Pizza News
Latin pizza chain to relocate oldest location in Dallas' Oak Cliff
Pizza from Pizza Patron
A pizza chain known for its Latin twist is opening a location in Dallas' Oak Cliff: Pizza Patron, known for innovative toppings like chorizo and chihuahua cheese, is opening a restaurant at 2222 Fort Worth Ave. #140, in a buzzy new shopping center at Colorado Boulevard.
The opening actually represents a relocation; they'll be closing their restaurant at 2627 W. Jefferson Ave., which was one of their oldest locations, says director of marketing Juan Reyes.
"We've been part of Oak Cliff for over 30 years and wanted to stay connected to our lifelong Patrón(a)s," he says.
The new location will open in November.
Pizza Patron was founded in Dallas in 1986 by entrepreneur Antonio Swad and his then-wife Bernadette Fiaschetti, who also went on to found the Wingstop chain. The couple sold Pizza Patron in 2016 to franchisee Charles Loflin and partner Chris Partyka, who relocated the headquarters to San Antonio.
They currently have more than 80 locations across Texas and Arizona, with 30-plus locations in DFW including their most recent three openings in Forney, Cedar Hill, and Grand Prairie.
"Dallas will always be home, it's where we got our start," Reyes says.
Pizzas come in two sizes, 14-inch large and 18-inch extra large ranging from $9-$22. They also offer other items, like wings and churros.
Pizza Patrón set itself apart in its early days by targeting the Hispanic population through its use of Spanish in marketing, as well as Latin touches on the menu. In addition to classic toppings like pepperoni, there's a section of the menu called "Latin-inspired" with creative options like the chicken enchilada pizza, featuring chicken, red onions, and poblano cream sauce, finished with freshly chopped cilantro.
And among their three crust options, along with classic and thin, is an outside-of-the-box maíz crust made from a combination of corn and wheat flour that's softer, lighter, and foldable — like a tortilla version of a crust.
You can’t get much more Latin than a carne asada pizza with roasted tomatillo salsa verde on a tortilla-like crust.
“Our dough is proofed for a full 12 hours, allowing the yeast and sugars to develop the optimal flavor profile,” Reyes says in a statement. “We also use a cold-mixing and proofing process, which enhances the depth of flavor as the dough rises. Our unique maíz crust is a standout feature that sets Pizza Patrón apart. You won't find this unique crust anywhere else.”
Photo courtesy of Seegars Deli.