TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson’s culinary landscape, long celebrated for its rich Mexican cuisine, is witnessing a new wave of diverse dining options.
Leading that charge in the pizza category is Penelope Wood-Fired Pizza, which is set to open its first stand-alone location on Tucson’s east side at 800 N. Kolb Road.
Penelope, owned by Jared Schwartz, has made a quick rise to prominence since its humble beginnings during the pandemic.
Schwartz remembered those early days when he first experimented with pizza dough with his fiance in their home kitchen.
“I picked up the dough mixer, made a batch of dough that night, it was 15 dough balls,” he said.
The pizzeria initially operated from a food truck before moving to a shared space with Cartel Coffee downtown, 210 E. Broadway Blvd.
While this arrangement allowed Schwartz to establish his brand, it came with challenges. “It was always unfortunate at the downtown location. We’d sell out and it was hard to maintain,” Schwartz said.
Despite these limitations, Penelope has attracted significant acclaim, including being named one of the 50 best pizzerias in the United States by prestigious Italian trade magazine, 50 Top Pizza.
The recognition came as a surprise to Schwartz.
“We didn’t know much about it, the initial email we received almost seemed fake,” he admitted.
However, the accolades have set high expectations for the new location, and Schwartz and his team are eager to meet them.
“We’re just trying to make dough into a circle, put it in the oven, and have it come out. We’re trying really hard, we’re playing around with some cool stuff. But at the end of the day, we’re making pizza,” Schwartz said.
The new Penelope Woodfired Pizza location will feature a full bar and offer pasta and salad options alongside its award-winning pizza.
Schwartz is optimistic about the venture, attributing the failures of previous pizzerias at the same location to the timing, rather than the potential of the east side.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
