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The Daisy Duke: zesty tomato sauce, spinach, sausage, mozzarella, eggs, red chili oil and Grana Padano (Photo by Red Mefford)
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Pizza & Beer of Richmond will also offer grinders like this Italian — spicy coppa, soppressata, prosciutto, pepperoncini, lettuce, tomato, onion and an herb vinaigrette. (Photo by Ren Mefford)
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A sweet treat at PBR, the double chocolate brownie is served with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and candied walnuts. (Photo by Ren Mefford)
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All the dough used for PBR's Neapolitan-style pizzas is made daily in house. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
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PBR is set to open Thursday, May 24. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
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The bocce ball court on the PBR patio will be free for guests. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
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The Marra Forni pizza oven at PBR, imported from Italy. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
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The inside of PBR is reminiscent of a traditional pizzeria, yet modern and unique. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
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Chefs Amador Cajalles (left) and Mike Lindsey of PBR (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Pizza and beer — a quintessential combination, with more and more suppliers on the Richmond food scene in recent months. Pizza & Beer of Richmond (PBR), the newest venture from EAT Restaurant Partners, aims to bring elevated versions of its namesake to the table when they open next week, while still holding on to classic aspects of a traditional pizzeria.
The inside of the space at 2553 W. Cary St. is home to long wooden booths, ideal for large groups. Exposed pipes and bricks throughout the restaurant generate an industrial vibe — hip and modern, yet homey and familiar.
Windows near the patio fully open like doors, creating an airy atmosphere. The expansive patio, the largest in the city, offers 60 seats, along with a bocce ball court, free for guests, and corn hole boards.
Shakers filled with crushed red pepper and Parmesan grace the tops of tables. Diners can expect the archetypal plastic Pepsi tumbler cups, reminiscent of pizza parties growing up, along with customary metal plates.
“It really is a combination of two feelings when it comes to pizza, and we feel like we tug at the heartstrings of these memories of going to a pizza restaurant as a kid, but also making it modern and edgy and chic and trendy,” says PBR General Manager Luke Jacobs.
The heart of the restaurant is easily spotted as soon as you enter the space: a shiny, enticing, copper masterpiece where all the magic happens — a Marra Forni rotating brick oven.
The $60,000 oven was imported from Naples, Italy, and assembled in Maryland. The Marra Forni cooks Neapolitan-style pies at 800 degrees in roughly 90 seconds, rotating eight to nine pizzas at a time on the ceramic base.
Pizza is nothing new for the culinary masters behind the scenes who crafted a unique yet approachable menu, and it’s not the first pizza spot they’ve opened together.
Executive Chef Amador Cajalles, formerly of Matchbox, opened that restaurant's Short Pump location, along with Head Chef Mike Lindsey, also of Red Salt Sushi & Chophouse, another EAT Restaurant Partners venture.
“I’ve made a lot of pizza, but this is my first time with this oven. I’m excited,” says Cajalles.
Lindsey believes having staff he’s previously worked with is beneficial, and PBR has allowed him to incorporate elements from his high-end culinary background (Ruth's Chris, Red Salt, Yard House) and add his own touch.
“I’ve been able to put all those elements together and to do my own menu, which is the best part,” says Lindsey.
Although bringing flair to the menu has been the biggest challenge, Lindsey says it’s one he welcomes.
“We're taking it and putting a chef spin on pizza … we're doing cool stuff, and it gives us an avenue so we're not stuck in a bubble and gives us a better niche,” says Lindsey. “I’m not concerned [about competition] because we're so different in the way we do our pizza.”
The pizza dough is made daily along with a variety of sauces including BBQ, pesto and zesty tomato, spicy garlic-ginger, and buffalo; fresh-made mozzarella and meats like prosciutto, meatballs and brisket are cured in house; toppings such as pork rinds, shishito peppers, fried green tomatoes, spicy honey and roasted Brussels sprouts offer atypical choices.
“It’s good for us to [open PBR] at a time where pizza is really popular and to be able to do it different, and I think we nailed it,” says Lindsey.
The copper-topped bar is home to 48 beers on tap, the other specialty of PBR. The majority of beers are Richmond-brewed, like Strangeways Uberlin or Hardywood Pilsner. There are also brews from across Virginia — Gold’s Helles Lager, Big Papi from Commonwealth Brewing and Potter’s Grapefruit Hibiscus cider, along with suds from beyond — The Maharaja from Avery Brewing (the only Richmond restaurant offering it) and Ommegang Rosetta, as well as international beers like Delirium Tremens, and of course, the namesake PBR, which the menu notes “is always on draft and always $3.”
PBR features 10 specialty cocktails crafted by Bar Manager Ashley Saxon, who incorporated Owen’s, an all-natural and low-sugar and -carb mixer, into many of the drinks. All the cocktails have Richmond-inspired names. The Pony Pasture Punch is a refreshing balance of sweet and tart with Absolut Mango and Cranberry, Pama pomegranate liqueur, and Owen’s Grapefruit Lime mixer. The Maymont Marg is a unique twist on the traditional drink with Lunazul, fresh-squeezed lime juice and Blood Orange San Pellegrino.
“Everything is named after RVA, and that was a big deal because Luke Jacobs is so passionate about making this restaurant for the people of Richmond,” says Saxon.
Five 65-inch and two 85-inch TVs are scattered along the walls, and Chris Staples, director of hospitality and marketing for EAT, says they plan to host movie nights every Monday and include special themed pizza and cocktails. The focus will be on classic movies from the ’80s and ’90s like "Karate Kid," "Spaceballs" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."
“It’s fun to live like you’re a kid, and here people can enjoy exclusivity, and we offer elements that provide value,” says Staples. “We want to make this place fun where people can hang out whether they’re here for a beer or a meal,” he adds.
On Sundays happy hour specials will be available all day. On To-Go Tuesdays PBR will offer discounts on takeout pies with the purchase of a crowler, a 32-ounce canned version of a growler. There are also plans in the future for “adult” pizza party packages.
“We want this to be a place you can bring kids, bring your dog and sit on the patio, bring the family, or come hang out with your friends,” says Jacobs. “Everyone loves pizza and beer.”
Pizza & Beer of Richmond, at 2553 W. Cary St., will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. They will offer delivery through ChopChop.
