Peak Pizza
Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria was founded in 1996 by a couple of guys fresh out of college who loved to brew beer and make pizza. Current General Manager Dan Fiacco started working here only a month after it opened with just a handful of employees. Now the place employs hundreds. Notably, many stick around for a long time, and around 25 have worked for the company for over 20 years.
In an era where full employment means restaurateurs are finally waking up to the truth of how to treat staff well and pay a living wage, Moose’s Tooth stands out. They’ve been walking the walk for decades, offering great benefits including insurance, profit sharing and 401(k)s, and Alyeska ski passes. Fiacco says, “It’s truly one giant family. Everybody takes care of each other. We believe in second chances, and I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the owners as well as the employees who work for me. It’s the best thing about the whole Moose’s Tooth experience.” A happy loyal staff must make for great pizza, because Moose’s Tooth is the highest grossing independent single-unit pizzeria in the United States.
Well, the beer doesn’t hurt, either. “The beer is the magic,” says Fiacco, continuing, “We brew more individual beers than any brewery in the country—72 styles.” And they make a party out of it. “Originally, back in the day, we wanted to feature a beer a month and we came up with the name First Tap. We decided the first Thursday of the month we’d release a new beer and we’d have a party and a band. That began in 1997, and here we are 300 shows later… We’ve had crowds up to 4,000 out in the parking lot.”
Though Manager and Chef JD Williamson says that pepperoni pizza will always be the most popular style, Moose’s Tooth is known for their unusual and innovative pizzas—specials, and experimental topping combinations that sometimes become menu staples. “The specials give us a chance to experiment with some off-the-wall ideas,” Williamson says. “Some of them work out really well. Some of them are not so popular. We’ve definitely developed some menu expansion based on the specials that are more popular.”
But not everything is a star. “The tempeh delight was a pizza that didn’t go over very well.” Williamson says people seek out their favorite seasonal pies. “Some of the pizzas are annual favorites people really look forward to, and we get a lot of emails, people anticipating the BLT Pizza, the Cheeseburger in Paradise, for sure, even the Meatball Parmesan, which used to be on the menu.” Sometimes a special makes the grade and becomes a regular. “The Chipotle Steak pizza at the time was number one in the specials category. So, we immediately had to put that on the menu. The Macaroni and Cheese was a surprise favorite. For me a surprise was the Backpacker, which is vegetarian.”
The second most popular pizza on the menu is also one that started out as an experiment. The Avalanche Pizza is unusual because the base is barbecue sauce. It includes blackened chicken, pepperoni, and bacon. Williamson says, “It’s got that combination of a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy. And who doesn’t like bacon on a pizza?” What beer does he recommend when cooking up The Avalanche at home? “I am an IPA fan. I would take a six-pack of YellowEye with me. And then I would enjoy that starting when you turn the oven on.”
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