The pizza shop got its start as Over The Counter Pizza — a mobile pizzeria nestled in the back of a vintage truck bed — and then blossomed into Penelope Pizza inside Cartel Roasting Co. at 210 E. Broadway Blvd.
Then, in late July, Jared Schwartz, owner of the wood-fired pizza joint, opened his new east side location at 800 N. Kolb Rd.
The building has a fun history of local pizza restaurants.
For a few years, Dry River Company was slingin’ pies there near the corner of Kold Road and Speedway Boulevard. Then, FireTruck Brewing’s pizza concept, FireTruck Pizza Company, moved in a couple of years after Dry River closed. FireTruck Pizza Company’s temporary closure turned into a permanent one, opening up a new opportunity for Schwartz and the Penelope Pizza crew.
Penelope Pizza, which is named after their mini dachshund, has been off to a great start in the new building.
Heck, they’ve even been recognized on a national level!
Globally-Recognized Pies
The Italian website 50 Top Pizza listed Penelope Pizza as a Top Pizza in the USA for 2024. Penelope Pizza ranked #46 out of all pizza shops in the country!
I’m not fluent in Italian but I was able to translate the text on the website with Google’s nifty abilities. Here’s what the 50 Top Pizza folks had to say about Schwartz and the team:
“Among the New York-style pizzas, in addition to the classic Neapolitan ones, there are many more creative versions much loved by customers, such as the Nina, Pammy, and Spicy Jim. On the menu are tasty salads and typical Italian appetizers to accompany by choosing from the rich basket of homemade and baked breads.”
How it All Began
“I lived in Phoenix for about 21 years but I was born in Florida,” said Schwartz. “I’ve been in Arizona pretty much my whole life and was in the food industry up there for about 17 years. I worked as a busboy, dishwasher, bartending, serving, and all the way up to director of operations.”
In 2021, Over The Counter Pizza made its debut, giving Schwartz a new stage to show off his culinary capabilities.
“I found a food truck online which was a deal,” he said. “It was on a 1953 GMC pickup truck which we modified into a trailer. We spent a few months reconstructing a new oven on it. On my 30th birthday, I quit my job and started doing the food truck.”
Gettin’ Saucy on the East Side
The new location on Kolb Road is open from 3 – 9 p.m. on Wednesday – Sunday and closed on Monday and Tuesday. These are the current summer hours which are subject to change.
The menu is loaded with more than 10 pies including the Spicy Jim, which is a pie topped with mozzarella, Ezzo pepperoni, oregano, chili flakes, parmesan, basil, and Buffalo ranch drizzle — something I’ve been ordering since the Over The Counter days.
Salads grace the menu, too, if you’re in the mood for something lighter.
What’s new at the restaurant is a bar! If you remember FireTruck Pizza’s setup in the building, it’s still intact with a wider range of breweries on tap and the addition of a cocktail menu.
Penelope Pizza is located at 800 N. Kolb Rd. For more information, visit penelopepizza.com and follow Penelope Pizza on Instagram.
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.
