New pizza restaurant opening in former Java Joe's

• The location was home to another short-lived pizza restaurant before Cirese took it over.

How it started: While working on opening Despensary downtown in 2017, Cirese would stop by Java Joe's and admire its old-school exterior and brick interior.

• "It was just beautiful," Cirese tells Axios. "I just fell in love with it."

State of play: Cirese wants to help revitalize 4th Avenue by bringing back the aesthetic charm of Java Joe's while also modernizing the shop's event space.

Zoom in: Zazas menu will feature "gourmet" pizza with locally-sourced, organic ingredients, he says.

• While the main menu and late-night dining will focus on pizza, he also plans on opening for breakfast and coffee.
• Plus: Expect them at the farmers' market.

The intrigue: This will be completely separate from Despensary, Cirese says, so don't expect him to sell gummies at the new restaurant.

What they're saying: While Fong's Pizza is just across the street, Cirese says Zazas will have a different take.

• "There's plenty of slices for everybody."

What's next: He anticipates an April opening.