Pizzeria Locale To Close All Locations

(RTTNews) - Pizza chain Pizzeria Locale will be bidding farewell to its customers after a decade of service.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, the parent company, announced the closure of all five Pizzeria Locale restaurants on July 10, along with the dissolution of the business.

Laurie Schalow, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for Chipotle, stated that affected employees have been offered employment opportunities at Chipotle restaurants in the Denver area.

The original Pizzeria Locale, located in Boulder, recently underwent a transformation and was rebranded as Pizzeria Alberico earlier this year. The restaurant was initially established in 2011 as a Neapolitan pizzeria with a wood-fired oven adjacent to the highly acclaimed fine-dining establishment, Frasca Food and Wine, helmed by Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson. Pizzeria Locale quickly gained popularity, and when it expanded to Denver a decade ago, it opened its doors at 550 Broadway.

However, this particular location had a unique twist. It was a fast-casual spin-off of the original pizzeria and happened to share a strip mall with a Chipotle. The news broke that Chipotle, the Denver-based fast-casual giant, had silently collaborated with the Frasca team to develop Pizzeria Locale. While Frasca Hospitality Group (FHG) retained ownership of the Boulder original, the subsequent Pizzeria Locale locations fell under the Chipotle umbrella, with Stuckey and Mackinnon-Patterson remaining involved.

The chain continued its expansion by adding a location in the Highland neighborhood in 2014. It also ventured beyond state borders with outposts in Cincinnati and Kansas City. However, in 2018, the decision was made to close those locations in order to focus on growth in Denver. Mackinnon-Patterson explained at the time that it was necessary to concentrate on their hometown. Pizzeria Locale subsequently opened additional locations in Central Park and the Ninth Avenue and Colorado Boulevard complex. In January, the fifth and final location debuted in Greenwood Village. Despite hopes for a Chipotle-like expansion, the grand plan did not materialize, leading to the brand's complete disappearance.

Last December, FHG announced the temporary closure of the original Pizzeria Locale in Boulder for a rebrand. The revamped space was unveiled in February as Pizzeria Alberico, named after Stuckey's wife, Dannette Alberico. The concept pays homage not only to Alberico's family, who initially brought the couple to Boulder, but also to the city of Naples.

While Pizzeria Alberico offers a more upscale menu compared to its predecessor, it still includes a few nods to the beloved Pizzeria Locale. For instance, the Diavola pizza replaces pepperoni with salami picante, and the popular Mais pizza is adorned with crème fraîche, corn, and pancetta in place of ham.