Uncle Maddio's Pizza will open its first Tampa-area restaurant in Lutz, Florida, on October 29 just in time to celebrate October as National Pizza Month. The newest of the Create-your-own pizza restaurants is located at 3949 Van Dyke Road within the Northgate Square shopping plaza. To celebrate the Grand Opening, the restaurant will serve a free 9-inch three-topping pizza to guests in line on from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will also feature beer special and live entertainment.
In addition to Saturday’s Grand Opening festivities, the Lutz Uncle Maddio’s will hold “Facebook Privy Day” on October 28, where guests can receive a code for a free pizza and “Kids Eat Free All Day: Halloween Celebration with Face Painting & Balloon Twisting” on October 30.
The restaurant is 3,523 square-feet with a 300 square-foot patio for outdoor seating. It accommodates 88 guests inside and another 20 guests on the outdoor patio. The Lutz location is the first of five Uncle Maddio’s restaurants planned for the Tampa area.
Uncle Maddio’s is a next generation pizza restaurant that lets guests create their own pizza exactly how they want it, cooked in fast baked ovens, and served to their tables in about eight minutes. Guests choose from one of three crusts, including a delicious gluten-free option, and 48 toppings, including six sauces, 27 vegetables and 15 meats. Everything is fresh, from the pizza dough and sauce that’s made in-store each day to the wide variety of veggies. For guests looking to expand their pizza horizons, Uncle Maddio’s also offers signature pizzas ranging from the meaty Big Max to the spicy Jamaican Jerk. Create-your-own salads and Foldwich sandwiches round out the Italian-inspired menu. The restaurant also offers a selection of craft beers and wine.
The Tampa-area restaurant is owned and operated by Mike Mateo and his wife, Ada. Mike, a former division vice president for ATM technology company Diebold, retired in 2013 and has since been looking for his next career move. He spent over three decades working in the banking and retail environments where he was responsible for overseeing 21 countries throughout South America, the Caribbean, and Central America. Mike and Ada, a former banker, joined the Uncle Maddio’s team because they want to enrich their local Tampa community by mentoring young people and contributing to the vibrant Tampa restaurant community.
“As residents of Lutz for 15 years, we wanted our first restaurant to be located in our hometown,” says Ada Mateo, Uncle Maddio’s Tampa franchisee. “We chose the location for its proximity to Publix, where most Lutz residents shop, and believe the area is in need of a great fast-casual, create-your-own pizza restaurant. We love Uncle Maddio’s and think our neighbors will as well.”
“Mike and Ada have had successful business careers and are the perfect duo to grow our presence in the Tampa area,” says Matt Andrew, CEO and founder of Uncle Maddio’s. “There is a lot of opportunity for fast-casual pizza in Tampa, and we will have more locations coming soon.”
Since launching its aggressive growth plan in 2008, Uncle Maddio's has signed franchise agreements with 67 different entities in 18 states. Many of Uncle Maddio's franchisees have previous multi-unit experience with Jimmy John's, Firehouse Subs, Dairy Queen, McDonald’s, Burger King, Krystal, Papa John's, Domino's, and Golden Corral.
