Whether you crave sugary & sweet or salty & savory, a potential joint venture between Washington DC’s &pizza and New York City’s Milk Bar is sure to satisfy. “Milk &pizza” would be the first expansion into Massachusetts for both brands. But they’ll have to get past the zoning board first.
The two companies hope to take over 1394 Massachusetts Ave. in Harvard Square to create their unique ice cream and pizza restaurant. According to The Harvard Crimson, &pizza previously attempted to open its own store in Harvard Square, but were denied by the Cambridge Zoning Board of Appeals due to the oversaturation of pizza joints already in the area.
&pizza co-founder and CEO, Michael Lastoria went back to the drawing board, realizing that he would have to pair with another brand if &pizza were to break into the Boston restaurant business.
“We’ve listened to the community and heard loud and clear that they’re looking for more than just another pizza shop,” Lastoria said in a statement. “They want a neighborhood partner. &pizza stands for connection, inclusion and unity, and joining forces with Milk Bar is a perfect example of how we will bring those values directly to Cambridge.”
&pizza has become insanely popular since opening its first location in Washington, DC in 2012. They are known for creating thin-crust customizable pizzas made from fresh, organic and locally-sourced (when possible) ingredients.
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A mere 5 years after their inception, &pizza has 22 locations across the mid-Atlantic region.
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Milk Bar is an award-winning bakery from chef & owner, Christina Tosi. They are known for their sweet and savory cakes, pies, cookies and ice cream offerings.
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Some of the most innovative creations have even been trademarked like cereal milk ice cream that “tastes like the bottom of a bowl of cornflakes”; compost cookies made with pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, graham cracker, butterscotch and chocolate chips; crack pie prepared with a toasted oat crust and gooey butter filling; and their own delicious twist on confetti birthday cake.
The New York-based company opened in 2008 and now has 12 stores throughout the city.
“Our mission at Milk Bar is to make life a little sweeter,” Tosi said in the statement. “That includes making study breaks fun, too! Plus we can finally tell our folks we made it into Harvard!”
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Tosi is a two-time James Beard Award winner, cookbook author, and a Harvard guest lecturer. Hopefully her “in” with the university will aid the Milk &pizza endeavor in its quest to break into Harvard Square!
The partners plan to release additional details on their progress later this summer.
H/T to Boston.com