On January 1st a new restaurant opened its doors on Main Street - with a familiar face waiting inside.
850 Degrees Wood Fired Restaurant - the latest culinary brainchild of Larry Debany (of Fifty Coins fame) - is now off and running in downtown Ridgefield, offering a wide variety of pizza styles that are sure to please any palate.
Located at 424 R. Main Street, 850 Degrees features a large wood-fired oven, where a diverse selection of hand-made, Neopolitan pies can be cooked to perfection.
And perfection, according to Debany's thermometer, is baked at a fiery 850°.
In addition to its wood-fired offerings, 850 Degrees also serves an array of Classic New York-style pizzas from a traditional oven, with a full list of toppings to be added upon request - chicken parm, ziti, buffalo chicken, etc. This traditional oven also serves up an Ultra-Thin Bar-Style pizza, which is placed directly on the oven floor to get a super crisp and lean crust.
"I wanted to offer a variety of pizza styles in one place," Debany says of the inspiration behind 850 Degrees. And with two ovens churning out over 20 different menu-listed pizzas (with an additional "Create Your Own" option), 850 Degrees is certainly not lacking in variety.
"This makes us rather unique," Betsy Debany says of the family-owned restaurant. "We offer pizza from both types of ovens in our kitchen."
Plenty of pizza, but also an assortment of salad options accompanied by home-made dressings, and unique wood-fired appetizers such as the wood-fired wings.
But what about the atmosphere?
Exactly what you'd expect from a Larry Debany establishment - classy, laid-back and friendly, just like the man himself.
But for those who don't have the time to sit and enjoy service from a welcoming, professional staff, 850 Degrees features a separate, easily accessible take-out area, where any item off the in-house menu can be ordered to-go. Nor is parking a problem, with the municipal lot situated right off of Main St. (or Bailey Ave).
Nestled behind the Main Street shops, 850 Degrees is just a stone's throw away from Debany's other local haunt, Fifty Coins.
The two restaurants are separated only by a cobblestone courtyard, and don't be surprised to see Debany food-and-drink-lovers making the 20-yard trek from one local hotspot to the other.
With 14 beers on tap, the selection at 850 Degrees is a bit different from 50 Coins, and Manager Brett Hillman is always tinkering with the beer list to ensure there's something for everybody, at any time of the year.
At the end of the day, it's just nice to have Debany-styled pies circulating around town again.
2014 is heating up already.
Personal Recommendation:
The Helena is an excellent wood-fired option, but don't forget to try the Ultra-Thin bar-style (with hot oil, an extra bonus)!
Restaurant Info:
- Website: 850degrees.com
- Facebook: 850 Degrees Wood Fired Restaurant
- Twitter: @850Degrees