Naples meets New York in every bite at Pizzazz pizzeria

NEW YORK -- When Zoran Dobranic opened Pizzazz in 2024, he finally fulfilled what had been his years-long dream of owning a pizza shop in New York City.

Crafting individual-sized pies, Pizzazz blends fluffy Neapolitan-style crust with the signature crispy bottom of NYC-style pizza. The menu features varieties that range from classic, like margherita or pepperoni, to more experimental, seasonal specials, like mortadella and kimchi.

Originally hailing from Serbia, Dobranic fell in love with the craft of pizza-making after spending his youth working in local pizza joints.

He moved to NYC in 2013 and in 2019, he became a first-time business-owner when he opened Balencero, a coffee shop in Astoria, Queens, with his friend Nenad Stanojlovic.

It was there at Balencero that Dobranic and Stanojlovic met countless new customers-turned-friends who shared their passion for amazing food and outstanding hospitality.

Three of them, Jelena Maksimovic, Petar Milosevic and Milan Obrenovic, evolved from just friends to friends and business partners as co-owners of Pizzazz.

"To work with my friends and making that relationship even better through all this process...it's not easy, but it's such a pleasure," Dobranic explained.

After committing to the idea of finally opening a pizza shop, Dobranic began months of preparatory work, perfecting a proprietary dough recipe and training his colleagues in the art of pizza-making.

The hard work paid off, as evidenced by Pizzazz's rave reviews and loyal returning customers that arrived within months of their opening.

Dobranic hopes Pizzazz brings something more unique and a little bit different to NYC's pizza scene by joining the speed and ease of classic slice shops with the quality and freshness of restaurant-style individual pies.

As for advice for other prospective small-business owners, Dobranic has just one simple message.

"Small steps forward and just don't give up. That's all."

To learn more about Pizzazz, visit their website or Instagram.

You can visit Pizzazz at 38 Union Square E, New York, NY 10003.