The team behind Root Baking Co. is opening Pizza Jeans, a neighborhood pizza spot, today, August 7 on the second floor of the Central Food Hall at Atlanta’s iconic Ponce City Market. Originally founded as a pop-up, Pizza Jeans serves pizza by the slice and pie, drinks, dessert and more for walk-up takeout and delivery on Fridays and Saturdays from noon-8pm. Safety measures are in place, including installing plexiglass barriers at checkout, placing social distancing markers on the floor, requiring guests and employees to wear face masks and conducting employee temperature checks before every shift.
Pizza Jeans offers diners a menu with a choice of two red pizzas and two white pizzas each day alongside breadsticks, subs, salads and desserts, like Italian Lemon Ice, Sourdough Doughnuts, a Cookie Jar with six freshly baked cookies and NYC Cheesecake. Customers fill out their order on paper menus with provided Pizza Jeans golf pencils before paying at a counter. Co-founder Chris Wilkins makes fresh, naturally-leavened dough daily that’s light and flavorful, and guests can customize pies of the day with seasonal toppings sourced from local farms. Take-home family meals, like baked ziti, lasagna and a coursed dinner for two, are to come.
“To me, good pizza is simple: really good cheese, meat and vegetables on really good dough,” says Chris Wilkins. “We’re doing just that and pinning it as Atlanta-style pizza, showcasing well-executed dough with regionally sourced ingredients and local flavor.”
Behind the bar, Beverage Manager Drew Gillespie, most recently of Little Trouble, serves beers on tap – think Miller High Life – lemon soda on tap (add a shot of vodka to make it boozy) and wine specials. Around half of the wine selection is from woman-owned or -operated vineyards and those that employ sustainable farming practices to produce biodynamic, organic, vegan and unfiltered wines.
Pizza Jeans features an eclectic design with blue hues, dark draperies, leather booths, items sourced from antique shops and bookstores, and a nine-seat bar which will eventually offer full-service dining.
Open Saturdays and Sundays from 9am-4pm, Root Baking Co. will reopen in a new food stall adjacent to Pizza Jeans on Saturday, August 8 and offer an all-day, counter service menu with breads, pastries, and brunch, featuring breakfast sandwiches, a new Grit Bowl with farm egg, local vegetables, sausage and Farm and Sparrow Mill grits, mimosas and brunch cocktails, and more. After ordering, guests are welcome to take their order to-go or enjoy it within the Central Food Hall. Root Baking Co. bread and pastry pre-orders are available for pickup at Morningside Farmers Market on Saturdays. Their breads can also be found at six Whole Foods locations – Ponce, Midtown, West Paces, North Buckhead, Decatur and Brookhaven.
