Twin brothers Cal and Jackson Todd think they can bring Chattanoogans the best New York-style pizza they have seen yet and add to the growing night-life scene in the North Shore neighborhood.
The 23-year-old owners of Pizza Bros at 501 Cherokee Blvd. plan to open their first restaurant venture by the end of this month with no exact date yet. The brothers said they have experience in the restaurant industry with Cal having worked at several different pizzerias in town.
Cal and Jackson live in North Chattanooga now, but they were born and raised in Ringgold, Ga. Jackson said they both will be "slinging pies" in the kitchen when they do open.
Pizza Bros at 501 Cherokee Blvd. took over part of Sluggo's Vegan Cafe in January and began renovating the space. The New York-style pizzeria should be open by the end of October, according to brothers and owners Cal and Jackson Todd."Everyone loves pizza," he said. "And we just wanted to work for ourselves."
They will be selling 16-inch pies with a cheese pizza starting at $14. Customers can choose from one of the 10 specialty pies, ranging in price from $17-$23, including a "Chicky Parm" with tomato sauce, roasted tomatoes, chicken, roasted garlic, parmesan and basil, or maybe a "Spicy Cowboy" with tomato sauce, calabrian peppers, salami, pepperoni, ricotta, buffalo swirl and oregano.
There will be pizza by the slice in a heated cabinent at the front of the store for the busy lunch crowd that may just want to grab one and go. Besides pizza, the menu will include cold-cut hoagies with Niedlov's buns and meat sliced daily. There will be salads, wings, cheesy garlic bread, "doughboiz" and desserts, including house-made cannolis and New York-style cheesecake.
The pizza bros will also have 70 beers available with 60 bottled or canned and 10 on draft. Cal said they will be focusing on local craft beers. The brothers are in the process of obtaining their liquor license, too.
"We just believe in supporting local businesses, and we like to see Chattanooga grow," Cal said.
The brothers took over the space in January from Sluggo's Vegan Cafe - which is still next door to Pizza Bros - and began renovating it. The restaurant can seat 47 guests with more seating outside and an L-shaped bar built using materials from Southeastern Salvage that also provides additional seating. With limited parking, it's best to park in the alleyway behind Pizza Bros if no street parking is available in the front, they said.
Cal said they really wanted to add to the night life in North Chattanooga, as well. The pizzeria and bar will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight daily, but the owners said they may extend to even later hours depending on business.
"We encourage people to come just to get a beer," Cal said. "We are not just a pizzeria."
For more information, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/pizzabroschattanooga.
Contact staff writer Allison Shirk at ashirk@timesfreepress.com, @Allison_Shirk or 423-757-6651.