Norwalk Sally's Apizza Restaurant Receives Upgraded Design, New Opening Date

NORWALK, CT — Sally's Apizza, arguably one of Connecticut's most famous pizza shops that originated in New Haven nearly a century ago, confirmed this week big plans are in store for their new Norwalk restaurant, as well as an updated opening timeframe.

On Friday, Sally's Brand Advisor Christian Bonaventura confirmed to Patch work on the new Norwalk location at the SoNo Collection mall is "progressing toward completion."

A planned opening is currently scheduled for the second quarter of this year, which Bonaventura further clarified means sometime between April and June.

A Sally's restaurant was first announced to be opening at the SoNo Collection way back in 2019. A sign has been up at the mall for a while now advertising the forthcoming pizzeria, however it has yet to open as of January 2025.

Sally's announced in April the new Norwalk location was planned to open at the mall by the end of 2024, however the company later clarified in September the restaurant would now open in the spring of 2025.

On Friday, Bonaventura teased the new Norwalk restaurant will be even more impressive than originally conceived once it opens this year.

"We have upgraded the design for this location during the construction phase to be at flagship level, and it is going to be even more spectacular than originally planned," Bonaventura said. "We believe our fans will find that it was worth the wait."

Sally's COO Ted Zizlsperger said last year he and his team were excited to open the new Norwalk restaurant due to its unique location.

"Ideally, we look to open in lifestyle centers or in locations that are walkable to some percentage of the community," Zizlsperger said in a statement sent to Patch. "The SoNo Collection Mall met these expectations and we are excited to open there later this year."

Founded in the late 1930's by Salvatore Consiglio, Sally's became known over the years for its "thin crust pizza still baked in the same coal-fired oven that has been in use for over 80 years."

The Consiglio family sold the Wooster Street business in late 2017 to Stamford-based Lineage Hospitality, which said at the time that it had plans to expand the business nationally.

In addition to its famed New Haven location, Sally's currently operates restaurants in Stamford, Fairfield and Wethersfield, as well as Woburn, Mass.

The pizzeria's website teases a number of new locations "coming soon," including Norwalk, Famington, Newington and South Windsor, as well as a number of Massachusetts locations.

The opening of Sally's at the SoNo Collection is one of two pizza-related developments currently planned for Norwalk in 2025.

Last year, Riko's announced plans to move and upgrade its current "legacy" takeout-only location from 247 Connecticut Avenue to a new 4,600 square-foot space at 85 New Canaan Avenue, in the Broad River area of the city.

When the Riko's expansion was first announced back in July, Mayor Harry Rilling said Norwalk's supportive community and foodie culture encourage local entrepreneurs to experiment and thrive, making it a place where every pizza enthusiast can find their perfect slice.

"Connecticut is home to some of the best pizza in the world," Rilling said, "and we all know that you can never have enough great pizza options. Norwalk's vibrant food scene, diverse community, and love for great cuisine have all contributed to making it a hotspot for pizza. The city's rich cultural tapestry brings together various culinary influences, creating a dynamic environment for pizza innovation."