It all started with an unsettled craving for a taste of home. For Enzo Algarme the craving was traditional Neapolitan pizza, and home was where he grew up in Naples, Italy. Driven by his taste for the pizza of his childhood and his failed attempts to find what he was looking for in the United States, Enzo set out to bring the taste of Naples to the Washington, DC area. Having come from Italy to study pre-medicine at George Mason University, Enzo put his studies on hold to focus on his vision.

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In 2007 Pupatella was born. Enzo purchased a food cart and had it outfitted to meet his demands. He began selling pizza to crowds of people in Arlington, Virginia and enjoyed bringing the true tastes of Naples to his community. The food truck achieved so much success, that in 2010 Enzo and his wife Anastasiya took a leap and signed a lease for a small restaurant space off the beaten path in Arlington, Virginia. 

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Pupatella opened to tremendous success with lines of people out the door from day one. People flocked to Pupatella for its authenticity and “back to the basics” philosophy. Pupatella pizza is unyielding to the centuries old tradition of Naples’ finest pizzaiolos (pizza makers) and is not “Neapolitan Inspired” but rather true Neapolitan pizza. The restaurant proudly possesses a VPN certification, a designation given to qualifying pizzerias by the Naples-based Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana.  To obtain the VPN certification, the pizza must be made according to the 200-year-old Neapolitan technique. Only wood-fired ovens are permitted and the dough is made of only four ingredients: 00 Italian flour, sea salt, fresh yeast and water. The toppings for the D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) pizza may only include sauce made of San Marzano tomatoes grown in Italy, fresh cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella made with buffalo milk or fior di latte, sea salt, fresh basil and olive oil.

 

Pupatella’s focus on quality, simplicity, and tradition has allowed it to become a staple in not just the Washington, DC area but in the country, having been featured in dozens of publications, frequently earning “Best Of…” honors. Pupatella has a top rating on Yelp with more than 1,300 reviews. In addition to its classic artisan food, Pupatella is known for its fast and affordable format. From a family outing to a romantic date night, guests appreciate Pupatella’s commitment to Neapolitan pizza served in a casual atmosphere. 

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With its continued success and growing demand for its pizza, Pupatella has decided to embark on its next phase of growth, having recently announced that it will develop more Pupatella pizzerias. Enzo and Anastasiya have partnered with experienced restaurant development executives to launch Pupatella Enterprises, the growth company for Pupatella. Pupatella Enterprises will forge a path to bring its highly successful model to new communities by way of corporate and franchise development.  Pupatella’s secret to success has always been both ingredients and technique and is taking the same focus to its expansion. Pupatella Enterprises has combined experts in franchising, real estate, supply chain, training, and operations by building a team of industry experienced executives.

 

Pupatella has also hired highly respected Washington, DC architecture firm HapstakDemetriou+, which boasts clients such as Cava Grill, &Pizza, Nando’s Peri Peri, Rose’s Luxury, and Jose Andres’ Think Food Group. 

 

With the ingredients in place and the expansion technique solidified, Pupatella is now opening its doors to investors and franchisees in the Unites States and abroad that share its respect for quality and tradition. The ideal franchise partner has restaurant experience and a passion for executing a proven system. Specific areas for growth include Washington D.C Metro, Philadelphia Metro, Richmond, VA, Virginia Beach, VA, Raleigh-Durham, NC, Chapel Hill, NC, Newark, DE, and Wilmington, DE.  Franchise opportunities are also available in the Middle East and other select US markets.

 

If you are driven by tradition, quality and entrepreneurship, we want to speak with you. 

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