Sgt. Pepperoni’s Salutes Irvine
Sgt. Pepperoni’s opens its first location in Irvine this summer. Photo credit Sgt. Pepperoni’s.
Since 1976 Sgt. Pepperoni’s has been slinging slices to pizza lovers. Quick lunches, gatherings with friends, and even this writer’s childhood AYSO end of season team celebrations were held in the restaurant’s original Newport Beach location. After opening a second spot in Aliso Viejo, the OC-based restaurant has set its eyes on Irvine. A newly vacated spot in Campus Plaza formerly housing Gina’s Pizza is about to take its marching orders from Sgt. Pepperoni’s.
Voted OC Register’s Best Pizza and Best Family Friendly Restaurant in 2020, Sgt. Pepperoni’s Irvine location is destined to be an instant neighborhood gem. The Vine connected with Jeff Roberts, a partner of Sgt. Pepperoni’s (along with his wife Erica, Ellen and Rob Dodman, Grace and Andy Hong, Jennifer and Stan Frazier, and their families) to find out more about Sgt. Pepperoni’s plans.
The Vine: How did Sgt. Pepperoni’s pick the new Irvine location?
The Irvine location fell into our lap and we couldn’t think of a better neighborhood to open Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizza Store. We’re thrilled to be located among the vibrant UCI and University High school areas and serve the entire Irvine community our fresh, award winning pizza.
The Vine: For those who have not had the pleasure, can you describe what makes Sgt. Pepperoni’s pizza special?
The moment you walk into our restaurants you can tell you’re in a unique place with local history. We strive to be a true community restaurant that welcomes everyone with great food, great people and fun times. As for the pizza, we serve New York style pies with a California twist and make fresh sauce and dough in-house daily. We also hand grate fresh cheese and use the highest quality ingredients we can find. Pizza is a true labor of love at Sgt. Pepperoni’s.
The Vine: Will the Irvine store offer Sgt. Pepperoni’s special Valentine’s Day heart-shaped pizzas? What other specials or events does the Irvine store have planned?
Our Irvine location will serve Sgt. Pepperoni’s full menu and will continue our holiday traditions like the Valentine’s Day heart-shaped pizza in February. The Irvine menu will also feature a rotation of Irvine exclusives. We’re collaborating with local chefs to create really unique pizzas. As for events, we are planning to offer live performances on our patio.
The Vine: Which roles is the restaurant still looking to fill? How do prospective employees apply?
We are actively hiring for all roles at the Irvine restaurant and plan to hire nearly forty team members. Sgt. Pepperoni’s is proud to have an awesome team and we encourage anyone who loves pizza to apply on Indeed.
The Vine: What is your go-to order at Sgt. Pepperoni’s?
The Italian Sandwich with a slice of the Bronx Bomber!
Look out for Sgt. Pepperoni’s to open in Campus Plaza in early summer 2021. Looking for a job? Enlist with Sgt. Pepperoni’s online.