A minimalistic, modern new spot on campus, &pizza, recently opened in the former spot of Capogiro (ed. note: RIP) at 3925 Walnut Street. The simple black and white interior, with dynamic lighting fixtures and an animated LED monitor menu, gives this fast–casual restaurant a trendy, experimental take on a pizza shop.
&pizza opens on campus as one of over 30 stores since its founding in 2012. According to Rachel McLaughlin, &pizza's head of marketing, the store prides itself on being a “different kind of pizza shop,” offering options from a decadent “American Honey” pie with pepperoni and hot honey, to the “Farmer’s Daughter”, which has egg and chili oil.
In addition to these signature pies, dubbed “the Hits,” &pizza also offers a build your own option with unlimited toppings. No matter what you end up ordering, each pizza will cost you around $11.
I went with the “Moonstruck,” a mushroom pizza with goat cheese, caramelized onions, mozzarella, garlic ricotta, and fig balsamic glaze. On first bite, I knew &pizza brought a completely different game. The fig balsamic glaze elevated the truffle mushroom, and the crust was thin and crispy yet still somehow chewy.
While it’s not what you might crave when you think of a typical, New York style pizza, &pizza’s offerings appeal to a more eclectic palate. The pizzas, while oblong and seemingly large, are actually about enough for one moderately hungry person. My only gripe is that the pizza was somewhat lacking in cheese—but this also meant that I didn’t feel as gross after eating, so not all bad.
As for the restaurant’s plans for the upcoming year, there’s a lot in store from this new spot. &pizza plans on staying open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, perfect for a late night snack on the weekend. Weekdays, it's open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
According to McLaughlin, the store has some events planned for the community, including a back to school event at the Radian on the 23rd to 24th of August, and a surprise late night they’ll announce on the store’s Instagram.
