Popular Pizzeria Closes After 20 Years In Business In Meriden

MERIDEN, CT — Chef’s Hat Pizza closed its doors for good Thursday after 20 years in business in Meriden.

Customers of all ages stopped by the restaurant, which made Greek-style pizza, to say goodbye and have one final bite, according to WTNH News 8.

Tacio Suarez opened Chef’s Hat Pizza, located at 482 Cook Ave., in 2003 and his family kept the restaurant going for the past two years after his death.

The family recently announced the restaurant’s closing in an emotional post on Facebook.

“After 20 unforgettable years, it is with great sadness that we announce the closure of Chef’s Hat Pizza,” the post reads. “It has been our great pleasure to welcome and serve so many guests, friends, and family since its opening in 2003 by my father, Tacio Suarez. He moved to CT from Aguada, Puerto Rico to give his family a better life. He worked in the pizza business for close to 40 years and always aspired to open his own restaurant. While his dream became a reality, we never imagined how much it would have bonded us as a family and community.

“After his passing two years ago, we worked hard and kept his dream alive, but it’s time for both my mother and I to enjoy quality time with our ever-growing family (whether they like it or not!). It is a bittersweet moment for us, but we know we made him proud!”

While Chef’s Hat Pizza has closed, it is not the end of pizza being served out of the location. A new pizzeria, Wooster Street Pizza, is opening in the spot and will hold its grand opening on July 1.

The new pizzeria’s owner, Katerine Mercedes Orellana, wrote a message to Chef’s Hat Pizza’s customers on Facebook.

“To all Chef's Hat Pizza customers: in no way shape or form will we ever try to live up to chefs hat pizza’s legacy,” she wrote in the post. “For I too have enjoyed their pizza since a very young age. However, we do hope you give us a chance to prove that chefs hat’s owners made the right choice in entrusting us to keep the business going. We also hope that you give us a chance in trying our food and a chance to gain not only chefs hat but YOUR trust as well.

“We thank you all in advance for your support.”

Read more about Chef’s Hat Pizza’s final day at WTNH News 8 here.

For more information, visit Chef’s Hat Pizza on Facebook here, and Wooster Street Pizza here.