The restaurant industry can be challenging, especially for newcomers who experience early success. While the initial stage may offer impressive results, the daily troubles that follow, including the maintenance of equipment, might get cumbersome. Such was the case for Syracuse’s Tangy Tomato.
Highlights
- Syracuse-based Tangy Tomato will return after pausing its pizza operations earlier this year.
- The Chicago-style pizzeria will now be known as Uncle Sal’s Pizza & Deli.
- Meaghan and Melanie Austin opened the Syracuse-based pizza place in November 2020.
The Beginning of Syracuse’s Chicago-Style Pizzeria
Pizzas at the Syracuse-based Chicago-style pizzeria (Source: Google Reviews)
Tangy Tomato opened its doors for Syracuse’s residents in the middle of the pandemic in November 2020. One of the city’s three Chicago-style pizza places, the pizzeria came to the building at 1428 Burnet Ave. by replacing a Brooklyn-style spot named Gianni’s Pizzeria.
Using Gianni’s 70-year-old brick oven concept, Meaghan and Melanie Austin, the couple behind Tangy Tomato, began their pizza servings in Syracuse.
The Pizzeria by Meaghan and Melanie Austin Became A Hit
The couple was determined to make their Chicago-style pizzeria a success that they visited Chicago over a dozen times. There, the Austins learned the pizza-making craft from institutions, namely Lou Malnati’s and Giordano’s. The duo returned to Syracuse and made mouthwatering eats that garnered a huge crowd.
Buttery, thick crusts along with a tangy red sauce and melty cheese became Tangy Tomato’s signature. Guests from across Central New York came to the Chicago-style pizzeria almost every week.
Tangy Tomato ‘Almost’ Opted for a Complete Shutdown
Despite the initial success, the day-to-day reality was tough for Tangy Tomato. The Syracuse-based pizzeria was broken into 11 times by 2025. A cramped kitchen, a changed neighborhood post-pandemic, and personal challenges of the Austins made operations increasingly difficult.
When the furnace failed in January this year, Tangy Tomato’s owners were forced to shut down for 11 days in the mid-winter season. As the period is the busiest in the year, it resulted in a loss of thousands of dollars in revenue for the Austins. At that point, the owners decided to sell the restaurant and its equipment.
Syracuse’s Beloved Pizzeria to Return With a New Name
Due to the losses in January, the Syracuse-based pizzeria stopped operating right before Super Bowl Sunday. Since then, the Austins have been contemplating the lost $30,000. Tangy Tomato’s sign was also taken off the building at 1428 Burnet Ave., and its phone line was silent.
However, the owners of the Chicago-style pizzeria claim that their business is on pause and not closed for good. The Austins added that the name Tangy Tomato, its mission, and recipes are still active.
The duo even plans to return with a revamped model of Tangy Tomato in a new location with better security and increased space. They plan to do so by selling the current Syracuse outlet and its equipment.
While no date has been announced, Syracuse’s pizzeria is expected to come back in 2026 as Uncle Sal’s Pizza & Deli.
