Brixx Takes a New Spin on Wood Fired Pizza in Clarendon

A new pizza place in Clarendon has fired up its wood fire oven and is ready to serve a wide variety of pizza, salads and beer.

Brixx Wood Fired Pizza recently opened a new restaurant in Clarendon, at 1119 N. Hudson Street, and the company is ready to introduce Arlington residents to a healthier type of pizza, said co-owner Jeff VanDyke.

“Our pizzas are thin crust so they tend to be healthier than other pizzas out there,” VanDyke said.

Brixx’s pizzas are made on traditional or whole wheat crust, both made from scratch every morning. Both doughs are vegan and guests can ask for vegan cheese. Gluten-free dough is also available. The restaurant, which is known for its large selection of beers on tap, offers gluten-free drinking options as well.

Brixx strives to have a casual and relaxing atmosphere, Van Dyke said. The restaurant is kid and family friendly, but looks to attract an older crowd as well with its late night offerings. The restaurant is open until 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday.

Its late openings fit in with the Clarendon bar scene, and Clarendon’s dynamic environment attracted the company to the area.

“We love the energy of the neighborhood in Clarendon,” VanDyke said. “Very vibrant. We’re excited to settle into the neighborhood. We love to work with the schools for fundraisers.”

The pizza chain offers discounts to police officers and firefighters, VanDyke said, noting that he often sees emergency personnel eat at the restaurant.

Beyond being a neighborhood-friendly restaurant, Brixx was built on the idea of being green and fresh. The chain recycles the glass from beer bottles and makes everything fresh that day.

“We do a lot of different styles of pizza,” VanDyke siad. “There’s good variety in terms of the menu.”

He recommends newcomers try the Bronx Bomber, a pizza with Italian sausage, prosciutto, mozzarella and gorgonzola; the Mexican, which has a black bean spread, chicken and jalapenos; or the Margherita, though there are so many options it is hard to choose.

In addition to pizzas, the restaurant offers a selection of salads, sandwiches and pastas.

“Even though we are called a pizza place, we have really good salads,” VanDyke said.

Customers over 21 can enjoy a selection of 24 beers on tap or 14 wines. Brixx tries to use local breweries for each of their selections, and the beer choices rotate monthly, he said.

“We have what we call our M.B.A. program, Masters of Beer Appreciation, where you can earn rewards,” VanDyke said.

Those who enroll in the program can earn t-shirts, beer goblets and free pizza based on the amount of times they visit Brixx.

Brixx Wood Fired opened in Clarendon last month and is already seeing steady business. Call it a hidden gem: the Hudson Street location is a bit set back from Clarendon’s main drag. Look for it between the CVS and Nam-Viet restaurant.

Brixx is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday.

The preceding was a sponsored profile written by Heather Mongilio for ARLnow.com.