Fishtown is about to get a serious Southern twist on its slice game. In Crust We Trust, a Southern-leaning pizzeria from local restaurateur Anyae Wilson, is slated to open this May at 965 Frankford Ave. The shop is planning late-night slices and full pies built around Southern flavors like oxtail, collard greens and cornbread-style crusts, all served in a space that will also function as a community room. Wilson says the concept will celebrate Black history in Philadelphia while offering both daytime slices and evening sit-down service, joining a growing wave of new pizza spots along Frankford Avenue.
Menu and concept
Wilson is putting together a lineup of specialty pies topped with fried chicken, collard greens, shredded oxtail and pimento-cheese blends, along with crust variations that include cornbread and sweet-potato dough, according to WhatNow. She told the outlet she is currently vetting a chef and plans to stick with a traditional dough fermentation process, preparing batches several days ahead. The idea is to tap into regional Black culinary traditions while still keeping the pies approachable for late-night slice hunters.
Space and history
In Crust We Trust is taking over the storefront at 965 Frankford Ave., the former home of Vince’s Pizzeria, which left the space in March, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. The dining room is expected to seat about 80 people, and Wilson is planning to install a timeline of local Black history along the walls, according to PhillyVoice. Management is also eyeing traffic from nearby venues, hoping extended hours will draw concertgoers from the Fillmore along with late-shift workers from Rivers Casino.
Family ties and hospitality roots
This will be Wilson’s first solo concept, but she is hardly new to the business. She has worked across her mother's restaurants in the Amina Hospitality Collection, the group led by Felicia Wilson with Chef Darryl Harmon that operates Amina and other Afro-Southern concepts around Philadelphia. In Crust We Trust leans on that family background while positioning itself as a cultural and culinary hub in Fishtown.
Opening timetable and hours
Wilson is targeting a May debut for In Crust We Trust. Coverage has varied slightly on timing, with WhatNow noting an end-of-May goal and PhillyVoice reporting that she was hoping to open by mid-May. Reported hours have the kitchen running 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.–3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon to midnight on Sunday, which gives the spot both grab-and-go slice service during the day and a late-night option for sit-down pies.
What it means for Fishtown
The arrival of In Crust We Trust adds to the ongoing shuffle of restaurant tenants along Frankford Avenue, where neighborhood materials and brokers have noted a steady uptick in dining activity. The Fishtown District and local listings point to increased restaurant openings on the corridor, and MPN Realty highlighted the 965 Frankford address in a recent market update. For nearby residents, the combination of a Southern-influenced menu, Black history programming and long hours could turn the new spot into both a neighborhood hangout and a post-show slice destination.
