Raise your hand if you had a sourdough starter on your kitchen island in April 2020. While many of us threw ours away shortly thereafter, Tony Bove is still going strong. In fact, his starter has grown into a small business. Freeza Pizza delivers high-quality, small-batch pizzas made with specially sourced ingredients straight from Bove’s oven to customers’ freezers. “I’ve always felt like there’s a value in being able to eat a good pizza in the comfort of your home,” he says, “but also to have a good option.”
The Product
Find the best food in St. Louis
Subscribe to the St. Louis Dining In and Dining Out newsletters to stay up-to-date on the local restaurant and culinary scene.
Bove built his menu around two signature styles of pie: Detroit and Neapolitan. To account for the St. Louis crowd, he’s recently added a thin-crust, tavern-style to the mix. He can make four Detroit-style pizzas at a time using his home oven. His Neapolitan-style pizzas are made in an Ooni oven, which he bought as his hobby turned into a passion. “I did research like crazy,” he says. “I bought books and [read] online forums and joined Facebook groups, where I connected with mentors around the world.” He learned where to source the finest flours and cheese and perfected his sauce. “I’m really trying to keep an emphasis on the traditional, basic toppings,” he says. “I want you to taste the crust, the sauce, and the cheese. It’s what everybody loves about pizza.”
Pickup, Pop-Up & Beyond
Bove’s primary point of sale remains the website, freezapizza.com. There, the full menu lists around 50 options, though the “In Stock NOW” tab shows what’s currently stored in his home freezer. He bakes about a dozen pizzas a week, cools them to room temperature, and vacuum-seals and freezes them at home for porch pickup (priced from $9–$23).
On May 9, he’ll also begin making monthly appearances at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market (on May 9, June 13, July 4, August 8 and September 5).
He’s also planning his first pop-up, Freeza FRESH!: A Pizza Pop-Up, at Parker’s Table (7118 Oakland), from 6–9 p.m. on April 13. He’ll focus mostly on Detroit-style pizzas (including a gluten-free option), with a small number of Neapolitans. He’ll offer five base options to start: cheese, pepperoni, bacon, sausage, and mushroom. “I’ll also have a variety of add-ons that people can purchase for an additional cost, things like hot honey, pesto drizzle, hot chili oil drizzle, ricotta, and shredded arugula.” Select beverages, wine by the glass, craft beers, and canned cocktails will be available as well.
On one hand, Bove says, “I haven’t been in a huge rush to scale up… I’m having a hard time keeping up with a small customer base.” On the other, he adds, “It seems like I’m open to seeing where growing it could go.”
