Mr. Moto Pizza, a small but rapidly growing San Diego-based chain, is expanding its footprint in Orange County, California, in a big way, with two new stores scheduled to open there in early 2025 and more to come.
New locations will open at The Square and in the Oak Creek community, both in Irvine, California, in early 2025, the company announced. New spots in Costa Mesa and The Village at Orange will follow shortly after that. Mr. Moto also recently expanded into Las Vegas and Phoenix.
Founded by Gibran Fernandez, Mr. Moto Pizza debuted in San Diego in 2015. It’s a hip and high-spirited brand with a delightful sense of fun and razor-sharp branding. In November, for example, the company has been giving away a free cheese or pepperoni pizza for online and app orders every Monday night when customers use the promo code “Crazy.”
Related: Built to scale: How Mother Pizzeria is navigating the growth process
Mr. Moto blends traditional pizza-making techniques with bold, modern flavors, such as the Mamma Moto (burrata, truffle oil, parsley and cherry tomatoes) and the Mr. Moto (Italian sausage, Spanish chorizo, burrata and marinara). Recent specialty pizzas of the month have included the Houdini Alfredini (Alfredo sauce, cheese, ham and roasted tomatoes) and the Picasso (spicy honey, pesto, homemade garlic paste, stracciatella, shaved Romano cheese and a sweet al dente sauce).
“Orange County is a perfect fit for Mr. Moto,” Fernandez said. “We’ve had so many guests travel to San Diego just to try our pizza, and now we’re thrilled to bring it to their backyard. Our Irvine locations will offer the same great experience our customers love, and we’re looking forward to introducing ourselves to the local community.”
Along with pizza, Mr. Moto’s menu includes wings, salads, strombolis and their popular Stuffed Garlic Knots.
Each location will feature the brand’s signature New York pizzeria-inspired décor with a contemporary edge, creating a warm, inviting environment for diners, the company said.
