D.C.'s &Pizza Opens Second Manhattan Location
On Tuesday, October 3, Washington, D.C.-based pizza concept, &pizza, opens its second location in New York City on lower Broadway. The chain is working quickly to establish its presence in a city known far and wide for its slices, with the first Manhattan location opening just this past spring in the NoMad neighborhood.
The Astor Place menu features &pizza's lineup of customizable signature "Hit" pies like the satisfying Farmer's Daughter (spicy tomato, spinach, mozzarella, Italian sausage, egg, red pepper chili oil, and Parmigiano-Reggiano); the aromatic Moonstruck (truffle, garlic ricotta, mozzarella, mushrooms, grilled onion, goat cheese, and fig balsamic); and their newest pie that's getting a lot of love at the uptown location: the Dirty Bird (garlic ricotta, shredded mozzarella, jalapeño, chicken, buffalo sauce, banana pepper, romaine, blue cheese, and red pepper flakes).
Love the sound of that, but also want to try the American Honey (spicy tomato, mozzarella, pepperoni, arugula, red pepper flakes, goat cheese, hot honey)? No problem — just ask them to split your pie so you can get both. Satisfying a specific craving by building your own pie is also an option — choose from three dough options (one being gluten-free), six sauces, three types of cheese, nine vegetable toppings, nine protein toppings, and 20 "finishes" like Kalamata olives and pickled red onion—but we highly encourage you to give one of their "Hit" pizzas a try.
Beyond its cheeky concept, &pizza has also gained recognition for its commitment to sustainability, both in its ovens and the communities it is part of. CEO, cofounder, and creative director, Michael Lastoria, is a vocal advocate in the Fight for 15 and has built the brand around a simple concept: take care of your people. Every one of the chain's ampersand-tattooed employees (the "Tribe," as Lastoria has dubbed them) is paid a living wage. The focus on community building and conscious capitalism is reflected in every aspect of the &pizza experience as it partners with hyper-local charities as well as small, like-minded local brands for menu ingredients, such as Mighty Quinn's, Keepers, Milk Bar, Mike's Hot Honey, and Luke's Lobster.