Chef Karl Worley has announced his latest project, ‘za, a restaurant serving wood-fired pizzas that are handcrafted with locally sourced, Southern ingredients. Starting in July, Worley will be slinging pies in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village neighborhood, in a space adjacent to the second location of his first restaurant concept, Biscuit Love.
Like its older biscuit-centric sister, ‘za will offer a fast-casual experience. Guests will begin by ordering from a menu of 12-inch pies at the counter, and all pizzas will be served in to-go boxes giving the diners the option to “take out or hang out.” Family-style tables made by local craftsmen, Novel Woodworks, will offer communal dining, and the space will be clean and modern, utilizing elements such as subway tiles and light maple wood, a color palette of deep red, off-white, and charcoal, and a custom Italian-made pizza oven will be installed prior to opening.
From One Dough to Another
What started as a food truck founded by Karl and his wife, Sarah, in 2012, Biscuit Love hit Nashville by storm, becoming a local staple for biscuits and brunch. Seven years and three brick-and-mortar locations later, the concept boasts local and national acclaim, with a continued dedication to working with local suppliers and giving back to the Nashville community.
A trip to Italy inspired the Worleys to begin their next venture, during which they discovered that pizza–just like biscuits–brings everyone to the table. Karl saw obvious parallels between Italian and the Southern American food culture so close to his heart, and so ‘za was born from this inspiration to merge the two to create a new dining experience for Nashvillians.
“This is an exciting next step for us, and I’ve loved the chance to flex my creative muscles in the kitchen in a new way,” says Karl. “We’ve been blessed to know some really amazing small producers here in Middle Tennessee, and we’re excited for the opportunity to work closely with them to source the ingredients for ‘za. We want this to serve as a gathering place for families that offers an easy dining option while maintaining our standards of local ingredients and true hospitality.”
What to Expect
A menu of eight pies, topped with ingredients such as locally made Italian sausage, mint, mozzarella, and red sauce; thinly sliced and roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, mozzarella, and white sauce; and spicy salami, red onion, honey, mozzarella, and red sauce will start from a four-day-fermented whole wheat dough, then wood-fired in a custom pizza oven. There will also be two salads available for purchase (a traditional Caesar and a grain-centric salad made with arugula), a house-made ricotta dip, and tiramisu for dessert. Local and regional beer and wine will be available for purchase.
In addition to the communal dining room, guests will have the option to dine at the standing bar or outdoor patio, should they choose to “hang out” after ordering their pies.
The full menu will be served from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. For more information, please visit www.zayall.com.
