A local favorite known for its gourmet pizzas, Phew’s Pies, is set to open its first brick-and-mortar location at the Municipal Market in Atlanta’s historic Sweet Auburn district. The restaurant aims to bring its signature flavors to a wider audience while planning for further expansion.
“We’re working hard to get everything ready, and we’re very close,” said owner Matthew Foster in an interview with What Now Atlanta.
Foster’s passion for pizza began long before he launched his business. Pizza has always been his favorite food, and his interest deepened after watching The Pizza Show, a YouTube series by restaurateur Frank Pinello that explores pizzerias across the U.S.
“I watched that show religiously every day,” Foster recalled.
Foster’s journey into the culinary world was further shaped by his previous job in the entertainment industry, where he traveled as part of Nick Cannon’s Wild ‘N Out freestyle show. However, when the pandemic hit in 2020, it put a stop to his touring schedule, leading Foster to explore his love for pizza.
“Everyone was making sourdough bread during the pandemic, and I was making pizza,” he said. “I started researching and cooking pizzas for friends and family.”
As Foster honed his craft, he became increasingly curious about the lack of Southern pizza representation in mainstream food culture. Cities like New York, Chicago, and Detroit have long been recognized for their unique pizza styles, prompting Foster to wonder: What would the South’s signature pizza look like?
That question led to the creation of Phew’s Pies’ signature dish: the Lemon Pepper Wet Pizza, inspired by the beloved flavor of lemon pepper wings. The pizza gained instant popularity after going viral on social media.
“I would post a pizza menu for my friends and family, and one of my buddies saw it. He bought the lemon pepper pizza and tweeted about it. That’s when it went viral,” Foster said. “The next day I made another 30 to 40 pizzas, and it blew up even more when rapper Killer Mike retweeted it. We had nearly 100,000 views, thousands of retweets and shares.”
Following the viral success, Foster transitioned to running Phew’s Pies full-time. The business, which initially operated as a pop-up, has hosted events at breweries, bars, and other venues. It also launched a mobile trailer to cater to larger events like weddings and festivals.
The concept has received widespread recognition, including a top spot in a 2023 Good Morning America competition for Best Pizza in America. Phew’s Pies won first place in Atlanta and second place nationally—a moment Foster describes as one of his proudest achievements.
The upcoming Municipal Market location will mark the company’s first brick-and-mortar store. But this is just the beginning for Phew’s Pies, with plans to expand into additional concepts in the future.
Foster’s long-term vision for the brand includes three key components: a traditional sit-down pizza restaurant, a quick-serve slice shop (with the Municipal Market location serving this purpose), and a fine-dining pizza experience that pushes culinary boundaries.
With a growing fan base and plans for further growth, Foster’s passion for pizza continues to fuel the expansion of Phew’s Pies, a business that started as a pandemic hobby and has quickly become a standout in Atlanta’s vibrant food scene.
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