A brand new pizza joint is set to hit the Jersey Shore later this Summer.
Phly Pies is a brand new pizza concept from founder Steve Keefe. A lifelong cook and a first-time restaurant operator, tomato pies have been a part of Steve’s family for generations. Descended from a long line of Italian matriarchs, Steve spent most of his time growing up in Lower Merion Township and became intimately familiar with the ins-and-outs of homemade pizza preparation. He grew up watching his grandparents and great aunts rolling pasta and making pizza, and eventually enough of the experience rubbed off on Steve to make delicious new pizzas of his own.
Steve never intended to make pizza professionally, but he soon discovered that his pizzas were too popular to pass up the opportunity. He began making pizza as a hobby during the Covid-19 pandemic, consulting his own family recipes as well as Marc Vetri’s iconic pizza cookbook “Mastering Pizza.” He soon began offering raffles through his personal Instagram account, serving pies to the first 10 people to request one.
After a particularly glowing review from the staff at Marc Vetri’s Vetri Cucina, Steve realized that his pizza was something special. He soon began delivering pies to multiple different restaurants in Philadelphia, eventually establishing a designated Instagram from his new concept – Phly Pies, and began serving his pies across numerous popups in the region.
Most recently, Keefe was invited to bring his new pizza concept to the recently acquired Exit 4 bar in Wildwood, New Jersey. Formerly known as The Wood, the space as at 3800 Pacific Avenue was recently acquired by the owners of the popular nightclub Exit 6 in North Wildwood. Fittingly, the space was already outfitted for a pizza shop, enabling Steve to finally set up a full brick-and-mortar commercial space of his own.
While Steve is only operating the space for the summer, the kitchen offers all the equipment he needs to churn out the popular pies his fans have been craving. After this season, he is hoping to open up a full-time location for the Fall and Winter. He is hoping to have everything operational by the start of July, but you can follow Phly Pies on Instagram for more information as development progresses.
