A Citrus Heights pizzeria is preparing to bring its hand-stretched pies to Rancho Cordova.
Benji’s Woodfire Pizza will take over the former Pieology Pizzeria space at 2350 Sunrise Blvd in the Rivergate Shopping Center, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. The restaurant will span approximately 2,300 square feet, reports the publication.
Founder Andray Mikayelyan first launched Benji’s in 2021, baking pizzas out of his garage during the height of the pandemic. As word spread, he started slinging dough at local breweries and wineries, eventually expanding into catering events with a mobile pizza trailer. In December 2023, Mikayelyan opened the first brick-and-mortar Benji’s on Auburn Blvd in Citrus Heights.
The Rancho Cordova menu will mirror the original, featuring wood-fired favorites like garlic chicken ranch and hot honey ricotta pizzas. The eatery will also serve panuozzo sandwiches—Italian subs made with pizza dough—and appetizers such as chicken wings and garlic rosemary cheese bread.
But the business is about more than just Italian-inspired eats. Mikayelyan launched Benji’s with a deeper mission in mind: to financially support his nonprofit, The Father’s Lighthouse Ministries, which offers mentorship and resources to fatherless boys and men. Proceeds from the new pizzeria will help extend that reach.
Ahead of opening, the space will be undergo a remodel with updated flooring, furnishings, and decor. Mikayelyan hopes to open the Rancho Cordova pizzeria around October 2025.
