&pizza, the Washington, D.C.-based counter culture brand known for its critically acclaimed pizza and craft beverages, ampersand-tattooed employees (the Tribe), and fight for a living wage announced the opening of its 20th shop on January 19, and first full-service & bar concept, at Hotel Hive (2224 F Street NW)—the first micro-hotel in Washington, D.C.
“Serving as the standalone food and beverage partner to a unique property like Hotel Hive gives &pizza the opportunity to showcase our creativity while being a part of bigger innovation to drive D.C. tourism,” says Michael Lastoria, co-founder and CEO of &pizza. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with our friends Jim and Mai Abdo. They share the same pride for our city and a deep-rooted desire to provide an accessible, elevated, hospitality experience.”
Hive Bar x &bar will offer hotel guests and the surrounding Foggy Bottom community a highly curated taste of The District. Featuring six uniquely craft cocktails developed in collaboration with local distillers, the bar boasts a collective of emerging local spirits brands like Civic vodka, Cotton & Reed rum and Jos. A. Magnus whiskey. Taking a cue from &pizza’s award-winning food concept, there’s also an extensive “craft your own cocktail” option as well as a rotating selection of local beers and house wines on tap. All libations are under $10.
&pizza at Hotel Hive will be the first, and only, &pizza shop in Washington D.C. to serve up three new breakfast pies:
AVOCADO TOAST: olive oil brushed dough baked and topped with avocado mash, spicy chickpeas, goat cheese, cilantro and lemon.
ALL-AMERICAN: olive oil brushed dough baked with shredded mozzarella, grilled onions, tomatoes, sausage, bacon, egg, tater tots with a hot sauce drizzle.
CINNAMON TOAST: buttered dough spread with sweet ricotta and baked with cinnamon sugar and sliced banana topped with cereal crunch and mint leaves.
Besides the new savory and sweet pies, mornings at &pizza x Hotel Hive will feature grab-and-go food items like whole fruit, yogurt, and JRINK cold-pressed juices. Fresh brewed hot coffee and espresso drinks made with beans from the Hyattsville, Maryland-based Vigilante Coffee Company will be served at Hive Bar x &bar throughout the day.
This unique breakfast menu will be available from 7am to 11am everyday. Hive Bar x &bar will serve coffee and cocktails from 7 to 12 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and will remain open until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
&pizza at Hotel Hive will feature an outdoor patio, allowing guests to dine al fresco beginning in the Spring. Prior to the patio opening, hotel guests will be able to order and dine at the Hive Bar x &bar, with take-out availability for non-hotel guests. Guests can always order ahead via the &pizza rewards app.
To marry Hotel Hive’s unique building architecture with &pizza’s philosophy of localized shop design, D,C.-based artist Matt Corrado was commissioned to create a mural that represents the literal and abstract connections between the two brands.
In what has fast become an &pizza opening day tradition, the first 200 guests in line at 11am will get a free pie. Additionally, the first five guests in line to request a tattoo of the brand’s signature ampersand logo will receive it gratis, compliments of &pizza’s tattoo partner Laughing Hyena, along with free pizza for a year.
Through its localized charity arm &CHARITY, &pizza will mark this new shop opening with a Buy One, Give One campaign on Thursday, January 19 through Sunday, January 22. For every pizza sold during opening weekend, &pizza will donate another one—up to 250 pies—to George Washington University’s Alternative Breaks program that provides the opportunity for students to explore community service in local, national and international settings.
&pizza prides itself on serving up experiences in addition to fresh pizza. Guests have the opportunity to craft their own individual pie with unlimited ingredients or choose from eight signature pizzas with bold and unique flavor combinations such as the Maverick (meat lovers), the egg-topped Farmer’s Daughter (breakfast with a kick), and the Gnarlic (more than a white pie). The brand works with local producers to create innovative menu offerings that span a variety of food and beverage categories, including craft &SODA and small batch &TEA. &pizza uses always fresh, high-quality ingredients including organic dough, non-GMO produce, and a full set of gluten-free and vegan offerings.
Building upon the company’s mission of strengthening and enriching the local community through service, &pizza’s charitable arm, &CHARITY, exists as a structured program for giving back. Since 2012, &pizza has worked with more than 1,000 local community groups and nonprofits, and is always looking for more.