PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — While many restaurants were forced to close during the coronavirus pandemic, the owners of Pizza Fresca in Center City pivoted their business to meet the needs of the changing industry.
The pizza joint closed early on in the pandemic, but it was recently reborn as Lamberti Pizza and Market just two doors down, at 707 Chestnut St.
Keyword: market.
“Our concept is both pizza and market,” said Rosita Lamberti, director of restaurants. They reworked their menu to offer not only pizza but also other hot, to-go foods, including salads, sandwiches and entrees.
“People started working from home, so people in the area, as well as the tourists visiting, when the pandemic hit, ultimately we were just missing that traffic,” she said.
The market aspect better suits the trend of how people are buying their lunches and dinners, she added, similar to the grab-and-go business model at Di Bruno Bros.
“We also have some jars of olives that are ready to go,” Lamberti said. “We have soups and sauces that are ready to go. We have handmade pasta. We are expanding our offerings a little bit so now we have some cheeses, some burrata, some salami, so you can make a feast. And then, of course, we have desserts.“
More people have ordered takeout from Lamberti’s other fine dining restaurants, like Positano Coast in Old City and Caffe Aldo Lamberti in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, so she believes customers now expect higher quality takeout options.
“Given the last year, year and a half, we’re really trying to be there for our guests,” she said. “This is an official comeback.”
For more on Lamberti Pizza and Market, listen to the KYW Newsradio original podcast What’s Cooking on the Audacy app.