Tampa was the first to score a fast-casual pizza restaurant focused on bringing Italian traditions to modern plates. Lucky for downtown St. Pete, Fabrica Woodfired Pizza has a second location close to completion at 101 Seventh St. S.
Owners Estefania Greco and Jonathan Perez, a married couple with Italian backgrounds, opened their successful Fabrica in the Channel District in 2015. They started the restaurant with the idea of introducing the fresh, simplistic approach to food they experienced while living in Turin, Italy, to the States.
"Everything was so simple," Greco said. "They would throw together a couple of ingredients and everything would taste so good."
While the duo didn't have previous restaurant experience, they did find a group of investors who believed in their concept enough to take a leap of faith. Two years later, it's safe to say that leap was worth it.
According to Greco, Fabrica No. 2 is the result of being in the right place at the right time. They've had their eye on St. Pete for a while, but a location didn't come about until the owners were introduced to the management company that oversees their Channelside flagship. The company offered them the opportunity to expand into a new development, the Hermitage apartment homes, in St. Pete.
"They were looking for a tenant who would add value to [their St. Pete] building. They loved the food, loved the atmosphere, and that is why it happened so quickly," she said.
The couple's looking forward to their fall debut in the heart of downtown, needless to say.
"I love the St. Pete Market," Greco said. "The food scene is amazing. There is more competition, there are more restaurants, great pizza places, and there are also a lot of people that are willing to experience new things. I feel that it is going to be even better. There is so much foot traffic, and the local people love local."
For those who're unfamiliar, Fabrica allows customers to create their own 12-inch Neapolitan pies, choosing from toppings like San Marzano tomato sauce or house-made basil pesto. Other options include everything from whipped ricotta and chili oil to pancetta and fig marmalade. Dreaming up a mediocre pizza, cooked inside the wood-fired brick oven shipped straight from Italy, is nearly impossible.
There's also a selection of signature builds — among them Verdura (oven-roasted broccolini, whipped ricotta, fresh mozzarella and garlic, chili flakes, extra-virgin olive oil, baby spinach) — just in case diners don't feel like channeling their inner pizzaioli. Customizable salads, Italian small bites, and desserts such as gelato and zeppole round out the food offerings.
Expect wines on tap and local craft beer on the beverage side, as well as happy hour specials from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
With an anticipated launch of late September, followed by a grand opening that's in the works for November, the new 1,800-square-foot restaurant with a rustic-industrial vibe will feature 45 seats, plus more on its dog-friendly patio.
Fabrica St. Pete's planned hours of operation are 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
