It’s going to be a “Summer of Salad Pizzas” at Riko’s Pizza, a tavern-style franchise concept headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.
The brand, which has four corporate-owned and six franchise-owned locations in Connecticut, Florida, New York and Vermont, has introduced three innovative salad pizzas. Available at all Riko’s locations from May 27 through Labor Day (September 1), the new LTOs are meant to reflect the many different flavors of summer. They include:
- Chicken Caesar: A classic on Riko’s signature pizza menu for the last decade, the reinvented Chicken Caesar salad pizza features house-roasted chicken, fresh chopped romaine lettuce, grated Parmesan cheese, and crunchy, house-toasted croutons tossed with Caesar dressing—all laid on Riko’s new Caesar-baked crust, which replaces the pizza sauce from the original recipe.
- Mediterranean Chicken and Spinach: Built on a crust brushed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with Parmesan and herbs, it showcases house-roasted chicken on a bed of crisp chopped spinach, topped with freshly diced cucumbers and grape tomatoes, crispy bacon and crumbled feta cheese, then finished with a balsamic drizzle.
- BBQ Chicken Ranch: This one starts with a crust lightly brushed with sweet and savory Carolina BBQ sauce. It’s then topped with house-roasted chicken on a bed of freshly chopped romaine lettuce, along with diced red onions, cucumbers and grape tomatoes. The pie is finished with a cross-drizzle of BBQ sauce and ranch dressing.
“Nobody does salad pizza quite like Riko’s, and our culinary team has truly outdone itself with these delicious pies that are perfect for summer,” said Rico Imbrogno, founder and CEO of Riko’s Pizza. “Over the past six months, we have completely reimagined our culinary innovation practices.”
That effort is being led by Carl Bachmann, Riko’s president and chief operating officer, Imbrogno said. “As a result, these new Summer of Salad Pizza LTOs are incredible. Built on our super thin-crust with their own distinct sauces, they are fresh, light and flavor-packed with every bite. Bottom line: We brought together some of America’s favorite summertime salad recipes with our famous tavern-style pizza.”
In connection with the “Summer of Salad Pizzas” promotion, Riko’s will also roll out its new fulltime salad menu format later this summer. Customers will have the option to enjoy any of Riko’s 11 signature salad recipes in a bowl, on a pie, or in a whole wheat wrap. Customers can also order any of the three LTO salad pizza recipes in a bowl or wrap.
“Riko’s is changing the game not only for pizza lovers but also for salad fans,” Bachmann said. “By enabling customers to choose how they want their salad prepared—traditionally in a bowl, creatively on a pie, or functionally in a wrap—we are seamlessly adding more optionality to our menu that will enhance the overall consumer experience. Further, it deepens our lunch and catering offering, which are critical to the markets we serve with significant professional, family and academic populations.”
Known for its Hot Oil Pie, Riko’s Pizza was founded in 2011. The company said it has numerous other U.S. locations in the pipeline, with a core focus on select markets throughout the East Coast region.
