Pizza Man Plans Move to Former Stubby’s Space
Current location will remain open on Downer Avenue for several more weeks.
Pizza Man will soon be packing boxes with more than just its Italian pies.
The East Side pizza joint, part of F Street Hospitality‘s collection, has announced plans to relocate to 2060 N. Humboldt Ave., the former site of Stubby’s Gastropub, which closed at the end of 2022.
The move is set to commence in the coming weeks, said the restaurant in a news release. Until then, guests are welcome to venture out to the Downer Avenue location, 2597 N. Downer Ave., for a farewell meal.
“The team and I are very excited to move into a developing area of the city, as well as offer our guests a great outdoor patio space with beautiful views of the river,” said Jay Culp, regional general manager at F Street Hospitality.
At the new location, guests can expect classic Pizza Man offerings such as thin-crust pizza, pastas and the fan-favorite eggplant fries, as well as a selection of new menu items. Guests will continue to see the restaurant’s signature happy hour, BOGO Tuesday and wine Wednesday specials, along with the addition of game-day and brunch menus.
Stubby’s leaves behind 53 tap lines, which will allow Pizza Man to significantly expand its beer list with a variety of local and craft beers. The restaurant also plans to offer signature cocktails and a more extensive wine list.
An opening date is contingent on city license approval. But if all goes well, the restaurant is expected to open in mid-to-late March. Hours for the new location and a grand opening date will be released once the transition plan is finalized.
For the past 10 years, Pizza Man has occupied a two-level space at the corner of N. Downer Avenue and E. Belleview Place. It opened at the address in 2013. The restaurant’s original location on North Avenue succumbed to a fire in 2010.
Pizza Man plans to open its new location within a 21,045-square-foot building owned by WT RIOVIVO LLC, which lists Kelley Seibel as its registered agent. Other businesses in the structure include INVIVO Wellness and attorney offices. The three-story building also contains a first-floor parking garage.
Pizza Man, which first opened as a carryout operation in August 1970, has served the East Side neighborhood for more than 50 years. A second location for the restaurant opened in 2015 in Wauwatosa as part of the Mayfair Collection.
I wish them well, but as an old-timer, the current incarnation is Pizza Man in name only. I hope they have a budget for regular cleaning of those 53 beer lines.