Nov. 18—WHILE MANY have turkey and other Thanksgiving dishes on their minds, this is an ode to pizza pies.
First up, Rizzas Pizza took over for the former Zoey's Pizza & Calzones at 2160 Candia Road in Manchester. The new owners are familiar faces, having owned Zoey's from 2000-2015 before selling it.
Alexis Asprogiannis and her husband, Steve, spent about a week thinking before deciding to accept an offer to buy the restaurant back. They knew they'd change the name, which is an adaptation of the Greek word rízes, which means roots.
"Our roots are here. We are rooted in God," Asprogiannis said. "We wanted to be rooted in good food, community and family."
The restaurant reopened Oct. 2. Some of the decor includes a wall of newspapers with "good news" aimed at inspiring people. It includes an article about the Red Sox turning from "Chumps to Champs."
The dough and signature sauce are made fresh daily. (They also offer gluten-free and cauliflower crust options.) Pizza prices range from $10 to $24 depending on the size and toppings.
The menu features some of the old Zoey's menu, but is slightly different with no pasta, but rather rice bowls.
"I wanted to bring something healthier to a pizza menu," Asprogiannis said.
One bowl is the "Oh Happy Day" — rice, avocado, grilled chicken, chickpeas, grilled peppers and grilled onions ($14). It's named after a song recorded by countless artists and featured in the 1993 film "Sister Act 2."
Hamburgers and sandwiches come with homemade chips. A burger with fried egg and bacon is named "Two Sons," after their two sons, Deano and Niko.
The staff T-shirts feature the words "Share Hope. Love Pizza" on the back. The restaurant supports New Life Home for Women and Children, a faith-based residential treatment facility where Asprogiannis also works as a managing director.
Most of the business so far is coming from word of mouth with a good mix of new and old patrons.
"We have faithful customers," she said.
Sign of reopening?
In Concord, workers repainted the famous Vinnie's Pizzaria sign (yes, it's misspelled) last week. The place has been open since 1958, until this summer when it closed and never reopened.
"Closed for the month of June," a sign on the door still reads.
One of the workers sprucing up the sign hinted at a reopening, but there's no official word on the details.
Back on track
Kinsley House of Pizza in Nashua reopened after a fire closed the place in October 2021.