Over the Counter Pizza, which was often found parked outside local craft beer spots and bars, has changed its name to Penelope Wood Fired Pizza. Plus, with the new name comes a new permanent location inside Cartel Roasting Co. at 210 E. Broadway Blvd.
The downtown coffee shop will be sharing its oven with Penelope Pizza from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Tuesday – Saturday. The pizza joint, which is no longer on wheels in the back of an old truck bed, shared the following on Instagram:
“We are stoked to finally announce that Penelope Pizza, formerly known as Over the Counter, is officially opening its doors (literally) on Tuesday, October 4. Come on down and enjoy some made-to-order pizza, salads, and more. We are so incredibly grateful for the support our Tucson community has shown us and excited to be expanding our small business with such an amazing city.”
Those familiar with Over the Counter Pizza knew that it was smart to order within the first 30 minutes to an hour because they’d sell out within that time. The new Penelope Pizza won’t be portable but it’ll still be offering its pies to spots in the area.
“We are going to have our QR code at some neighborhood businesses,” said Jared Schwartz, co-owner of Penelope Pizza.
At first, once they open their doors, you’ll be able to order a Sgt. Pepper, Spicy Jim, or Margherita pizza for pickup. Expect more pizzas to hit/return to the menu as well. Then, after they have more staff, they’ll be offering delivery to these designated nearby businesses.
“Over the Counter was always supposed to be a jump-off point for a full-service restaurant,” said Schwartz. “We only planned on running the trailer for about six months, but the trailer held up. The momentum of everything kept us rolling for two years. Once we knew we were going to go into a brick-and-mortar we had the name Penelope Pizza locked and loaded for the transition. It’s named after a loved one in the family — our mini dachshund.”
Aside from to-go and delivery, you can eat the pizza inside of Cartel, which happens to have a liquor license. Pizza and beer, anyone? Also, keep an eye out for the classic truck bed as it’ll likely be parked around town for certain events.
Penelope Pizza will be located at 210 E. Broadway Blvd. For more information, follow Penelope Pizza on Instagram.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
