An interesting change is coming to the Loudoun pizza scene in the next few weeks. One iconic local brand is closing a location and a new brand is coming in to take its place.
The Burn has learned that the folks at Fire Works Pizza in Sterling have sold the restaurant and it will soon be transitioning to a new pizza place called Mika’s Neapolitan Pizza.
That’s the store in the Cascades Overlook retail center by the Chuy’s Tex-Mex restaurant and the Burton’s Grill & Bar.
We spoke with a rep for Fire Works — which is part of the same restaurant group as Tuscarora Mill and South Street Under in Leesburg as well as Magnolias at the Mill in Purcellville. He said they have decided to consolidate a bit after the unfortunate passing of family patriarch Kevin Malone last year.
It’s important to stress — the Fire Works Pizza shops in Leesburg and Arlington will continue on unchanged.
Meanwhile, the new owners of Mika’s are already onsite and will be retaining the Fire Works staff. They have brought in a pizza expert from Italy who is training employees on making a proper Neapolitan pizza.
The family behind the Mika’s concept has restaurant experience as well. They are the owners of Bread & Chocolate, which has two DC locations per its website, as well as the Alexandria Pastry Shop in Alexandria.
We’re told they are also working on a DC location of Mika’s as well.
The transition at the Sterling pizza shop should be seamless — with the current restaurant staying open as the Mika’s team slowly rolls out the Neapolitan pizza menu and phases out the previous Fire Works menu.
They officially become Mika’s Neapolitan Pizza on December 1.