Violet Stone will open its second restaurant at 3634 W. Kennedy in Tampa once the current tenant vacates. Construction begins in July. Owners hope to launch by September when football season kicks off.
The pizzeria will occupy the space Renzo’s is vacating for another site. This Tampa spot marks growth for a business that began as a food truck in 2022.
A husband-and-wife team started this venture as a passion project during pandemic shutdowns. They taught themselves to make dough, sauce, and cheese from scratch. Their food truck roamed around Tampa Bay before they opened a small storefront in St. Pete.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy stopped by during his Tampa Bay tour and posted a video that exploded online. He proclaimed the cheesesteak might be the best he’s tasted outside Philly.
Lines stretched out the door daily for weeks after that video dropped. The pair then opened a bigger full-service restaurant off MLK in St. Pete at 2607 MLK St. N., which has packed its dining room nearly every night since opening.
The menu showcases Philadelphia-style pizzas and Philly Cheesesteaks. Diners can also order pull-apart fried mozzarella squares and pizzeria staples.
Few St. Pete restaurants match this pizzeria’s consistent popularity, according to That’s So Tampa. The second location will build on that success.