Vegan pizza eatery Pizza Verdura Sincera is now open in the former Zesto space in Atlanta’s Little Five Points neighborhood.
Owners David R. Smith and Paul Jones first announced plans for the restaurant at 377 Moreland Ave. NE nearly two years ago.
Smith developed the idea for Pizza Verdura Sincera during the pandemic, when he became more health-conscious and said he realized people were changing the way they eat “and realizing that a plant-focused diet shouldn’t be accompanied by some sort of punishment.” He also has a soft spot for pizzerias, as his first job as a teenager growing up in New York was at a pie shop. “It’s a fun, cyclical story,” Smith said.
Credit: Courtesy of Pizza Verdura Sincera
Credit: Courtesy of Pizza Verdura Sincera
Pizza Verdura Sincera’s menu includes five “house pies” in two sizes, with choices including Giardano, topped with seasonal vegetables including zucchini, yellow squash and sweet onions; Greco, with spinach, garlic, mushrooms and kalamata olives; Mexican-inspired Messicano, with vegan chorizo and roasted corn; and Come La Carne with plant-based sausage and pepperoni. Guests will also find monthly specialty pies made with seasonal ingredients, a seasonal salad and vegan desserts including tiramisu and a raspberry and passion fruit torte.
The pizza crust is made with organic, non-GMO flour. Smith describes it as “the best of both worlds,” a cross between “a light, fluffy Neapolitan crust and a traditional New York-style crust that’s a little crispier” that was achieved by experimenting with temperatures, cook times and length of secondary proofing.
The European pizza ovens allow control over the heat from the top and bottom, and the glass door allows kitchen staff to monitor the pizzas without opening the door and letting heat escape.
Smith and Jones started doing product development for their first solo venture several years ago, beginning with finding the perfect plant-based cheese.
“Making a great vegan pizza is not easy,” Smith said in a 2022 interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We researched more than 100 cheeses, and sampled more than 30. We were looking for good melting and browning properties, the right taste and stretch.”
The restaurant offered free samples of its pizza April 27-28 at the corner of Moreland Avenue and McClendon Street, and Smith said many people didn’t believe that the product was entirely plant-based. “Our goal isn’t to make the best vegan pizza you have ever had, it’s to make the best pizza you have ever enjoyed,” Smith said.
Credit: Courtesy of Pizza Verdura Sincera
Credit: Courtesy of Pizza Verdura Sincera
When the restaurant gets its liquor license within the next few weeks, beverage offerings will include red, white, pink and fizzy Italian wines, all $11 for a glass or $38 for a bottle, and local and European beers.
The 1,744-square-foot space seats up to 50 guests, including a small chef’s counter, banquette seating and high-top tables. Design elements include building materials discovered during renovations, including 12-foot wood-framed ceilings, exposed bricks and concrete floors.
“When you renovate a 75-year-old building, there are always going to be surprises,” said Smith. “Sometimes they’re tragic, and sometimes they’re great. The things we discovered were far more great than bad.”
Smith and Jones took over the space when ice cream and burger shop Zesto closed in late 2021 after nearly 60 years, when a tree crushed it.
A Zesto mural on the retaining wall behind the restaurant remains.
“This site has history,” Smith said. “We don’t want to just scrap the past and pretend it never happened. This site is filled with memories for a lot of people.”
Smith and Jones have long dabbled in the food and beverage industry — they’re partners, along with chef Hector Santiago, in two locations of Atlanta restaurant El Super Pan, and have consulted on several other local restaurant projects including Poke Burri, Lifting Noodles Ramen and Farm Burger. Smith is also a co-owner of Mexican restaurant Dos Burros on the Eastside Beltline.
In addition, they also own Smoq’n Hot Grill, which recently closed in the Coda building in Midtown. Smith said he’s actively looking for a new location for that concept.
Opening hours for Pizza Verdura Sincera are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 11 a.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays.
Scroll down to see the full menu for Pizza Verdura Sincera:
Credit: Courtesy of Pizza Verdura Sincera
Credit: Courtesy of Pizza Verdura Sincera
377 Moreland Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-343-2132, pizzaverdurasincera.com
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