Pizza Restaurant Opening in Phoenix Coffee Shop

Enjoy a wood fired pizza while sipping some coffee.Photo byNik OwensonUnsplash

Opening a new restaurant cold turkey is one of the most difficult things a business owner can do. It takes considerable financial overhead in order to launch an establishment, and it can often take months, if not years, for the business to begin drawing in sustainable business (if it ever does). One of the best ways to mitigate this kind of pressure is to start slow. Open a food truck and work your way up. Not many restaurant owners follow this method. After all, many want to jump into the deep end and swim right away. That isn’t always the most financially sustainable plan. One local pizza restaurant has instead decided to follow the slow and steady growth method, as it moves its evening operations into a Phoenix coffee shop.

Otra Pizzeria has started off small, but there’s nothing wrong with that. It cuts down on financial investment while allowing its owner Cesar Velasco to grow the brand organically. The operations function out of a make-shift food cart, where every pizza is hand-fired in a unique woodfired oven. You’re not going to find many portable wood-fired ovens out there, but that’s exactly what Otra Pizzeria relies on. It allows you to order your own pie and watch as it is made from scratch. 

The food “truck” first opened in 2003. Due to the nature of its construction, it does take a bit longer to set up than a traditional food truck. Due to this, Otra Pizzeria has operated mostly at larger events and other locations where it has time to set up and stoke its fire. In this year the brand has brought in new customers as it cultivates its fanbase. Now, it has taken the next step, as it looks to operate out of Spce Coffee during the evenings. 

Instead of moving into its own space, which at this point in time is not always cheap to do around Phoenix. Frankly, it’s a move that, surprisingly, more daytime operating businesses don’t do. Spce Coffee, located at 1736 East McDowell Road is open 7 AM until 4 PM Monday through Thursday, and then 7 AM until 5 PM Friday through Sunday. Otra Pizzeria will now operate inside of the space in the evenings, giving patrons the chance to get in out of the heat and enjoy their pizza in a sit-down location. 

This only makes financial sense for both businesses. It helps bring in some extra money for Spce Coffee to go toward rent, while Otra Pizzeria can continue to grow its business in an established location without needing to fully dive into the world of renting restaurant space. 

With plenty of from-scratch pies on the menu, if you haven’t tried it out yet, now is the perfect time to do so. The crossover kicks things off this coming Saturday, August 10.