Pizzeria Locale, a fast-casual pizza concept backed by Chipotle Mexican Grill, opened a new restaurant Oct. 5 in Denver, the second location to open since the undisclosed investment by the burrito chain last year.
Pizzeria Locale customers walk a service line selecting their own pizza toppings before pizzas are cooked in minutes in high-temperature ovens. The average price for the 10-inch pies is around $6.50. The menu also features salads, meatballs and sliced prosciutto.
The chain competes in the competitive fast-casual pizza segment, which includes such brands as Pie Five Pizza Co., Your Pie, MOD Pizza, PizzaRev, Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza, among other.
Pizzeria Locale began in 2011 as a full-service Neapolitan-style restaurant by chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and master sommelier Bobby Stuckey. Chipotle founder Steve Ells took interest in the concept and struck up a partnership with Mackinnon-Patterson and Stuckey to grow a fast-casual format of the brand.
The first fast-casual location of Pizzeria Locale opened in Denver in May. The chain has previously said it also plans a third location in the Denver area, but noted that its plans call for “slow, measured expansion.”
Take a look inside the newest Pizzeria Locale location.