Sally’s Apizza, the New Haven fixture celebrated for its coal-charred pies, is gearing up for a big push into Texas, with 45 locations marked on the brand’s internal expansion map. That would be the biggest single-state share in a nationwide rollout, the company says could eventually reach hundreds of restaurants. It would also mark a real shift for Texas diners, where New Haven-style apizza has mostly been limited to a few specialty spots. So far, the company has not released a public timetable or a list of specific Texas cities where it plans to open.
The company’s development documents outline an initial roadmap for 255 restaurants across 12 states and sketch a long-term goal of roughly 1,000 locations, according to CT Insider. In an interview with that outlet, Sally’s brand adviser Christian Bonaventura said the strategy includes a smaller, 3,000-square-foot strip-mall build intended to scale the concept while preserving its core menu and coal-fired cooking methods.
Texas Allotment Means Big Opportunity
Texas gets the largest planned slice of that growth, with 45 locations on the map, a figure first highlighted in local coverage by MySA, which notes the state total exceeds any other on the company’s chart. MySA also reports that Sally’s expects to roughly double its overall footprint to about 16 locations by the end of 2026 as it accelerates near-term openings.
How This Could Land In Dallas-Fort Worth
If even a fraction of those Texas units land in North Texas, it would change the local pizza landscape. New Haven-style apizza is still a rarity in Dallas-Fort Worth. Fortunate Son in downtown Garland is one of the few spots turning out a similarly charred, thin-crust pie, and it pulled an 8.1 from Dave Portnoy during his One Bite review. Coverage of that stop was documented by CultureMap, which detailed how the visit sent extra attention the shop’s way.
From One Oven To A Nationwide Plan
The original Wooster Street storefront that launched Sally’s dates to 1938, and the brand’s shift into multi-unit growth picked up after its 2017 sale to Lineage Hospitality. Reporting and company materials indicate Sally’s has since expanded from a single New Haven address to several locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts, with additional announced openings that would bring it close to double-digit size by the end of 2026, according to CT Insider.
Not everyone in the neighborhood pizza hierarchy is convinced that scaling a coal-oven, thin-crust product is simple. Executives at nearby competitors have publicly urged a slower, quality-first approach, a point highlighted in coverage by CT Post, which reported that Frank Pepe’s leadership welcomed Sally’s growth plans while emphasizing the training and consistency required to expand successfully.
What To Watch Next
With no specific Texas cities or opening dates yet announced, the earliest concrete clues are likely to show up in commercial real-estate listings, build-out permits, and franchise announcements across major Texas markets. One recent move that offers a preview of Sally’s rollout playbook is its Dorchester debut, which was tracked by Hoodline and shows how the chain approaches design, staffing, and neighborhood introductions.
For now, the Texas buildup reads more like a roadmap than a calendar. Still, the size of the planned Lone Star allotment suggests Sally’s and its backers are betting there is a broad national appetite for coal-kissed New Haven pies. If the company follows through, Texans could start spotting that style a lot more often in suburban shopping centers than they do today.
