced pizza with house sausage, fennel, arugula, sun-dried tomato, pecorino and truffle salt. There is also the white-sauced Patata with potato confit, black pepper, oregano, grana, Pecorino and mozzarella. In addition to pizza, Via Farina has a limited selection of house-made pastas and appetizers.

The post Destinations: Houdini, Citizen Pie, Via Farina appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizzerias Across the U.S.

414 Pub & Pizza | Tempe, Arizona

The Tempe spot is part pizzeria, part karaoke bar with a fun atmosphere at its center. “I think fun defines my pizzeria the best, my employees, my customers, when you come to 414 we like to have fun eating pizza, singing karaoke or hearing great music and having some drinks,” says owner Spencer Golish. People go crazy for 414’s pepperoni pizza. It’s not your typical pie. It features a traditional pepperoni and it’s topped with cup and char ronis that pop. Its thin-crust New York-style pizza menu features more than a dozen specialty pies that are accompanied by pizza bowls and cauliflower crust pizza with any of the pizza topping options. Specialty pies include the Arizona (It’s Hot Here) with a hot ranch base, grilled chicken, bacon, onion, green pepper and garlic. The Tropical Hawaiian pizza features coconut flakes, ham and pineapple.

Ops | Brooklyn, New York

This Bushwick neighborhood pizzeria uses a naturally leavened pizza dough. Its menu is condensed to small plates and a handful of pizza options including a marinara, margherita and square pie. There is the Juno topped with broccoli rabe, potatoes, provola and ricotta salata. The Rojo features mortadella, pickled peppers and crescenza. Ops is a destination for its natural wine offerings, made with minimal chemical and technological intervention, as well as crafted cocktails and beer.

Trouble & Son’s Pizzeria | Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

The rustic Italian themed pizzeria in Milwaukee recently closed to debut kitchen and patio upgrades. With the renovation, its menu has expanded to include traditional Italian dishes like chicken Parmesan and chicken Alfredo in addition to calamari and arancini. The house pizza menu features eight pizzas available in a traditional hand-tossed crust or a cauliflower crust. The Sprout is a vegan pie that features a mushroom medley, crispy Brussels sprouts, vegan mozzarella cheese and a truffle glaze. There is also The Moxie with basil pesto, shrimp, feta cheese and tomatoes.

The post Destinations: 414 Pub & Pizza, Ops, Trouble & Son’s appeared first on Pizza Today.

Food for Thought

Columbus, Ohio-based GoreMade Pizza centers on connectivity with food and people

Nick Gore had a vision when he opened GoreMade Pizza in Columbus, Ohio. “My first job was pizza. My Second job was pizza. Then I got a job at a restaurant and trained under Alana Shock, Chef Shock… I got to see what real food was and took what real food was and my previous history in pizza and this newfound passion for using resources responsibly and all those things came together to having a wood-fired pizza place. I think wood-fired specifically because it’s a very articulate food.”

Gravitating towards a Neapolitan style, Gore says, “It’s so specific and it’s such a fine line. Everything has to be right. The balance of the heat, the dough, all of it has to be spot on. It’s hard to get right consistently.”

Instead of jumping into a brick-and-mortar restaurant, he started small. “We were a catering company,” Gore says adding that they focused mainly on events like birthday parties and graduations. “We weren’t a street food vendor. We started out in conjunction with those things and doing the farmers markets to build a relationship with the farmers and a relationship with people that care about where their food comes from and go from there.”

Gore found a cozy little spot in the revitalizing Italian Village and spent a year and a half building his pizzeria. GoreMade Pizza opened in September 2016.

Nick Gore, owner, GoreMade

The space is built for connectivity with an open kitchen. Every table has a view of the imported Italian dome oven. “I didn’t want to be in some hole making food and not be able to connect with the people that are consuming the food.” There’s a whimsical patio in the back with a funky art car.

During Pizza Today’s visit this summer, just as many owners do from time to time, Gore was filling for a server. While chatting with Gore at the bar, he eyes were always fixed on the customers beginning to flow in. He excuses himself and sits down next to patrons on a long banquet that stretches the length of the restaurant, having genuine conversation about the food. It’s clear to see that interior was designed for these cozy interactions.

Gore returns to share more of the story of his business. As he details his menu, it’s evident he’s encapsulating something special and unique. “Our menu is really small, and we only have six toppings that we use year-round and everything else changes.” Every pizza comes with fresh mozzarella. Its regular toppings list includes pepperoni, sausage, bacon, roasted mushroom, red onion and feta.

At the back of the restaurant is a black dry-erase board with a list of seasonal toppings and salads, including ingredients like white cheddar, olives, piquante peppers, dippy egg, caramelized onions and Shaorma chicken.

“Our rule is that if it grows in Ohio, we only serve it when someone here is growing it,” he says, adding that the pizzeria doesn’t serve a classic Margherita pizza. “Basil is hard to come by sometimes,” he says. “People expect a Neapolitan wood-fired pizza and we just don’t have that all of the time. Nor do I want to artificially create that to support their expectation. We expect things all the time and we miss out of the fact that they are here sometimes, and they are not here sometimes. And when they are here, it’s awesome and when it’s not, there is something else is here and that is awesome. So as soon as you let go of an ingredient, you get another ingredient. It’s important to connect to that.”

Instilling the philosophy on the pizzeria’s menu requires the team to get creative. “We have something we call ‘Super Spice.’ Basically throughout pepper season, we get cases of peppers, we’ll put half of them aside for dehydration,” Gore says. “Because we are local and seasonal, we only get spicy stuff a very small window of time, so we dehydrate the peppers and after pepper season we have this one little shaker and that’s around for about five months.”

Its most popular seasonal items debut late summer and fall. “The No. 1 thing that people want all the time is the butternut squash sauce,” he says. “It’s a pureed butternut squash base.” During the winter season, Gore says, they focus on meats, cheeses and root vegetables.

GoreMade’s menu has only four pizzas, like Annie Social featuring bacon, red onion and feta on an olive oil base. The Clintonvillain has an olive oil base with roasted mushrooms, smoked salt, truffle oil and grated cheese. The seasonal creativity comes from the Chef’s Choice with an added benefit that for every Chef’s Choice ordered $2 goes to the kitchen crew. “I could come up with a really good pizza with some local ingredients but since we buy them as they are available, sometimes we only get a little but, sometimes we get a lot.” With Chef’s Choice, pizza makers can adjust based on product that’s available on the pizza line.

The lunch special is unique. They cut dough balls in half to create a “Pizza Boat,” that’s served on a board with a local salad.

It craft cocktails are as seasonal as the pizza menu featuring house-made syrups and liquor infusions.

For Gore sourcing ingredients is at the forefront of the pizzeria, whether it’s growing produce for the pizzeria in his yard or finding farmers as passionate about the food. “There was a guy who grew our radishes, Milan, I asked him ‘how the radishes were’ and he said ‘when I pulled them out of the ground I welled up.’ I’m going to buy radishes from that guy.

“There’s the buzzword of organic or local but when you talk to Milan and he wells up when he pulls radishes and turnips out of the ground,” Gore continues, “there is a remarkable connectivity to the food system when you support those people. It’s amazing. You connect to what they’re passionate about and those kinds of people grow things that other people don’t that allows us to serve things like gooseberries and Champaign currants for our cocktail garnishes. It makes it worth doing.”

Another component of GoreMade ingredients is responsible sourcing. “How can we respect life and still serve it responsibly?” Gore questions. He seeks to find humanely-raised meats. “Is the life well supported? Are the humans that creating this environment responsible? Are they kind? Are they good people? I just want to support good things.”

“I think the people who come in here feel the same way about this space and want to support this place because it’s fun. The two things people talk about when they are in here is the pizza and the experience. I’ve built something that was honest and straight-forward and present and I think people are responding to that.”

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today On The Road: GoreMade, Columbus, OH appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pie•losophy

Park Street Pizza reimagines small town pizzerias

Along a winding road and a two-hour drive from Columbus, Ohio, sits Sugarcreek, a quaint village of 3,500 residents. It’s known as “The Little Switzerland of Ohio” for its Swiss heritage and architecture, Amish communities, Swiss cheese and lush farmland. Its hometown pizzeria is an embodiment of this tight-knit community. Park Street Pizza has been a staple and pride point of Sugarcreek since 2003 when a young couple took over a closing pizzeria.

Rocky and Courtney Shanower took the leap into ownership when the proprietor of a local pizzeria that Rocky had worked at and grew up in was ready to close. “We were at this pivotal point where either we go find other jobs or see if we can make a go of it ourselves,” Rocky says. They spent Park Street’s first six months in its original downtown Sugarcreek location while renovating a 1960s ice cream stand near the high school. It was an on-the-job learning experience — with some training with the previous owner Sue — and then they were off. “We’re figuring it out as we go and that was 16 years ago before Google,” he says. “Our sauce, our dough, a lot of our core things changed a lot over those first five years.”

Rocky and Courtney Shanower, owners

Sugarcreek responded well to Shanowers’  efforts with lines wrapping around the corner. “We started growing and growing like crazy. In like five years, we were bursting at the seams,” Rocky says. The Shanowers purchased land directly behind the ice cream stand turned pizzeria. They built their current space in phases beginning with a kitchen and tiny dining area. In 2013, Park Street experienced its most sizable expansion with the addition of a 100-seat dining, waiting and porch areas. A 60-seat patio was added in 2017, with a vision to enclose the space as a three-quarter season patio.

Pizza Today toured the pizzeria this summer, sitting down one-on-one with the Shanowers. “It’s our second home, our first child,” Rocky say as he gave a behind-the-scenes tour of the pizzeria. There is one overwhelming element: the Park Street concept is flawlessly executed. Every component has been planned for, from walk-up counter blended with full service, large waiting area, table paging system to a spotless, well organized and efficient open kitchen. The operation is completely dialed in for its high volume and a customer base of locals, people from neighboring towns and tourists.

Its interior is a blend of modern, chic and country with oversized wooden booths, four-top tables, concrete flooring and eclectic chandeliers. The pizza line is directly behind the counter. “I really like for our staff to know that they are in the forefront of our customers eyes,” Rocky says. “It keeps them accountable but it also allows our customers to have that trust for us…It’s not behind closed doors.”

The Shanowers balance each other’s strengths as a solid leadership team. “Courtney found a real passion in cooking and developing food,” Rocky says. “I found a real passion in just the entrepreneurial side of the business. I love pizza and I love food but I’m driven more on the business and people side of things. We’ve just kind of complemented each other really well in that.”

At the heart of Park Street’s foundation is, Rocky says, “Caring about our community, caring about our team members and our guests, caring about the locality and the sourcing of our ingredients and the quality of those and then sustainability of the organization overall.”

It’s evident that the Park Street team exhibit those same qualities. “We’re living and breathing this,” Rocky says. “Our passion for what we are doing is supporting our families. We know how much we value our customers. I think by living those and being very involved with everybody, it’s kind of like a top down where the manager sets the culture and it feeds down through them. There’s no magic thing about culture. It’s really just supporting your team, valuing them, caring about them and showing them how much you value the guest experience.”

Courtney and Rocky share a passion for their local producers. The menu is filled with items grown in the area. “It’s basically the most perfect symbiotic relationship,” Courtney says. Park Street has access to a bounty of fresh products, while the pizzeria is able to encourage its customers to use local products. Park Street’s parking lot even serves as a CSA pickup spot and farmers market on Saturday afternoons throughout the harvest season.

Park Street’s menu offers a dozen signature pizzas, a half dozen salads, boneless and bone-in wings, some shareables and a couple sandwiches. Most items are made in-house. “We tried to create a menu that is very pizza-forward,” Rocky says, adding pizza makes up more than 70 percent of food sales.

The pizza is one of a kind with a light and airy crust with a crispy finish. “It’s a very unique dough,” Rocky says of Park Street’s pizza dough that is made with a sourdough starter and pan baked. “It’s actually a very low hydration. It works for our application, for our ovens and our process. You can’t classify it. It’s not a style. It’s our own thing.”

Each new season, the people of Sugarcreek look forward to Courtney’s seasonal collection that is promoted in store and on social media. Rocky and Courtney gave us a preview of its fall offerings. “We’re going to do our salty peach salad, which is one of our best seasonals. It’s crispy prosciutto, blackberries, local peaches, avocado, basil, a couple lettuces and then we do local honey balsamic dressing,” Rocky says. These are accompanied by a vegetarian stuffed pepper; avocado fries with a sriracha mayo drizzle and chip crumble; and a vegan Chicago deep dish with house-made vegan cashew cheese, Parmesan and sausage crumbles.   

The menu includes considerations and specialties for health-conscious diners, vegans and gluten-intolerant patrons. “It has always been important,” Courtney says. “No. 1 because we are blessed with such great produce a lot of the year. To not use it would be wasteful. No. 2, in this day and age I don’t think it’s an option to not push boundaries and have vegan options or gluten-free options. There are so many people that it’s a necessary part of their life that it’s not an option not to do it.”

Rocky adds, “It all fits with who we are — sustainable, local focused but also bringing something new to our community, bringing something into our community that is not existing right now, something that we want here for ourselves and for our family so we figure there are a lot of families like us.”

The Big Picture

The restaurant only scratches the surface of the story of the Shanower’s business. Before Park Street was realized, Rocky and Courtney created Philosophy of Pie. “I look at what we are doing as that’s our restaurant group and everything else falls below that,” Rocky says. Within Philosophy of Pie, there are three main branches: Park Street, a wood-fired pizza truck catering operation named Bahler Street and POP Fundraising.

Bahler Street doesn’t use a conventional truck. Instead the Shanowers had a box truck retrofitted to hold its oven while presenting a sophisticated, warm and inviting showpiece, something fitting of weddings and other catering occasions. Bahler Street is branded as its own company, separate from Park Street. “It’s a very different style of food,” Rocky says. “It’s a different product. We didn’t want to confuse people.”

The Shanowers have taken their fundraising efforts to another level with POP Fundraising. They’ve created a take-and-bake product for fundraisers. “So what I’ve done is looked for ways to source really good ingredients and get those in a way that we can provide those to a church or a mission or schools and we can give them the majority of the profit margin on those,” Rocky says. “So we are helping them build take-and-bakes and sell take-and-bakes, and cookies.”

Trying to serve all of those functions out of Park Street’s kitchen wasn’t working for the Shanowers so last summer they built a large and impressive commissary a mile down the road. “We prep all of our lettuce, make all of our sauces, we wood grill all of our proteins, everything in that location,” Rocky says. “My thought is that by centralizing that the next store is going to be a lot easier. So it will be the same products. Buildouts are cheaper. Trained staff is less.”

Philosophy of Pie made another investment by purchasing a refrigerated van at the beginning of the year. “This truck has been a game changer,” Rocky says. “We use this truck three different ways. It’s to deliver food from the commissary to Park Street.  We use this for our Bahler Street so if I go to Cleveland for a giant wedding of 300 people, I take this along with product so now my box truck is not overloaded.” It’s also used for POP Fundraising.

As momentum builds with Philosophy of Pie, Courtney says they don’t have any definitive answers on an exact direction for their next step.

“Every year I always say we have a project. It was expand the dining room, build the commissary,” Rocky says, adding that it could be a Park Street carryout or a Bahler Street dine in.

“We’ve naturally had to make a decision to either we want to keep growing and developing this business or just be okay with this business right where it is at,” Rocky says. “We don’t want to just plateau and stay where we are at. We really want to keep evolving and keep things fresh. By growing, there is so much more potential in developing staff. If you don’t have a growing business, you can’t keep staff. They see that… That’s the big thing is we want people to go on this ride with us. Developing partners that can manage the restaurant and to be a part of the growth.

“We’re just looking for that right opportunity and we’ll know it when we see it,” Rocky says.

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today On The Road: Park Street Pizza, Sugarcreek, OH appeared first on Pizza Today.