MAPLEWOOD — Pizza Champ will shutter after service on Dec. 31, the Maplewood restaurant announced over the weekend.
The New York-style pizza place opened three years ago at 2657 Lyle Avenue after being born out of acclaimed restaurant Elmwood during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We were looking forward to crushing 2025. However, an opportunity has come up that couldn't be missed, so we have decided to shut our doors," owner Chris Kelling said in a social media post.
Pizza Champ shares space with The Patio, one of the Side Project Brewing locations. Following Pizza Champ's closure, the brewery will open Side Project Pizza in its place.
The new pizza concept is slated to open in early 2025 and will serve a new menu by executive chef Adam Altnether, who helped open Pizza Champ.
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Side Project Brewing started serving food this year at its Manchester Road location. Side Project Brewing owner Cory King said the new food program has helped turn the brewery into a "true community hub."
"Expanding with another food-focused space across the street from our brewery and near our cellar presents an exciting opportunity to integrate exceptional food and beer experiences further into the heart of Maplewood," King said in a press release. "We also see potential for synergy and crossover between the concepts in the future."
The ninth edition of the STL100, a list of the best restaurants in the St. Louis area, brought both familiar and new names. Check out the top 10, then find the full list on our website.
