JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A new pizza spot opened on Wednesday at the site of the former San Marco Theatre.
The restaurant, at 1996 San Marco Blvd. in San Marco Square, serves a pizza creation developed by chef/owner Tom Gray. It combines Roman-style dough, Detroit-inspired preparation and presentation with an electric pizza oven that offers more top and bottom temperature control.
Gray also owns and operates Prati Italia at 4972 Big Island Drive in the Markets at Town Center and Town Hall at 2012 San Marco Blvd.
The restaurant is 4,200 square feet and can seat 120 to 130 customers, depending on outside seating availability.
It was designed by Atlanta-based architectural design firm ai3 and was built by Urban Partners Construction of Jacksonville.
Gray partnered with Pam Smith and Cliff Pleau of Shaping America’s Plate. Smith specializes in using freshly harvested ingredients to develop her recipes. She is a registered dietician nutritionist.
The Roman dough is fermented for 30 hours. While the crust looks thick, it is light and crunchy rather than doughy and cake-like.
The interior of the theater built in 1938 is unrecognizable, but tributes to the building’s past are intentional. Above the open kitchen and beside the bottle display in the bar area, the accent molding looks as if it could be a curtain that would have framed the movie screen.
The exposed brick throughout is original and hasn’t been seen since the building was constructed. Silent movies will be shown against the wall opposite the kitchen.
Customers are greeted at the door by the original film projector, which has been given a place of honor.