News: Slice to meet you: Rustic Pizza Co.'s journey to Rotherham
Lee Ogley, managing director of The Rustic Pizza Co. is looking ahead to a new base in Rotherham where he aims to help create an authentic, welcoming vibe combined with great food at Forge Island.
The Independent South Yorkshire restaurant chain exchanged a deal earlier this year with nationwide placemaker, Muse, to open a new outlet in the last remaining retail space at Forge Island.
The Rustic Pizza Co was founded in 2017 by Doncaster-based husband and wife team Lee and Sian who originally ran a mobile street food business. The duo transformed a passion for pizza into a successful business venture, delivering their freshly made, wood-fired pizzas across their home city as well as serving up a slice of Italy at events and festivals all over the country.
The company opened its first permanent outlet at the popular food court in Doncaster’s Wool Market in 2019.
The Rotherham restaurant is due to open in 2024 after work completes on the Rotherham town centre site.
Lee said: "When covid hit, we had to adapt and soon became famous in the city for our DIY pizza kits – something we hope will be as popular in Rotherham. Since reopening post-pandemic we’ve gone from strength to strength – opening our sister venue, The Rustic Burger Co. at the Wool Market and we have plans to open another Doncaster venue later this year [at Lakeside].
"We’re so excited for Forge Island; we really believe that it will regenerate the area and make Rotherham a place people want to visit and be an incredible destination for families who live here."
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Joining the pizza place, the Thistle Group is signed up to bring a number of brands to Forge Island. These include Portuguese and Southern African eatery, Casa Peri Peri, created by Masterchef star, Bobby Geetha; Estabulo Rodizio / Sakku Samba – a dual-branded concept honouring the Gaucho style of cooking and a fusion of Japanese-Brazilian cuisine, and luxury coffee shop Caffé Noor. Local burger, shake and dessert restaurant, Cow & Cream has also taken space to complete the mix of eateries.
The independent eateries will be joining boutique cinema operator, The Arc, and national hotel chain, Travelodge, who will anchor Forge Island, to bring a real, family-friendly feel to the town centre.
Lee added: "We really like Rotherham as a place and can’t wait to get set up in our new space and meet our new neighbours. We think that with the help of all the other independent businesses who will open here, we can work together to bring people back into the town centre by creating something truly special for the people of Rotherham – an authentic, welcoming vibe combined with great food. Our restaurant here will offer a combination of both our pizza and burger menus, with 70 to 80 in-dining capacity and we have future plans to include a takeaway offer.
"People can expect a truly unique experience when eating with us – a true taste of Italy in Yorkshire. Our freshly made, authentic, wood-fired pizzas are made with only the finest Italian products, something this area of Rotherham has never seen before.
"We can’t wait to bring our famous rustic atmosphere, tasty food, cocktails, and live music to the city and we’re confident that people are going to love it."
Rustic Pizza Co. website
Forge Island website
Images: Muse
The Independent South Yorkshire restaurant chain exchanged a deal earlier this year with nationwide placemaker, Muse, to open a new outlet in the last remaining retail space at Forge Island.
The Rustic Pizza Co was founded in 2017 by Doncaster-based husband and wife team Lee and Sian who originally ran a mobile street food business. The duo transformed a passion for pizza into a successful business venture, delivering their freshly made, wood-fired pizzas across their home city as well as serving up a slice of Italy at events and festivals all over the country.
The company opened its first permanent outlet at the popular food court in Doncaster’s Wool Market in 2019.
The Rotherham restaurant is due to open in 2024 after work completes on the Rotherham town centre site.
Lee said: "When covid hit, we had to adapt and soon became famous in the city for our DIY pizza kits – something we hope will be as popular in Rotherham. Since reopening post-pandemic we’ve gone from strength to strength – opening our sister venue, The Rustic Burger Co. at the Wool Market and we have plans to open another Doncaster venue later this year [at Lakeside].
"We’re so excited for Forge Island; we really believe that it will regenerate the area and make Rotherham a place people want to visit and be an incredible destination for families who live here."
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Joining the pizza place, the Thistle Group is signed up to bring a number of brands to Forge Island. These include Portuguese and Southern African eatery, Casa Peri Peri, created by Masterchef star, Bobby Geetha; Estabulo Rodizio / Sakku Samba – a dual-branded concept honouring the Gaucho style of cooking and a fusion of Japanese-Brazilian cuisine, and luxury coffee shop Caffé Noor. Local burger, shake and dessert restaurant, Cow & Cream has also taken space to complete the mix of eateries.
The independent eateries will be joining boutique cinema operator, The Arc, and national hotel chain, Travelodge, who will anchor Forge Island, to bring a real, family-friendly feel to the town centre.
"People can expect a truly unique experience when eating with us – a true taste of Italy in Yorkshire. Our freshly made, authentic, wood-fired pizzas are made with only the finest Italian products, something this area of Rotherham has never seen before.
"We can’t wait to bring our famous rustic atmosphere, tasty food, cocktails, and live music to the city and we’re confident that people are going to love it."
Rustic Pizza Co. website
Forge Island website
Images: Muse
22 comments:
2025! Entire cities have been built quicker than this
Welcome to Rotherham Lee and Sian
Those cities being...?
Great muse for our town
It will be open early next year with the rest of forge island not 2025.
That's a good pizza news
Will these small businesses be open by time it opens with a long timescal it's a big risk.
Could you clarify? I'm not really sure what your point is. Thanks
What he is saying is that if the small businesses don't open by the time they open it will be difficult for them to open at all and they may have to close.
Not easy for small businesses is it?
They've several other branches so shouldn't effect anything,shop fitters won't be on site while the major construction of buildings are complete.
My point is that these businesses may not exist by time it's ready to open. And any delays will also cause problems
The problem is will these small businesses exist with so many going by the wayside.
And any delays may mean they don't open at all.
That's good thinking
Cow & Cream closed their Crystal Peaks branch just 6 months after opening. Will that business even exist anymore by the time Forge Island is finished?
Well if a company doesn't exist by time construction is complete,pretty sure there'd be little problem in getting another restaurant on board..it didn't take long for units to be snapped up.
True. Greggs gave got first dibs if Cow and Cream goes sour.
White Elephant though Crystal Peaks
Don't think the name is very appealing. Quite off putting in fact. Why not something more attractive like Udders Field? It could try opening 24 hours and incorporate a lap dancing stage. Just a thought.
I agree, the name is awful and doesn’t obviously make you think it’d sell burgers
Greggs would do very well on Forge Island. Only Glaswegians eat more sausage rolls than Rotherham folk.
True, but to be fair they also eat more salad
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