New Boyle Heights pizzeria serving pies with a slice of history
The chef-owner, a Boyle Heights native, is using his new restaurant as a way to preserve the community's history.
BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A new pizzeria on Cesar E. Chavez Avenue in Boyle Heights pays homage to the community's history. Its name already starts sharing a slice of that history, Brooklyn Avenue Pizza Company--which opened in late 2020.
"I believe in preserving our history and our history is here in Boyle Heights," said Mario Christerna, chef and owner of Brooklyn Pizza Co. "Cesar Chavez Avenue was once called Brooklyn Avenue."
Christerna is a Boyle Heights native and decided to showcase his roots through his menu.
"My roots here is, I'm born and raised here, born in General Hospital, raised in Wyvernwood Garden," said Christerna.
It has been a life journey for this chef to open up a restaurant in his community. Now, he's serving a slice of home at the historic Paramount building.
"This space back in the day, it was the home of the Jewish bakers union. And so to honor them and to celebrate and pay tribute, we're going to make dough and we're going to make pies," said Christerna. "We do pizzas that are like a marriage of say, a Neapolitan, little Roman and that sourdough. So it's outside crunchy inside soft and lots of love."
With the current health order in place, Christerna is only offering take-out. But he's grateful for all of the support.
"The factors have contributed to the success of the business have been our community, our neighborhood, our barrio Boyle Heights," said Christerna. "Opening a business during a pandemic has taught me one major thing, resilience."
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Brooklyn Avenue Pizza Co.
2706 E. Cesar E. Chavez Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90033
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