Zalat Pizza is opening its 30th restaurant on Monday, October 12, in Duncanville, moving into a storefront at 325 S. Cedar Ridge Drive that until early 2026 housed a Papa Johns. The Dallas-born chain, known for specialty pies and late-night slices, now counts 22 restaurants across Dallas-Fort Worth, two in Austin, and six in Houston, with the new Duncanville shop offering the company's full menu.
The storefront sits inside Cedar Park Shopping Center, a 51,621-square-foot retail strip anchored by ALDI and Dollar Tree, according to Weitzman. The shopping center is close to Interstate 20 and Highway 67, and Cedar Ridge Drive is a major thoroughfare. The space previously operated as a Papa Johns that closed earlier this year, according to an Uber Eats listing for the now-shuttered location.
Why Duncanville, and Why Now
Nguyen told CultureMap Dallas that the move into Duncanville was about entering a new corner of Dallas County, pointing specifically to the local enthusiasm around Duncanville High School Panthers football as a draw for game-night orders and family dinners. Duncanville is part of Dallas County's Best Southwest municipal partnership alongside Cedar Hill, DeSoto, and Lancaster.
Nguyen built Zalat from a single East Dallas storefront. As reported by The Dallas Morning News, he opened Dalat Vietnamese at 2537 N. Fitzhugh Ave. in Dallas in 2012, then launched the first Zalat Pizza in 2015 in a space next to that restaurant as a late-night pizza option. The chain has since rolled out a refreshed visual identity, including a new logo, an updated website, and the tagline “Worth It.”
Pizza Toppings and a Proprietary Sauce
Zalat's specialty pizza lineup includes the Pho Shizzle, topped with chicken, red bell peppers, red onions, hoisin, Sriracha swirls, fresh basil and cilantro; the Pineapple Express, with bacon, pineapple, crushed red pepper, jalapeños, teriyaki and cilantro; and the Drunken Masterclass, loaded with salami, Italian sausage, pepperoni, red onions, jalapeños and black pepper, per the Dallas Morning News report. The chain also holds a trademark on SriRANCHa, a proprietary blend of Sriracha hot sauce and ranch dressing that functions as a signature dipping sauce across its stores, according to CraveDFW.
Beyond pizza, the menu has expanded in recent years. In January 2023, Zalat introduced shareable pretzel-style appetizers called ZA'Bites and cinnamon-sugar desserts called BeignYAYs, marking the first permanent menu expansion beyond pizza in the company's history, according to PMQ Pizza Magazine. Nguyen has said the company prioritizes making excellent pizza and intends to hold onto that distinctive approach as it grows, with the company describing “Worth It” as a promise behind its ingredients, recipes, and the signature on the box.
Stock Options for Pizza Makers and Dishwashers
Zalat's growth strategy carries an unusual wrinkle for a fast-casual chain: the company offers stock options to all hourly employees, whom it calls “Zealots.” PMQ Pizza Magazine reports that Nguyen adapted the compensation model from his earlier career as a corporate securities lawyer and tech startup CEO.
From Ghost Kitchens to a National Ambition
In 2021, Zalat opened one Arlington ghost kitchen for takeout and delivery, according to Modern Restaurant Management. The chain has expanded across North Texas and Houston, and its new Duncanville shop is a traditional storefront.
Nguyen, who escaped Vietnam with his family in 1975 before building a career in law and technology, has said his long-term goal is to scale Zalat into a top 10 national pizza brand with hundreds of locations while maintaining traditional deck-oven quality, according to PMQ Pizza Magazine.
