BricknFire Pizza Opening Restaurant at the Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards
BricknFire Pizza Company, a mobile pizza business serving up pizza from its 800+ degree brick oven at local event and markets, is opening its first brick-and-mortar restaurant at Downtown’s Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards at 110 S. Eutaw St. The hotel is just a block from Ridgely’s Delight, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the Baltimore Convention Center, and the University of Maryland Baltimore and University of Maryland Medical Center.
BricknFire started three years ago as a hobby for owner Megan Lanasa before quickly turning into a 24/7 business. Lanasa grew up working at her parents Catonsville bakery Breadery and started running the business after graduating with a business communication degree from Stevenson University. She then wanted to start her own business and decided on a mobile pizza company. Lanasa, who has more than 20 years experience working with dough, teamed with her father on creating authentic Neapolitan-style pizza dough. The BricknFire trailer, which they purchased from Forno Bravo of Colorado, is now on the road most days with appearances at nine to ten events every week. It is also frequently stationed at Boordy Vineyards and Harbor Market Downtown.
BricknFire pizzas use a combination of authentic Italian and locally-sourced ingredients. Lanasa uses 00 flour and San Marzano tomatoes form Italy and gets other ingredients from places like The Zahradka Farm in Essex. BricknFire offers traditional toppings as well as new combinations on its seasonal pizzas. Customers can get a pizza in less than five minutes.
The new store came to be thanks to a Marriott competition called Canvas, a concept the hotel chain created for incubating food and drink businesses. Lanasa submitted an application to the inaugural competition with a video and later made it to the finals, where she served the judges pizza during an hour presentation. She was selected as the winner and BricknFire was awarded the 1,200 sq. ft. retail space at the Marriott, six months of free rent, funding for about half of the startup costs, and mentoring.
The new restaurant, which has been in planning for about a year, will be a fast-casual, order-at-the-counter concept. It will serve pizzas, two salad options, a muffuletta sandwich using focaccia bread from Breadery, and an oven-roasted chicken salad sandwich using challah bread from the Breadery. Drinks will include all-natural selections such as Sound Water, coconut water, and sparkling drinks. Patrons will also be able to order beers from a “beer wall” located inside the lobby at Marriott and they can also bring their food into the Marriott.
The restaurant features a large new pizza oven from Forno Bravo, as well as interior wood accents using reclaimed wood from Frederick. BricknFire will seat about 25 to 30 people.
The space was most recently a banquet room. Prior to that it was a Starbucks and a gift shop.
Lanasa said the location is a “great place to be,” noting the benefits of being in a hotel with many guests and the proximity to so many offices and attractions. Lanasa told SouthBMore.com she loves the Orioles and is hoping BricknFire is a popular stop before and after games.
The space is currently under construction and Lanasa is hoping for a soft opening in June and a grand opening in July.
BricknFire currently has five full-time employees and five part-time employees, and Lanasa expects that number to double once the new restaurant opens.
BricknFire is hoping to work with Marriott to open more locations in the future and Lanasa is currently in the process of buying a second pizza trailer.
About the Author: Kevin Lynch
Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, father of three, amateur pizza chef, skateboarder, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at Kevin@InceptMM.com and follow me on Twitter at @SoBoKevin.
