Just a year after the Louisville, Kentucky–based Millennial Restaurant Group (MRG) opened its first Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza in Louisville, the fast-casual pizza concept announced that it will soon open a second Louisville area location in Middletown. The new restaurant, set to open in June, will be the seventh location for the franchise group, which is developing the concept in four states: Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia.
Unlike traditional pizza chains, Blaze Pizza features an interactive assembly-line format that allows guests to create their own artisanal pizzas, choosing any toppings they like from a wide selection of house made sauces, fresh vegetables, and hand-selected meats and cheeses. The generously sized 11-inch pizzas are then sent to the blazing hot oven where dedicated pizzasmiths ensure that the thin-crust pies are “fast-fire’d” and ready to eat in just 180 seconds.
Since opening its first location at Shelbyville Road Plaza last year, Blaze has been winning over fans in Louisville with its custom-built artisanal pizzas, freshly made salads, blood orange lemonade, and s’more pies. Blaze Pizza makes its dough from scratch using a recipe developed by critically acclaimed executive chef Brad Kent, which requires a 24-hour fermentation period to produce his signature light-as-air, crisp crust. The restaurant’s menu also accommodates a range of dietary needs, by offering gluten-free dough and vegan cheese. The Middletown location will also offer a selection of wine and craft beer.
The second Louisville Blaze Pizza will be located at 13317 Shelbyville Road in the new Middletown Commons Shopping Center. Blaze Pizza is custom-building its newest location specifically to suit the 2800-square-foot space. Similar to the St. Matthews location, the new restaurant will boast an industrial-inspired atmosphere with bold orange and red accents, an ode to the centerpiece of the restaurant, the open-flame oven. The restaurant will offer seating for 70 inside with an additional 30 seats on an outdoor patio.
“We couldn’t be more excited to open a second hometown location,” says Rodney Poston, Louisville resident and Blaze Pizza’s operating partner for MRG in Kentucky. “The response we’ve gotten from guests since opening our first restaurant has been incredible. Not a day goes by that I don’t get asked when we’re opening another location and that time is finally here.”
The Millennial Restaurant Group is a partnership that consists of James Patterson Sr., Jim Patterson II, Ulysses (Junior) Bridgeman, Wayne Albritton, and Collins Cogan.