Karl and Sarah Worley are excited to announce ‘za, a wood-fired pizza restaurant in Hillsboro Village, is now officially open at 2005 Belcourt Avenue. ‘Za features handcrafted pies with locally sourced, Southern ingredients from the same duo behind Nashville’s brunch staple, Biscuit Love.
Inspired by a recent trip to Italy, the Worleys discovered that pizza–just like biscuits–brings everyone to the table. Karl, who leads at the culinary helm, saw obvious parallels between the Italian and the Southern American food culture so close to his heart, and so ‘za was born from this inspiration to merge the two in an effort to create a new dining experience for Nashville.
FROM ONE DOUGH TO ANOTHER
At the heart of Nashville’s Hillsboro Village neighborhood, ‘za offers a fast-casual experience. Guests begin by ordering from a menu of 12-inch pies at the counter, and then have the option to “takeout or hangout.”
The menu is comprised of nine signature pies such as That Hipster Place in Brooklyn with Red Sauce, Soppressata, Mozzarella, and Hot Honey; The Rescuer with Red Sauce, Sausage, Mozzarella, and Mint; and The Thoroughbred Hillbilly with White Sauce, Mozzarella, Benton’s Prosciutto, and Dressed Arugula. Four-day-fermented whole wheat dough is topped with local ingredients then wood-fired in the custom pizza oven. For those looking for an extra saucy experience, six “dip dips” including ranch, honey, spicy honey, pesto, red sauce, and garlic oil can be served alongside the pies.
In addition to the pizza, there are two salads on the menu, Kale Caesar with Spice and a Grain Salad, as well as an appetizer of House-Made Ricotta Dip with Honey, served with baked dough balls. On the sweet side, The Vincenzo is a playful take on tiramisu with a caramel crunch. Local and regional beer and wine by the glass are available for purchase.
‘ZA BY DESIGN
Family-style tables made by local craftsmen, Novel Woodworks, offer communal dining to inspire conversation. The space is clean and modern, utilizing elements such as subway tile and light maple wood, a color palette of deep red, off-white, and charcoal. A handmade Southern Italian pizza oven was crafted by Naples, Italy-based Stefano Ferrara, whose family has been building brick ovens in the region for generations. The Neapolitan oven is jet black, and named “Devault,” after Karl’s favorite culinary school instructor. A mural, painted by local artist Becca Wildsmith, depicting Bill Murray’s likeness and an accompanying quote (one of Karl’s favorites from the comedian) adorns the wall of the patio.
‘za is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
