Our History

The name "The Pizza Kitchen" actually is derived from how we started in an outdoor kitchen at co-owner Ed's house. Ed and his business partner, Brent, built an outdoor Italian villa-style kitchen including a wood-fired brick oven. From this outdoor kitchen, they would prepare authentic style tomato pies for the pleasure and entertainment of family and friends. Demand from these early days sparked the idea of building a business by creating a test kitchen in Ed's garage where he would perfect his recipes while serving them to friends on Friday evenings. From the demand for the tomato pies in this kitchen, the idea of starting The Pizza Kitchen as you know it today was born.

The original recipe, techniques, and the personal touch started in the original kitchen is what is still used at The Pizza Kitchen on South Broad Street today. When you enter The Pizza Kitchen, you can get the feel of entering Ed's kitchen where you see our expert craftsman create your pie and cook it in our stone-lined ovens.

Co-owner and head 'pizzaiolo' (pizza maker) chef, Edmund Kopczynski, was taught the art of preparing tomato pies by a direct descendant of Monzu Testa. "Monzu who", you ask? The story goes like this: Pizza's legendary birth is believed to be in the 18th century. During that period, there lived an Italian chef named Monzu Testa who served a Spanish king, Ferdinand of Bourbon. Ferdinand was a true gourmet, so consequently Monzu Testa diligently experimented in hopes of finding a novel palate pleasure for him. One day Monzu stirred, kneaded, seasoned and baked a new creation, which he called pizza (pronounced as pitza). The king was so delighted with it, that Monzu Testa was promoted Royal Chef. Yes, yet another version of the wonder we all call PIZZA!