‘Warm fuzzy’ vibes of Tony’s Pizza a decade-long dream

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Craft beer, 18-inch pizzas and nostalgia are on the menu at Tony’s Pizza. Co-owner Jack Foston has used a decade of experience in hospitality to come up with a bar that patrons consider a refuge.

Warwick Smith/Stuff

Craft beer, 18-inch pizzas and nostalgia are on the menu at Tony’s Pizza. Co-owner Jack Foston has used a decade of experience in hospitality to come up with a bar that patrons consider a refuge.

Anyone looking for the “Tony” behind Tony’s Pizza, a bright new beer bar in Palmerston North, won’t find him at the taps or in the kitchen, but all going to plan they should feel his presence.

Tony isn’t a person, but a middle name, a character, a “good times” vibe that a young entrepreneur from Yorkshire is putting his faith in.

Ever since he left a job managing a craft beer bar in upstate New York a decade ago, Jack Foston​, 32, has wanted to open his own joint.

He has called on his memories and experiences both working and hanging out in American pizza bars to start Tony’s Pizza, which is open on The Square from Thursday.

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His concept for the menu is clear and simple – eight pizzas, eight craft beers, eight gins – built on quality ingredients and independent brands.

But he is also attempting to conjure an intangible aesthetic, an atmosphere built on warm, comforting colours and music.

“A lot of inspiration was these places [in New York], with similar names to Tony’s Pizza, that were like a source of refuge.

“It might be a freezing cold night, and it would make you feel great. It was full of nostalgia.”

He also pulled on his experience managing a pizza bar in his home city of Yorkshire, Major Tom’s Social, where funk and soul music would fill the air.

“It helps realise what I’m trying to capture here. That warm fuzzy feeling from the past.”

Foston says a lot of emphasis has gone into the pizza bases; the ratios of water hydration, flour, humidity, time and temperature all carefully managed.

Warwick Smith/Stuff

Foston says a lot of emphasis has gone into the pizza bases; the ratios of water hydration, flour, humidity, time and temperature all carefully managed.

Foston said these venues offered delicious pizza by the slice, coupled with exceptional craft beers and “fast-casual but quality” service.

It was a unique concept, he said, and if it worked he thought it would create a new market share in Palmerston North’s hospitality scene.

“What we’ve seen is real evolving of hospitality towards that fast-casual space. So for example, where there would be craft beer bar or a restaurant, what we’re seeing is a converging … So we want to keep it top quality, but have fun as well.”

Tony’s Pizza would be the city’s first “free house”, meaning no contractual ties to any one brewery, sourcing and rotating the best independent craft beers and gins from throughout New Zealand.

The pizza comes in one size, an 18-inch – 45cm – blend of Neapolitan and New York style pie. The bases would be fresh and made in-house.

“We’re not going top down. A lot of the chains will throw a dozen toppings on. We’re looking to go bottom up. A lot of the work is managing the fermentation of the pizza dough.

“It’s good quality base ingredients. Fresh, and local where possible. For example, the pepperoni and sausage is coming from Woody’s Free Range in Kāpiti.

“A good range and quality has to be your base, but really people are buying feelings, they’re buying experiences. So we’re looking to really cultivate an environment where they just feel good being here.”

Tony’s Pizza has recycled Biscoff jars from another business to employ as beer glasses, while the seating booths are made from recycled crates.

Warwick Smith/Stuff

Tony’s Pizza has recycled Biscoff jars from another business to employ as beer glasses, while the seating booths are made from recycled crates.

Foston has been in New Zealand for five years and has managed Heyday Brew Co in Wellington. He owns Tony’s Pizza with Heyday’s owners Andrew Collins and Hamish Sail.

He said the attraction to Palmerston North was the belief there was space for a bar like Tony’s Pizza that emphasised quality and fun.

The city had a number of quality venues, and he didn’t see himself as taking them head-on in competition, but rather adding to the “circuit” of pubs and restaurants.

Tony’s Pizza is open noon till late, Tuesday to Sunday, at the former Wholegrain Organics site. Pizzas are $29-$33, or $6-$7 by the slice.

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