Coalhouse Pizzeria Cometh

It may have missed this year’s Pizza Tour but from the sound of it we could have a contender for a future crown. Stamford will finally with have a coal fired pizza house to compete with the likes of Sally's & Pepe's by way of Coalhouse Pizzeria opening in Bulls Head Shopping Center (across from Lord & Taylor) this fall. From owner Gerard Robertson:

MISSION STATEMENT: We take personal pride in the timely and consistent preparation of the finest foods using the best ingredients obtainable in an environment that is exceptionally clean and uniquely welcoming. Our portions are generous, our staff is well trained and friendly, and our kitchen is clean. We strive to provide an excellent experience for everyone and we measure our success one satisfied customer at a time.

COAL OVEN: The benefits and uniqueness of using a coal burning pizza oven include:

1. Tradition – coal was used in the first ovens used to bake pizza in the United States.

2. Eco-friendly cooking process – contrary to the image of some coal types, anthracite is one of the world’s cleanest burning fossil fuels – cleaner than wood fires and cleaner than a gas grill. Additionally, we support the economy by using an abundant American natural resource mined by Americans.

3. Process – coal pizza ovens maintain an average temperature of 800 degrees allowing for pizzas to cook in approximately 2 minutes. This high temperature gives the crust of every pie a unique crispy taste and texture – qualities not attainable with common gas or wood burning ovens. This unique crust, combined with our high quality ingredients, some imported from Italy and some grown locally, distinguishes us from all other local pizza restaurants.

It’s not all about the pizza kids.

We have lots of creative marketing ideas, all of which focus on interaction with the Stamford community in the form of a "give back." For example, if we can get permission from the town, we want to offer free summer movies projected outside during the summer, a kind of summer film festival, focusing on the Blues and on Jazz music. We would also love to host an annual outdoor music festival. I am a runner, so I want to host a local road race to benefit the Stamford YMCA. And those are just a few, so we are very excited about the whole project. Most important, we are excited about giving something of quality back to our hometown, the Stamford Community.

Nice!

Portraits of Jazz & Blues legends commissioned for the restaurant:

The Woodstone oven trucked across country from Washington state and craned in: