New & Exciting In RI: Pizza J On Westminster Street In PVD
Julian and me in the soon-to-be-open-for-biz dine in area of Pizza J, where you'll find tables crafted from wood salvaged from the Pizza J building during the initial renovations. The bar (not shown) is actually fashioned from wood from a dismantled house in Newport that dated back to the 1880's. And there's even a wall in the back made out of wood from the original Julian's restaurant, circa 1994-5.
I live for great pizza. That's why I was so thrilled when my friend Julian, the man behind the iconic Julian's restaurant on Broadway, agreed to give Ashley and me a tour/sneak peak of Pizza J, 967 Westminster St., PVD, yesterday. It's one of the most anticipated openings in the city (happening in a few short weeks, fingers crossed) and the space itself is pretty awesome. Julian says his dream was 'to recreate the neighborhood pizza place he went to as a kid x 1,000' and I say he's succeeded and then some. 15 years in the making, from dream to fruition, Pizza J boasts marble and granite countertops, stained glass windows, lots of natural light (from all those skylights), and an 8,000 lb oven (all the way from the City of Angels), for bread and pizza making of course, as the centerpiece. Once "they" officially open their doors, you'll also find dine in and take out areas, two stunningly beautiful bathrooms (One is done up completely in white marble.), and a 'secret' video game room in the back.
A Pizza J-ism from Julian: Square Box, Square Pizza, Square Deal
There are also lots of fun, kitschy touches that you've come to expect if you're already a fan of the wildly popular place over on Broadway, with its permanent PEZ display and tv blaring in the bathroom, local art on walls and rock and roll meets tofu scramble kinda vibe. Like the J Star logo in the ironwork. Or the 'Stay Hungry' mural on a back door adjacent to that not-so-secret game room. Or the '65 Chevy delivery van. (Photos below.)
Can't wait to go back for some of their outstanding pizza real soon!