A former dry cleaner storefront on North Beverwyck Road has a new life as a pizza-and-empanada shop, giving Lake Hiawatha residents a fresh option for a slice or a full pie. Pizzanada now occupies 102 North Beverwyck Road in the Lake Hiawatha section of Parsippany-Troy Hills Township.
The property previously housed Lake French Cleaners, which sat partially boarded up before owners Joe and Christina Petocz acquired the site in March 2023 and converted it, according to Parsippany Focus. The redevelopment required municipal sign-off: in January 2024, the Parsippany-Troy Hills Planning Board approved Application 23:518 from Petocz Lake Hiawatha Realty, LLC, granting site plan and variance approvals — including waivers and facade modifications — to turn the former dry cleaner into a pizzeria, per Parsippany-Troy Hills Planning Board meeting minutes.
Pizzanada isn't a brand-new concept for the Petoczes. They launched the first Pizzanada in Bloomfield, New Jersey, in 2020, right as COVID-19 restrictions took hold, running it as a delivery-and-takeout operation before expanding to Lake Hiawatha as their second location, according to Global Patriot Newspapers. That original Bloomfield shop reportedly paused operations following the Lake Hiawatha launch, the outlet reports.
A Menu That Mashes Up Two Cuisines
The restaurant's core idea is right there in the name: Italian pizzeria staples fused with Latin American empanadas. Per Patch, the menu includes Italian Hot Dog empanadas, Deep Dish Taco pies, and sweet versions like peanut butter and jelly empanadas, alongside an extensive plant-based menu where nearly every traditional dish can be made vegan.
Pizzanada quietly soft-opened its doors on July 8, then held a grand opening on August 15 with free food and live music, the same Patch report notes. Attendees at that celebration were treated to free pizza and empanadas.
Township Turns Its Cameras On Local Business
Pizzanada's opening is also the latest subject of a free video promotion produced by Brian Satch of Video On The Go, working in partnership with the township's Economic Development Advisory Committee for distribution across Parsippany's social media channels, Parsippany Focus reports separately. Frank Cahill, chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Committee, works with Satch on the effort to publicize businesses across the township, and said the committee is committed to helping promote current businesses within Parsippany. The video service is offered free to any Parsippany business, and interested owners can contact Cahill at (973) 559-6000 to schedule one.
Township officials have framed the campaign as part of a broader push to keep dollars local. Mayor Pulkit Desai said Parsippany businesses create job opportunities and add to the character of the township, and has asked residents to shop local and shop Parsippany, noting that local businesses contribute to the community's charitable organizations. Desai, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, took office in January as the township's first Indian American mayor after winning the November 2025 election by 80 votes, according to Northwest Asian Weekly.
Committee Faced Its Own Turbulence
The promotional push comes amid some behind-the-scenes friction on the panel running it. In July, the Parsippany Township Council removed two members from the Economic Development Advisory Committee following allegations circulating within the township, Parsippany Focus reported at the time.
Beyond the video series, the committee has pursued other economic development efforts this year. In June, Parsippany was still in the application process for New Jersey's Film Ready program, which prepares and markets municipalities as film destinations. For now, though, the immediate payoff on North Beverwyck Road is a formerly boarded-up storefront turned into a place where Lake Hiawatha residents can grab a taco pie or an empanada instead of dry cleaning.
