Matt Albano had high hopes for his restaurant, District Apizza, in Norfolk’s Railroad District.
Over the past 11 months, he estimates he has baked and sold thousands of New Haven, Connecticut-style pizzas. But, with the redevelopment and planned growth within the historic industrial area taking a bit longer than hoped, he decided to close his business on June 24 just shy of a year after opening.
“We took a chance on where we thought the center of gravity was moving for Norfolk in terms of entertainment and dining,” Albano said.
The city of Norfolk conducted a charrette in July 2023 to see what ideas architects, consultants and the public had in mind for the Railroad District. The results showed that people want hip local restaurants, public art, shared spaces, landscaped park areas, rooftop hangouts and bike and pedestrian infrastructure improvements.
Last June, Albano and two business partners signed the lease for 2411 Granby St., began the build-out and hired a staff of about 25. The 7,200-square-foot building, dating back to circa 1920, used to house a former tractor supply company.
Kyle Fleming, the restaurant’s executive chef, died on May 24, but the owner said his loss was not the reason for the closure.
“He was a talented chef, a wonderful person and a good friend,” Albano said. “We miss him very much.”
The sudden closure of District Apizza was met with disappointment among both New England transplants familiar with the crispy thin crust pizza and those recently acquainted with the regional pizza variety.
“It was like getting a piece of home for Connecticut natives,” said Albano, who hails from the state.
Pronounced “ah-beetz,” the business affectionately carried the name Neapolitan immigrants gave the style of pizza well before they brought it to the U.S.
“Thank you for great pizza. …I enjoyed every minute I ate there,” one regular on Facebook wrote.
“You were our favorite pizza place. That’s tough to say when you are from the Northeast,” another said.
The social media thread also included comments on the pizza’s characteristic New Haven char along with compliments about the character of the building’s remodel, its wait staff and overall delicious food, which included handmade pasta.
“Although the restaurant was popular, it wasn’t popular enough,” Albano said.
He said they theorized the neighborhood itself was going to be a draw, but the spark has yet to be ignited. He stressed that he’s not pointing any fingers because running a new business and the finances linked to that were other factors for the closure.
Now, with plenty of people hooked on the New Haven-style pizza, Albano said maybe they’ll be able to give it another shot one day.
Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@pilotonline.com
