The words “convenience” and “pizza” don’t typically fit together, but at Smack Pie Pizza they do in a most delicious way. The word has gotten out about the hot concept at the new Lodi restaurant, and guests have responded with rave reviews.
The mother-daughter team of Vicki Snell (also the owner of The Mud Mill) and Krysta Pleyte decided to provide an innovative way for guests to get exactly what they want, affordably and quickly. The concept is easy and works something like a Chipotle restaurant, only with pizza. Guests have the opportunity to customize their pizza by selecting the toppings they want for their 11-inch pizza, or they can select one of ten specialty pizzas like “Lodi Grape” or “Smack Daddy”, the all-meat pizza. Employees assist guests in creating their ultimate pizza right before their eyes, and then it cooks to perfection in a Wood Stone oven. Pizzas are just one low price of $7.95, and considering the cost of dining out, it’s the tastiest bargain in town.
“For years at The Mud Mill I’ve heard customers say that there wasn’t a place for families to eat or that they couldn’t find a good place for lunch,” states Snell. “There was not a place that was fast and casual while providing a friendly atmosphere.” Pleyte and Snell had been discussing a joint venture for some time, and Pleyte had quite a bit of food experience while in college. Plus, opening a pizza place really seemed to fit the needs of the area.
Just because it’s quick, affordable and convenient doesn’t mean Smack Pie Pizza has skimped on quality. Much of the meat and produce are sourced locally from the surrounding area. Smack Pie also hopes to partner with local growers and vendors who frequent the city’s farmers markets to introduce even more locally grown, fresh ingredients. Their original red sauce and dough are both house-made, along with a handful of their salad dressings. Besides homemade sauce and dough, Smack Pie also cooks chicken, roasts red bell peppers and makes their own caramelized onions.
Smack Pie Pizza is truly one-of-a-kind. Not only is it a family-owned operation, but with their featured finishing sauces, Smack Pie Pizza offers a lasting signature on every pizza. “Finishing sauces are really becoming popular and a good signature tool that we have. We have a balsamic glaze, sweet chili, BBQ sauce, pestos and spicy buffalo sauce,” notes Snell. “After a pizza is cooked, a finishing sauce adds a bit of originality at the end, as well as another opportunity to completely personalize the pizza.” Smack Pie offers Gold Peak teas along with a variety of domestic, imported and craft beers, both in the bottle and on draft. They also have house wines as well as local wines, so grab your favorite brew or vino and head out to the patio to enjoy your custom-made pizza.
With all the different possible combinations, it is very easy to eat healthy, gluten-free or vegetarian at Smack Pie Pizza. “A lot of people are selecting our gluten-free crust, for dietary and nutrition purposes, as well as due to specific allergies. For dairy-free guests, our sauce is vegan and pizzas can be loaded up with various vegetables, making a delicious pie. Since you’re watching the pizza being made right in front of you, customers can have as little or as much as they’d like added to the pizza,” says Snell. With so many potential pizza combinations, guests could eat at Smack Pie Pizza year-round and not have the same pizza twice.
So, what’s with the catchy business name? “Because I already have a funky name for the pottery studio at The Mud Mill, I knew it had to be to be fun name that stuck in people’s heads. I knew it had to be different or people wouldn’t remember it,” says Snell. “We wanted something that kids could say and felt a little silly saying. Also, to ‘smack’ your pizza is another description of how to top or decorate your pizza.” After guests enjoy their personalized pizza pies, commemorative shirts with sayings like, “I Got my Smack on at Smack Pie” will make a trip to Smack Pie Pizza complete.
MORE INFORMATION:
Smack Pie Pizza
121 S. School St., Lodi
(209) 224-8061
smackpiepizza.com