Playa Pizza opening in Horizon West

The Horizon West area will soon be home to a new business. 

Playa Pizza, a new New York style pizza restaurant, is preparing for a soft opening this weekend. 

The 4,000-square-foot restaurant will accommodate 150 guests with outdoor and indoor seating as well as bring more than 45 new jobs to the community.

The new Horizon West area business is situated within eyesight of Cinderella Castle, across the street from Magic Kingdom Cast Member Parking and Disney University.

“There are few things in life better than pizza and chilling at the beach – so we combined them at Playa Pizza,” Stephen Facella, owner of Playa Pizza, said. “Throw in an incredible view of Disney fireworks, pizza made with the New York WaterMaker, from-scratch pastas, a flavorful – and hilarious – menu unlike any other, and lively night life, and you’ve got yourself a local hangout that can’t be beat.”

Playa Pizza will feature New York style pizza with specialty pies like Carnivore’s Cornucopia pizza and vegan pizzas like Animal Lover, with plant-based pepperoni, Italian sausage and chorizo.

Guests can also enjoy a fun twist on Italian and American classics with items such as the Caribbean Calamari, a crispy calamari appetizer layered over rich and tangy pepperoncini crema; the vegan Chickenless Chicken Parm Sandwich; and Rasta Pasta, a house made rigatoni with jerk chicken, roasted pineapple, blistered tomato and roasted mushrooms. 

The restaurant also has a full bar with 16 local craft beers on tap.

However, the center point of the restaurant is an award winning pizza oven, which is the first and only of its kind in the U.S.

According to Playa Pizza, all of the restaurant’s pizza and pasta dough is made in house exclusively using the New York Watermaker. The water replication system mimics the mineral composition of New York City with technology that allows guests to experience authentic pizzas.

In addition, visitors will be able to see the dough being freshly made before their eyes in the “on-stage” pasta, dough and bread room.

The new restaurant said it believes in the importance of giving back to its local community. 

“We are homegrown and proud to support the communities in which we operate,” Facella said. “Not only are we giving back to local charities such as the Full Belly Fund, but we have created more than 45 living wage jobs, and will foster a supportive, healthy work environment for our teammates.”

The interior of the restaurant will bring unique character to the area with walls featureing commissioned art by Daniel “Krave” Fila, internationally renowned, Miami based graffiti artist. 

Playa Pizza is hosting its soft opening on Sunday, July 3, at 13211 Reams Road, Suite 108. 

For more information on Playa Pizza, click here.