MOD Pizza's first Tampa Bay location is coming along in Wesley Chapel. Launching in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets at 2227 Sun Vista Drive, the fast-casual pizza franchise specializes in artisan-style pies and salads that arrive individually sized as MOD (11 inches), Mini (6 inches) or Mega (11 inches with thick crust).
Signature pizza builds on the menu include Issac — featuring olive oil, garlic, ricotta, red onion, roasted grape tomatoes, balsamic and basil — and Calexico with mozzarella, Gorgonzola, chicken, jalapeños, hot buffalo sauce and red sauce. To achieve the cheesy, crispy rounds of their dreams, MOD also allows customers to choose from more than 30 toppings while building their own pies.
In addition to speed, MOD's "people-first mission" is another important component of the operation. Husband-and-wife duo Scott and Ally Svenson, who founded the franchise in Seattle a decade ago, call it their "culture of doing good," which puts an emphasis on acceptance, opportunity and development.
The grand opening of MOD Wesley Chapel is getting closer, according to the franchise's Facebook page; pizza enthusiasts should keep their eyes peeled. Other locations around the state are planned for Orlando, Port St. Lucie and Pembroke Pines.
This article appears in Aug 16-23, 2018.