The owners of a small-batch Alabama ice cream company have purchased an award-winning Birmingham pizzeria.
Ryan and Geri-Martha O’Hara, the owners and founders of Big Spoon Creamery, have announced on social media that they have bought Pizza Grace for an undisclosed amount.
The pizzeria made Southern Living’s 2023 rundown of the Best New Restaurants in the South,
“We have always had a passion for great food and authentic, meaningful hospitality,” the O’Hara’s stated on Facebook.
“We hope you have felt that here at Big Spoon! We plan to bring to Pizza Grace the same level of care and attention to detail that we believe has made Big Spoon so special.
“We’re excited to build upon an already strong foundation as we bring fresh vision to steward Pizza Grace into the next chapter and make it our own. We can’t wait to share our love for dining and hospitality with you in a new context!”
Pizza Grace opened on Morris Avenue in downtown Birmingham in late 2021. Helmed by veteran pastry chef Ryan Westover and Helene Jones, the pizzeria specializes in naturally leavened, whole wheat flour and hand-mixed dough.
The O’Haras, who met while working for Birmingham restaurateurs Frank and Pardis Stitt at their Bottega restaurant, launched their small-batch ice cream business at a pop-up event in the driveway of their house in Bluff Park in 2014.
They opened their first brick-and-mortar shop in Avondale in 2017. Big Spoon Creamery also has shops in Homewood and Huntsville.
According to a social media post, Westover and Jones said the decision to sell the business “didn’t come lightly.”
They lauded the O’Haras, saying they were “huge fans” of their ice cream, and thanked their customers for support over the years.
“We wanted to make sure that we passed the restaurant off to someone who cared for the Birmingham community, had a commitment to excellence, worked directly in the local food ecosystem, and fostered a work culture that was rooted in respect and dignity,” the post stated.
“Over the last few weeks, we have had the pleasure of getting to know them as small business owners and community members. We are thrilled that they are going to take our little dream and add their approach to food, atmosphere, and hospitality. We cannot wait to see how Pizza Grace grows in the weeks and years to come.”
