If your nostalgia runs to mixtapes, mall arcs and a well-charred slice, Hell's Kitchen has a new hangout lined up. Sama 'Za, a 1990s-inspired pizza parlor and cocktail bar from the team behind neighborhood spot Monkey Thief, is set to open on March 31 in Hell's Kitchen. The concept leans into long-fermented, neighborhood-style pies, soda-shop-style cocktails and retro touches, with operators saying they want to balance playful kitsch with serious technique and familiar flavors tweaked in a few deliberately offbeat ways.
Menu and drinks
The pies start with a 72-hour fermented dough aimed at delivering structure, chew and plenty of char, according to Time Out. The printed menu features pizzas with names like Saved by the Shell, a clam-pie riff; the vodka-sauce-heavy V.C.R.; and Corn To Be Wild. There are also shareable snacks, rotating soft-serve and blondies on offer; the full lineup is posted on Sama 'Za.
Where it came from
The crew behind Monkey Thief has taken over the former B Side Pizza Bar space and turned it into Sama 'Za, a change Eater NY noted in a recent rundown of Midtown restaurant shuffles. Community-board filings naming operators Avi Singh and David Muhs were previously flagged by What Now.
Licensing and opening details
The New York State Liquor Authority's Feb. 6 public-notice list includes Sama Za 51 LLC at 370 W 51st St, reflecting a plan for on-premises beverage service. Reservations and contact details are listed on Sama 'Za.
Sama 'Za is not positioning itself as a rival to the city's legacy slice shops so much as a neighborhood joint with upgraded technique, a balance Time Out highlighted in its preview. Doors are scheduled to open on March 31, with early service set to feature the full pizza lineup alongside the "From the Fountain" cocktail program.
