George and Anoush Georgiades know a good pizza when they taste one. When they decided they wanted to develop a new fast-casual dining concept in Mahwah, they knew that the time had come to reinvent New Jersey pizza by taking it a step further. To Rome, to be exact.
“We fell in love with Roman pizza when we visited Italy,” says George. “So we started doing our research. We wanted to create a unique type of pizza that was far different than what is found in a typical pizzeria.”
Soon enough, the concept of SQ Pizza Co. became a reality; the couple recently opened a second restaurant at 200 Market Street in Montvale.
A professional chef by trade, George has worked in various metropolitan restaurants, including Le Cote Basque, Hudson River Club, Bar Six, and Chez Es Saada. Most recently, he was the Executive Chef and partner of Varka Estiatorio in Ramsey.
“We discovered that most domestic flour contains anti-caking agents and preservatives,” says George. “By importing our flour from Italy, we can craft our pizzas with high-quality, non-GMO, long-rising flour. It ferments for three days, so less yeast is used.”
A benefit to the extended fermenting process and higher water content is that the amount of gluten in the crust is significantly diminished. Although its regular pizza is not considered “gluten-free,” SQ Pizza also offers delicious gluten-free options. “Baking is a science,” says George. “The process we use naturally decreases the amount of gluten in the crust, making it light, airy, and delicious.”
Clean ingredients with no preservatives are a big part of SQ’s success. “We always try to elevate whatever we do. There are no chemicals, and all of our ingredients are pure,” says Anoush.
SQ Pizza offers both thin, round pies as well as their signature thick-crust square (SQ) pies, baked wings, artisanal sandwiches, salads, and desserts. Sandwiches are crafted on bread made from the same high-quality Italian flour. SQ Pizza offers catering services as well. “We cater full- and half-sheets of our SQ pizza, along with large salads and sandwich trays,” says Anoush.
Grab a spoon and sample their freshly made gelato—another delicious result of their Roman travels. “We saw how pure it was in Italy, and we wanted to do the same thing here,” says Anoush. SQ offers a dozen flavors of homemade gelato, including unique seasonal creations.
The couple takes satisfaction in bringing a better product to their customers. “We feel it’s a noble mission to provide a superior pizza,” says Anoush. “We are helping people eat healthier with food that is more natural and minimally processed--without the chemicals.”
SQ Pizza gives back to the community through fundraisers and sharing leftover food with Table to Table, a community-based food rescue program.
Father’s Day is perfect for giving Dad a break from the grill and treating him to an SQ pie!
Sqpizza.com
“By importing our flour from Italy, we can craft our pizzas with high-quality, non-GMO, long-rising flour."