You've heard the rumors, now here's the real deal!
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, a third-generation owned and operated pizzeria, touted as a “New Haven Institution”, has entered into an agreement to acquire the space that is currently operating as The Fireplace (since 2001) in Brookline, MA. Fireplace Chef / Owner Jim Solomon, who hails from New Haven and is a huge fan of Frank Pepe’s pizza, released a statement on July 29, 2014 announcing his departure from the 1634 Beacon Street restaurant and his plans to focus on his thriving catering business.
For Frank Pepe’s, this is an opportunity to answer the public’s call to open a location in the Boston area and for the business to grow its family of Napoletana style pizzerias that patriarch Frank Pepe began nearly 90 years ago in 1925. The Frank Pepe team is thrilled with the prospect of joining the booming culinary scene that the Washington Square neighborhood of Brookline has become known for.
“With so many great pizza places here, the bar has been set extremely high,” says Gary Bimonte, the grandson of Frank Pepe who, along with members of the Frank Pepe family, continues to run the business to this day, “We’re excited to have Bay State pizza lovers try our pizza. Can there ever be enough good pizza in the world?”
Frank Pepe’s is beyond thrilled over the enthusiasm and support from their Connecticut customers and equally excited about the outreach they have encountered from eager Boston based fans, many of whom hail from CT or who make a Frank Pepe stop along their routes between New York and Boston.
So now the real work begins. From now until the end of the year, the Frank Pepe team will be developing and submitting plans for their coal-fired pizza restaurant to the town and upon approval, hope to begin construction and the behind the scenes process of opening their new location. Once the dough rises and all goes according to plan, the Greater Boston area can look forward to a Summer 2015 opening of what The Daily Meal has deemed “The #1 Pizza in America (October 2013)” and TIME Magazine hailed as “The 13 Most Influential Pizzas of All Time (May 2014)”.
