A year-old pizza pop-up has completed its transformation into a brick-and-mortar spot in Scott’s Addition.
Pizzeria Delores opened in recent weeks at 3001 W. Clay St.
Founded by Max Sayer and Jacky Welch, Pizzeria Delores serves Sicilian-style square pizzas with thick crusts and aged mozzarella cheese.
The pizzeria’s building, located at the corner of Clay and Altamont in Scott’s Addition, was previously home to multiple ice cream shops like King of Pops and Charm School. After leasing it last fall, Sayer and Welch set out renovate the 1,000-square-foot space to, as Welch put, pay tribute to pizza parlors in the 1980s with wood-paneled walls and vintage Schlitz Beer chandeliers hanging over booths.
The pizzeria serves house-made ranch with every pie. (Pizzeria Delores social media)
“We just didn’t want it to feel like anything around here, which is why there’s a lot of northern and New York influence in this room,” Welch said.
“We wanted to have something that was nostalgic. We wanted to have some modern touches to it as well, and our pizza is really like that also,” Sayer added.
Pizzas at Pizzeria Delores range from $21 to $35. Welch and Sayer said some of their more popular signature pies have been the D-Lo Special, made with Italian sausage, onion and peppers, and the House Pie #1, which is topped with pepperoni, ricotta cheese and jalapeños. The restaurant also has an option for build-your-own pies.
“There’s not an overwhelming selection, but we want to have a little something for everybody, if we can,” Sayer said. “With our pizzas, we are making a homemade ranch from scratch that we give away with every pie.”
The drink menu includes a limited selection of cocktails, beer and wine, including a draft Lambrusco, a type of sparkling Italian red wine.
Pizzeria Delores is currently open Thursday through Sunday, from 5 to 10 p.m., and runs with a staff of about 11. Sayer and Welch said they plan to expand the shop’s hours once they’re able.
The duo said it was a tall task to get the space ready, but that they’re thrilled to have Pizzeria Delores come to life.
“It’s been such a dream for so long,” Sayer said. “We’re just starting to get it going, so we haven’t really had a chance to almost sit back and really let it soak in yet. But yeah, it’s an unbelievable feeling to have this be here.”
It’s the second pizzeria to open in Scott’s Addition this year, joining the second local Benny’s spot that opened a few blocks over. Last year, Pizzeria Mungo opened over on Arthur Ashe Boulevard, and farther north in Bellevue, Timber Pizza is working on opening on MacArthur Avenue.