Riko's Joins Fairfield's Delicious Pizza Tradition

FAIRFIELD, CT — Charlie Aysseh and Jay FitzGerald, owners of Fairfield's new Riko's hot oil pizza restaurant, know the competition is fierce among the town's pizza joints.

Frank Pepe's is here, so is Sally's Apizza, not to mention a host of other delicious pizza offerings. But the brothers-in-law, who had talked about opening a pizza place together for years, have been pleasantly surprised by how busy they've been over the first two weeks since opening in February.

"Fairfield is a pizza mecca," Aysseh told Patch on Friday afternoon, during a slight lull from the lunchtime crunch. "There are a lot of great pizza places here, So we've been very pleased with how quickly the community has embraced us."

The two quit their corporate jobs, scouted around Fairfield County for locations for the restaurant, and chose Fairfield because they said it is "dynamic and vibrant."

"Fairfield became a priority for us, because we liked the demographic," FitzGerald said. "But the response so far has exceeded our expectations."

In addition to Fairfield, Riko's also has locations in Stamford, Norwalk, New York and Florida. A spot in Darien is slated to open in the future, according to the website. Riko's also has a full bar to go along with great food, with lots of televisions tuned to the latest sports.

Mark Barnhart, Fairfield's Director of Community and Economic Development, told Patch he is not surprised by the warm welcome that Fairfield residents have given Riko's, and he wishes the two owners much success.

"We are excited to have Riko’s join an already vibrant restaurant scene, and choose Fairfield as the location in which to expand their operations in Connecticut," Barnhart said. "I know their many fans were eagerly anticipating the opening of the Fairfield location, and with such a devoted following, I expect them to do well here. And, Jay and Charlie and the rest of the team were an absolute pleasure to work with!"

Riko's signature pizzas are thin and crispy, and the hot oil gives them a spicy, zesty taste. Customers can choose from traditional toppings, or build their own pie from a host of offerings. All the pizzas are 13 inches.

The restaurant also serves wings, which are oven-baked not fried, and salads. And it also serves up salad pizzas, the same tasty thin crust "with sauce and your favorite salad on top."

Aysseh also said that the staff trained by cooking for weeks before they opened, to ensure that the meals were just right.

"The variety of our menu helps to set us apart," FitzGerald said. "And we also want our customers to feel comfortable and welcome. We are really focused on customer service."

Riko's is located at 1920 Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield, and it is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.