Yelp’s highest-rated woman-owned U.S. pizzeria will close its doors next week due to “challenges” related to the location.
Florish, a vegan pizza restaurant, is actually a partnership between Jill Faline-Sedita and her husband, Keith. It opened in early 2022. But in an announcement posted on social media earlier this week, the couple said February 14 would be their last day in business at their current spot.
Ahead of National Pizza Day on February 9, OnDeck, an online small business lender, this week pulled new data revealing what it called the highest-rated women-owned pizza places in America, based on Yelp ratings from thousands of customer reviews nationwide. However, some of the pizza shops are, in fact, co-owned by women rather than solo ventures.
According to OnDeck, the rankings come from a broader analysis of more than 12,000 women-owned small businesses across 431 U.S. cities, narrowed specifically to pizza-focused businesses.
Florish topped the list with a rating of 4.93.
Florish was also ranked No. 2 among all women-owned restaurants.
In a 2023 interview with Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine, Jill said her then-preteen sons, were the inspiration behind the restaurant. “Our sons undertook the plant-based lifestyle 100% before we did, so they kind of led the way….They were budding environmentalists, and so they really did the research about the impact that the regular food system had on the environment and on the earth. And also they were concerned about animal welfare and their own health.”
When Florish opened in early 2022, Jill told That’s So Tampa, “We learned that plant-based eating is better for our health and for the health of the planet. “Along the way, we realized how difficult it is to find plant-based meals for our family in most restaurants. We began a mission to make plant-based eating delicious, simple and more available.”
However, the owners noted in the social media post on February 2, “From the very beginning, this space has come with some challenges. We’ve done our best to adapt and make it work, but it’s become clear that this location may no longer support the impact and future we envision for Florish. So we’re choosing to move forward.”
The post adds that the couple is “actively searching for the right next home that will support our vision and allow us to grow in new and exciting ways.”
