LINCOLN PARK — A fast-casual pizza joint specializing in customizable personal pies is joining the neighborhood.
Zoom Pizza Factory, 2156 N. Clybourn Ave., is set to open at 10:30 a.m. Friday.
It's the culmination of three years of planning for founder J.R. Werner and chef Paul Guerrero, whose resume includes working under Wolfgang Puck and a stint at Wildfire Restaurant.
"If we do this the right way, this [restaurant] can be so much more than just pizza," said Werner, who worked for technology firms for a decade prior to opening his own restaurant.
At Zoom Pizza Factory, there is no menu.
Instead, patrons customize their own personal pizzas down to the sauce, starting with selecting original, ancient grain or gluten-free dough.
There's a variety of local and responsibly sourced ingredients like figs and butternut squash, as well as more conventional toppings like pepperoni.
"Some of the best Italian restaurants are getting [these ingredients] in their door. I'm really excited that we can offer them here," Guerrero said.
There's also a "drizzle bar," where garnishes like basil, creamy sriracha and honey can be drizzled on top of the pizzas.
Those who need help choosing can consult the restaurant's personal pizza concierges, or "pizzaristas," whose job it is to provide topping guidance based on both taste and nutritional value.
Once the pizza is prepared, it gets cooked in a stone conveyor oven, which Werner said is the first of its kind in Chicago.
"It cooks a pizza in four minutes without sacrificing that natural stone flavor that you want," Werner said.
The 9-inch-by-9-inch personal pizzas range from $6.75 for cheese to $8.75 for a "premium" pie with unlimited toppings.
In addition to traditional pizza, patrons can order a zalata, which is a cross between a salad and a pizza. The pizza bread is brushed with olive oil and seasonings and then customized with greens, other toppings and salad dressing.
Only one premade pizza will be offered at Zoom, and that's the SPE pizza. Each month, a different pizza that is considered a balanced, nutritional meal by food industry certification standards will be offered.
The pair takes pride in the philanthropic component of the restaurant, which ties certain ingredients to charities and causes.
The idea is when a customer selects a certain ingredient, the restaurant will automatically make a donation to the cause that's tied to that ingredient. The same goes for the restaurant's water bar, which is where customers can infuse their water with fruit.
"We're making it simple for people to help other people," Guerrero said.
Drawing from his technology background, Werner developed a mobile app that allows patrons to pick up pizzas as they're ready.
"We want to make it easy for guests to get a really good pizza really fast. And through the course of that, they're also able to help someone else," Werner said.
"Anyone can get Brussels sprouts on a pizza, but I think we do it in a way that's special."
Zoom Pizza Factory will be open from 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays, and 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays.
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