It’s been a decade now since the doors to Falora swung open, welcoming everyone inside to an atmosphere filled with scents of freshly baked and inventive pizzas. Now in its 10th year, the pizza spot is expanding its hours and pumping up its Happy Hour deals, but there’s something new we need to address first.
Ari Shapiro and Travis Evans, partners at Falora, are proud to announce that their new venture, WHOLE SLVCE PIZZA, is set to open later this year. The new concept, which will be located in the Mercado District at 160 S. Avenida del Convento, will have a nostalgic feel of a pizza joint in New York City.
“While Falora specializes in wood-fired pies, the new joint will be all about deck-oven slices and large pies. It will hark to the New York City walk-up spots that have played a part in our pasts,” said Shapiro, who grew up just outside New York City. Evans, who’s a Tucsonan, worked in the city for many years, baking for Sullivan Street’s Jim Lahey.
The restaurant will be nestled in a small space located on the ground floor of the new Monier Apartments, lending a true urban feel to the concept.
“As with Falora, the emphasis will be on fermented dough, quality fresh toppings, plentiful vegan options, and a mix of traditional and creative on the menu,” Shapiro added about the new pie concept.
Stay tuned for an actual grand opening date as we mosey on throughout the year. Meanwhile, the team at Falora is pleased to announce some newness happening at the restaurant.
What’s new at Falora?
First, and in the same vein as a ball of dough in the oven, Falora’s dinner service hours are expanding to 4 – 9 p.m. on Wednesday – Sunday (closed Monday and Tuesday).
To add a little extra cheese on top, the restaurant is amping up its Happy Hour (4 – 5 p.m.) and Reverse Happy Hour (8 – 9 p.m.). They’re offering $10 pizza pies — your choice of the Margherita, Marinara, and Bianca — and half-off all wine and beer.
“Not to worry, we’re still keeping our classic Vino + Vinyl Hour too,” said Shapiro. If you bring in an LP record to play between 4 – 5 p.m. on Wednesday – Sunday you’ll get a free bottle of Chianti on the house.
Falora is located at 3000 E. Broadway Blvd. For more information, visit falora.com. WHOLE SLVCE PIZZA will be located at the ground floor level of Monier Apartments, 160 S. Avenida del Convento.
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.
