New Pizza Spot Opens At Surly Brewing Co.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The replacement for the award-winning Surly Brewer's Table restaurant is set to open.

Surly Pizza Upstairs opens Friday. Owners say the space will be taking on the traditional "New Haven-style" pizza, in addition to appetizers, salads, oysters and desserts.

New Haven pizza crust is billed as thin and crispy. Surly's representatives say that it's also made with Dry English Ale Yeast, the yeast they also use for their beers.

"For some time, we've thought, 'someone has to be brave enough to explore the marriage of pizza and beer.' It might as well be Surly," the opening announcement joked.

Surly Brewer's Table closed last summer. The 85-seat Brewer's Table was good enough to earn its chef a James Beard nomination for Best Chef: Midwest, and the restaurant was named one of Food & Wine Magazine's 10 best new restaurants of the year, but it was not profitable enough to stay open.

Chef Jorge Guzman, who spearheaded the food program at Surly, left following its closing.

Surly Pizza Upstairs will be closed Sunday for Surly's Easter brunch buffet, but will resume operations on Monday.