&Pizza, a DC-Based Fast-Casual Pizza Chain is Opening in Center City

With seven locations in D.C. alone, plus five in Maryland and three more in Virginia, &Pizza is saturating the DC-area's fast-casual pizza market. So they're making the move up north, opening its first location above the Mason-Dixon line by the end of 2016 at the new-ish development at 15th and Walnut Streets (1430 Walnut Street, to be exact).

Midwood Investment and Development is signing &Pizza to fill in 2,375 sq.ft. of the property's 50,000 sq.ft. retail space, much of it already occupied by The Cheesecake Factory above, and down below, a Verizon Wireless store. The concept is pretty similar to any fast-casual operation: pick your base (in this case, your dough), your sauce/spread, your cheese, and your toppings. All pizzas are personal in both size and customizability. Drinks will include house-made sodas and teas. Some &Pizza locations serve wine and beer, but not Philly's — at least "not now," says an MSC rep.

MSC Retail, Midwood's exclusive retail representative, brokered the deal. There's still one space left on the lower level to be filled.