LA-based casual pizza slingers Social Pies will be opening a more upscale sister concept, The Social, around late summer or early fall in the former home of BJ’s Brewery’s flagship location along the Balboa Peninsula at 106 Main St, according to co-owner Tyler Salmon.
“As far as what we’re building out in Newport…we’re actually going to upscale it, to where we’re going to drop the ‘Pies’ and just call it The Social, and that’s going to be our new upscale version of what we’re doing,” Salmon tells What Now Orange County.
Incidentally, Newport is just one of three The Social locations that Salmon and the team have planned, with other outposts opening this year at SoFi Stadium and in Hollywood. Meanwhile, the company will continue to operate its Social Pies in Canoga Park and Tarzana, alongside its catering operation.
Needless to say, fans of the brand won’t find The Social entirely dissimilar to what they love about Social Pies – namely, its emphasis on housing Detroit, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles-style pizzas under one roof. However, they will notice some new menu additions that not only borrow from Italian traditions but also include burgers, wings, and other options outside the pizza and pasta fare it’s known for. Similarly, The Social will be distinct from Social Pies in that it will feature a full liquor bar, as well as beer and wine, all served within a more refined environment.
BJ’s Brewery shuttered in 2019 after some four decades in operation. The building stands at two stories and roughly 2,500 square feet and Salmon says the revamped restaurant will seat around 74 guests, while “[picking] up the slack of what [BJ’s} left.”
“I think a lot of people are excited about it, but we’re just going to offer a little more higher quality…as far as genre of food, music, and just the whole vibe itself,” says Salmon.
