Next-gen pizzeria premieres first Tampa-area location in Lutz
Steak & Blue is topped with olive oil, mozzarella, blue cheese crumbles, grilled Angus steak, Roma tomatoes, garlic, spinach, fresh basil and balsamic glaze.Uncle Maddio’s Pizza
Atlanta-based Uncle Maddio’s Pizza has five Tampa-area outposts planned for its build-your-own pizza concept. The first, debuting to Lutz, has a grand opening with beer specials and live entertainment scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
In the Northgate Square shopping center at 3949 Van Dyke Road, the Lutz Uncle Maddio’s — owned by husband-and-wife team Mike and Ada Mateo — weighs in at 3,523 square feet, with room for 88 diners inside and 20 on its 300-square-foot outdoor patio.
Saturday’s grand opening (where those line will score free 9-inch, three-topping pies) is also set to act as “Facebook Privy Day,” allowing patrons to receive a complimentary pizza code. Kids will eat free all day at the new Uncle Maddio’s on Sunday, too.
Mike and Ada Mateo, who own the Lutz Uncle Maddio’s. Ada is a former banker, while Mike is a former division vice president for ATM technology company Diebold.Uncle Maddio’s PizzaThe fast-casual pizzeria chain with 50 locations in 15 states identifies as next generation. Why? Guests customize pizzas to their liking. The made-to-order pies, cooked in fast-bake ovens and served in eight minutes or so, feature three types of crust (a gluten-free option included) and 48 toppings — six sauces made in-house, 27 veggies and 15 meats. They cost about $8 each.
Other items on the Italian-inspired menu are signature pies like the Jamaican Jerk (tomato basil sauce, mozzarella, grilled jerk chicken, red onions, green peppers, pineapples, cilantro) and Portobello Pesto (herb pesto sauce, mozzarella, portabella and white mushrooms, feta cheese, roma tomatoes, fresh basil), as well as create-your-own salads and Foldwiches, sandwiches folded into Uncle Maddio’s house-made pizza crusts. There’s also craft beer and wine.
“As residents of Lutz for 15 years, we wanted our first restaurant to be located in our hometown,” Ada said in a news release. “We chose the location for its proximity to Publix, where most Lutz residents shop, and believe the area is in need of a great fast-casual, create-your-own pizza restaurant. We love Uncle Maddio’s and think our neighbors will as well.”
Uncle Maddio’s, which launched its “aggressive growth plan” in 2008, has more than 250 restaurants in development.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated since it’s original publication.
The fast-casual pizzeria offers seven house salads, a chopped salad among them.Uncle Maddio’s Pizza
