Rockaway Pizzeria Moving to Regent Square, Evolving into “Best Version” of Itself
Josh Sickels is moving Rockaway Pizzeria to Regent Square in October.
To get to Rockaway Pizzeria, one of the best pizza shops in the area, you have to travel nearly 30 minutes from Pittsburgh. Or three playings of Jungle Land by Bruce Springsteen.
It’s a trek, but a journey with a sweet, delicious reward at the end. A charming restaurant housed in a slightly ramshackle building. The checkerboard flooring and framed photos invoke vibes of the Black Lodge, a mythological place where nothing is what it seems. It doesn’t seem like the type of environment that would play host to some of the best pizza around, but that’s the Rockaway magic. The pizza is so good it inspires pilgrimages out to White Oak.
After enough people have begged owner Josh Sickels to move closer to the city, he finally found a situation that works for him. He’s been thinking of ways to expand for a while, but of course he wanted to do it own his own terms. Having a vision and being able to execute without compromise is what makes Rockaway Pizzeria so great. Now that he’s moving into Regent Square in the old Square Cafe building more people will have access to a superior pizza product. The move is scheduled to be finished by October.
I’m pretty excited by this as trips to Rockaway out in White Oak has been based on special occasions. Birthday outings, Charlie fell asleep in the car after a long day at the zoo and we got nothing to do but drive, etc. Now Rockaway can become a Friday night staple for folks in the city limits.
I exchanged some messages with Josh a few weeks ago about his upcoming move and he said, “I think it will be the best version [of Rockaway Pizzeria] yet. I’m actually trimming the menu and will add some new pizzas.”
This new location is in close proximity to Hemlock House, Josh’s other restaurant. Makes sense logistically. Regent Square is a great walkable neighborhood that is sorely lacking a great pizza shop. and it fills the pizza gap that has existed in Regent Square for a long time.
Stay tuned for more info!
Making Pizza at Home with My Newest Pizza Partner
With the heat breaking we’ve been hosting up a storm. And when I’m hosting you know I’m cranking up that Ooni and churning out mediocre pizzas for a group of people.
Making pizzas is a rewarding dish to make because it’s engaging, awe inspiring and risky. Having to stretch out the dough large enough to feed everyone while avoiding the dreaded tear. Any hole increase the chance of disaster in the cooking process, but if you keep your dough too thick you won’t get the crispiness you desire. It’s a delicate balance. When the pizza comes out just right it makes it all the more satisfying.
This year I have a new pizza chef helping me make pizza: Charlie!
Charlie loves making pizza and can execute the process pretty well for being 4.5 years old. She uses a rolling pin to stretch the dough evenly (hope you don’t like crust) and can dollop the sauce on. She’s particularly good with testing the cheese both before and after topping the pizza. An important quality control aspect.
I started off the pizza making season with a couple of mistake-pies, but I’m slowly dialing things in. I’m planning ahead to get a three-day rise on the dough which helps the flavor and makes dough handling easier.
Operating the oven and strategically rotating the pizza to get an even crisp is exhilarating. If you haven’t gotten a chance to handle a pizza in an oven you haven’t lived. What’s great is letting guest help out at the different stages. There’s a bit of a learning curve, but teaching others how to stress dough, move the pizza from the peel to the oven, and properly cook a pizza makes pizza fun and deepens the appreciation for a classic pizza.
If you’ve been making pizzas this summer, let me know. Always love a good DIY pizza anecdote!
Hope your summer is full of delicious pizza, pizza picnics and pizza parting. Lots of good pizza popping up in and around the city.
Pizza ya later!
-Dan Tallarico, Pizza Journalist
This is probably the BEST Friday morning news, ever! 🍕🤤😻 Now if only they'd add another in Mount Washington 😍