Mountain Mike’s Pizza announced the opening of its Newport-Mesa location, the first to showcase the brand’s completely updated restaurant design and refreshed guest experience. Located on the border of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach in the bustling “foodie” hub on 17th St., this new Mountain Mike’s is the first of two planned Orange County (OC) locations, with the second scheduled to open in Huntington Beach late-Summer. Newport-Mesa marks the second OC location with one currently operating in Lake Forest.
The decision to plant deeper roots in Orange County was spearheaded by the dynamic leadership duo, Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme, Co-CEOs and principal owners of Mountain Mike’s Pizza, who acquired the brand in 2017. The Newport-Mesa restaurant is located just a few miles away from the brand’s Franchise Support Center in Newport Beach which serves as the company’s operational headquarters and the training ground for the executive and franchise support team and new franchisees.
“An iconic name in Northern California, Mountain Mike’s has been a popular choice for families, sports fans and communities for over 40 years, but we know Southern California is also hungry for a family-friendly concept like ours,” says Britt and St. Geme. “We’re receiving a phenomenal response from guests as we expand throughout the southland, and we’re especially thrilled to make the brand’s signature experience of enjoying ‘Pizza the Way it Oughta Be®’ more accessible in Orange County, where we are lucky to call home.”
Reinforcing how far Mountain Mike’s has come, the new prototype encompasses the welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere that the brand is known for, but with an adventurous twist. Inspired by the great outdoors, the new store design radiates a modern, active feel that speaks to today’s adventurous spirit. The 2,740-square-foot location features an arcade zone, two patios (one dedicated and one common area), flexible seating and partitions to create semi-private space for parties, a rounded bar top with ten beers on tap, and big screen TVs throughout. Contemporary design elements include exposed wood and shiplap, modern light fixtures, picturesque mountainscape murals and local accents such as a nostalgic map of Newport-Mesa.
Serving up mouth-watering pizzas, including the fan favorite pepperoni pizza covered from edge to edge with mini crispy, curly pepperonis, Mountain Mike’s is the ideal dining destination for families, sports teams, group fundraising events and celebrations. All signature pizzas are made with high-quality ingredients like real whole milk mozzarella cheese and dough that’s made fresh in-house daily. Mountain Mike’s continues to put the safety of guests and staff at the forefront of everything they do. To ensure diners feel confident about their experience, in addition to adhering to the strictest health and safety guidelines set by the state and the CDC, such as employees wearing masks and gloves, sections of the dining room have been blocked off to create physical distancing. Whether it’s dine-in, carry-out or contactless delivery, guests can always count on Mountain Mike’s to deliver on safety, freshness, quality and value. Orders may also be placed through any of Mountain Mike’s third-party delivery partners, DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats and Postmates.
“My team is ready and eager to meet our new guests and show them what Mountain Mike’s is all about,” says Yvette Pettit, Mountain Mike’s franchisee. “We just love the location and are proud to debut our new look and feel while serving the best pizza in an environment where families can relax and enjoy themselves.”