Urban Crust Pizza opened in downtown Plano today

by Teresa Gubbins

And we have the photos to prove it. Shazam.

PLANO — Urban Crust, a new pizza place in old downtown Plano helmed by Salvatore Gisellu, chef-owner of Daddy Jack's in Deep Ellum, finally opened on Thursday for lunch.

The restaurant has been nearly two years in the making, although Gisellu got involved only eight months ago. He and his partners, who own the property, have built a third-floor deck with a gadget-laden bar including a landing strip of shaved ice that's supposed to maintain your beer and cocktails at 32 degrees, thus the name of the bar, 32º Rooftop Bar.

They installed a Renato combination gas-infrared-wood-burning oven, with an eight-foot "floor" and two doors: one facing the dining room where the pizzas are baked, and the other facing the kitchen, where steaks will be cooked.

Neat quirks include the pair of seats made from horse saddles that overlook the main dining room, and the stupendous chandelier made from horse whips. At lunch they were still installing the sign outside.

The menu includes "artisan" pizzas plus a trio of entrees -- rib eye steak, pasta al forno, and fire-roasted chicken, plus a dozen or so appetizers and salads. A 12-inch pizza starts at about $8 and a 16-inch starts at about $12; toppings such as Texas goat cheese, Jimmy's Italian sausage, and baby portabella mushrooms are $1.50 each. Wines by the glass run from $5 to $8; the wine list is broken into categories that combine both the name of the varietal with its personality. Such as "PINOT NOIR light to medium with soft red fruit finish". There's also a menu of signature cocktails at $7.90 each that include a "house fruitini -- vodka infused with 'today's freshest fruit'."

Photos below:

• Staff
• Verified User
• Anonymous