San Francisco's popular Detroit-style pizza restaurant, Square Pie Guys, is making its way over the bridge. The rectangular pizza joint will open in late February in the Old Oakland space that formerly housed Benchmark Pizzeria, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
"We were originally thinking of opening our first restaurant in Oakland. We have always had our eyes on Oakland," co-owner Marc Schechter told SFGATE. Both he and co-owner Danny Stoller live in Oakland.
While the restaurant industry as a whole has been struggling during the pandemic, Square Pie Guys, which opened its SF location in SoMa about a year ago, has been doing well. As to-go pizza was already a large portion of their business, the transition to takeout-only was a relatively smooth one.
"It certainly comes with some emotions and empathy towards other restaurants given that we're doing well and the broader industry is struggling," said Schechter. "So we've tried to raise funds for people who have been furloughed and out of work in the restaurant industry."
The duo's offshoot online-only hot chicken sandwich restaurant, Hetchy's Hots, donates three percent of all proceeds to charities that benefit people heavily impacted by the pandemic. Hetchy's Hots will also follow the Square Pie Guys to Oakland, operating out of the new location's kitchen.
When searching for their new space, Schechter and Stoller were seeking somewhere that lent itself well to both a robust takeout and delivery program and outdoor dining. The historic building they selected, which features both a front patio and a 2,000-square-foot parking lot, fit the bill.
Square Pie Guys, a popular Detroit-style pizza restaurant in San Francisco, is opening an Oakland location in early 2021.
Brian S. via Yelp"We really wanted that beverage program and beer garden vibe, but everyone wants outdoor seating because of COVID, so it made finding something harder," said Stoller. "Behind the restaurant there's a parking lot that can be used as an ad hoc patio, and we can convert it into a built-out space."
The new Oakland location has secured a full liquor license, unlike the San Francisco location, which only serves beer and wine — so expect cocktails to join the menu.
"We are working hard to develop a to-go cocktail program with the same flair and seasonality as folks have come to expect from Square Pie Guys, said Schechter.
The square pizza spot's highly acclaimed burgers won't be available in Oakland (they don't have a flat top grill), but all their pizzas, salads and wings will. Expect pie favorites such as the "mean green sausage machine" (garlic ricotta cream, Italian sausage, roasted broccoli, chile flake, hot honey) and thick-crusted pepperoni pizza, although a new pizza menu is launching soon.
The new Square Pie Guys, which will open in late February 2021, will be located at 499 9th Street in Oakland.
December 23, 2020 at 07:14AM
https://ift.tt/3mL11dN
Detroit-style SF pizza spot Square Pie Guys is opening an Oakland location - SF Gate
https://ift.tt/2CPpHAw
Pie
No comments:
Post a Comment