The French Quarter is getting a tasty upgrade as The Big Dawg Pizza officially moves into 714 Saint Peter St. Taking over the space formerly occupied by Fat Boy’s Pizza, and The Old Coffee Pot before that, the new venture promises a shift in focus toward high-quality ingredients and a welcoming atmosphere.
Co-owners Adam and Shelly Reynolds, based in eastern Tennessee, are no strangers to ambitious projects. Adam, a public official, and Sherry, a former finance executive, previously helped found a community bank before turning their attention to New Orleans.
The Reynolds were drawn to the location with its two-story turnkey pizza restaurant — just a block from Saint Louis Cathedral — but felt the concept needed a more inclusive touch. One of their primary goals is to pivot toward more of an all-ages concept.
“We wanted to avoid being a bar that serves pizza,” Adam Reynolds said. “We want it to be a little bit more, you know, family-friendly.”
Quality is also at the forefront of the rebranding from Fat Boy’s. While they are keeping the New York-style pies that popularized the location, the recipes have been entirely overhauled.
“The dough is still made by hand every day,” Reynolds said. “Fresh ingredients, the best cheese, sauce, and seasonings… It’s all from scratch. There’s several pizza places in the Quarter, but most of that’s frozen and just kind of reheated. This is a true New York-style pizza that’s made fresh every day.”
Despite being from Tennessee, the Reynolds say the transition to doing business in New Orleans has been remarkably smooth, thanks to local officials and the business community.
“From someone outside, it seems to be a very business-friendly environment,” Reynolds volunteered. “The community has embraced us as outsiders, which has been really nice… from lawyers and banks to City Hall officials, it’s been a great process.”
The Big Dawg Pizza has no online presence, but it “just opened” with temporary signage, Reynolds said. Fans can look forward to an official grand opening celebration in the late spring.
