Downey’s Lock & Key Team Opens New Pizzeria

It’s an incredibly busy time for new pizza openings throughout Southern California. The latest comes from the Downey’s Lock & Key bar crew, who opened a new pizza joint less than a mile away on November 19 called Paper Pizza.

Could it be that pizza demand is way up? Folks like Hatchet Hall’s Jonathan Strader and former L&E Oyster Bar’s chef Jack Leahy seem to think so, and opened the popular Little Coyote in Long Beach in July. There’s also Ghisallo, and of course New York’s iconic Prince Street Pizza, both debuting in November.

Paper Pizza hopes to stand out by imported organic flour for its house made pasta and thin-crust pies from a clean-burning gas oven. On the menu is a white pizza with fior di latte cheese, ricotta, garlic, jalapeños, onion, and garlic butter, along with traditional pie options. About the pastas, they’re topped with bolognese, meatballs, or truffle sausage.

Once in-house dining reopens, expect a 1,600-square-foot space. Hours are from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

In other news:

• Baking cakes, cobblers, and sweet potato pies for 64 years, the 27th Street Bakery Shop is still in business during the coronavirus pandemic. The history of the family-owned bakery is profiled in Los Angeles Times today.
• As LA restaurants shut down outdoor dining, the ban doesn’t prevent residents from traveling to Orange County to dine out. ABC-7 reports that OC restaurants could see a boost from the LA County dining ban, which starts tonight.
• The Associated Press noted the impact on LA restaurant workers job losses before the holidays season.
• David Cooley, the owner of West Hollywood’s iconic bar, The Abbey, penned his frustration over LA County’s outdoor seating ban in a WEHOville op-ed.
• On Black Friday, Frank Coffee will offer a 50 percent discount to all coffee drinks. The cafe is right on the border of Historic Filipinotown and Rampart, so get there between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Boyle Heights Chef Taps Into Neighborhood History at Brooklyn Ave. Pizza Co. [ELA]