CRUST PIZZERIA, LLC

What CRUST PIZZERIA, LLC does

Crust Pizzeria, LLC operates a single, upscale neighborhood pizzeria at 3263 Camino de Los Coches #105, Carlsbad, CA 92009, under Master Pizza Chef Charlie Meola. The core product is handcrafted Artisan New York-style pizza, augmented by a full menu of appetizers, salads, pastas, entrees, and desserts, plus a curated wine list (Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Chardonnay, sparkling) and local craft beers. Gluten-free crust and gluten-free pasta options address dietary restrictions, and signature named pizzas (Elle, Kelly, Layla, Stephanie, Arden, Karla) form the brand's culinary identity. The restaurant operates six days a week (Sunday, Tuesday–Saturday, 11:30 AM–9:00 PM), is closed Mondays, and features indoor seating plus an outdoor patio.

The business runs a multi-channel distribution model combining on-premise dining (with online reservations) and off-premise consumption through a SpotHopper-powered direct online ordering site for pickup, third-party delivery via DoorDash and GrubHub, in-house catering for corporate and private events, and venue hosting for private parties. Revenue mechanics are predominantly transactional per-cover/per-order, augmented by repeat-visit behavior (frequent customers dining 2–3 times per week) and promotional pricing levers including an $11 lunch special (11:30 AM–2:30 PM), a 3:00 PM–6:00 PM weekday Happy Hour ($7 house wines, $2 off appetizers over $10), and Wine Wednesday (half off all bottles). Go-to-market is fundamentally direct-to-consumer and local, supported by an organic social presence on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X, a Google Business listing, and email newsletter capture. There is no disclosed multi-unit footprint, no franchising, no funding, and no M&A activity; the company is a privately held, founder-operated LLC.

The technology stack is intentionally lean and outsourced: SpotHopper provides website, online ordering, menu management, reservation system, email marketing, and WCAG Level AA accessibility compliance. No proprietary AI, data, or platform capabilities are evidenced; the restaurant's strategic differentiators are culinary (chef-led recipes), experiential (patio, wine curation, service intensity), and event-driven (catering and private party hosting), rather than technology-led.

Name

CRUST PIZZERIA, LLC

Legal name

Crust Pizzeria, LLC

Website

https://crustpizzeria.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Crust Pizzeria, LLC is a privately held, single-location upscale neighborhood pizzeria in Carlsbad, CA, serving handcrafted Artisan New York-style pizza, Italian fare, and a curated wine list to local diners, catering clients, and private-event hosts via dine-in, pickup, and third-party delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Upscale Pizza Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Food Service Contractors (722310)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Pizza Fast Casual (THAFABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias (THAFACAI)

Keywords

• Artisan pizza restaurant
• Casual upscale dining
• Event catering services
• Online food ordering
• Wine and craft beer

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlsbad

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Dine-In Restaurant Sales: Revenue from food and beverage sales during dine-in service. The restaurant serves lunch (11:30 AM - 2:30 PM) and dinner, operating Sunday, Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM. Menu includes handcrafted Artisan New York-style pizza, salads, appetizers, pastas, and desserts complemented by a carefully selected wine list and local craft beers.
2. Catering Services: Off-premise catering for events including birthday parties, holiday parties, corporate events, and wedding festivities. Each catering event is bespoke to customer tastes and needs, featuring party pans, seasonal trays, and full catering menu options with special pricing.
3. Private Events and Parties: Revenue from hosting private parties and group reservations at the restaurant venue, including birthday parties, office functions, and special occasions.
4. Online Ordering - Pickup: Direct online ordering through the restaurant's own platform for customer pickup, eliminating third-party fees.
5. Third-Party Delivery: Delivery orders through DoorDash and GrubHub marketplaces, generating revenue net of platform commissions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CRUST PIZZERIA, LLC operates an upscale, neighborhood pizzeria serving handcrafted Artisan New York-style pizza with a modern touch, led by Master Pizza Chef Charlie Meola. The restaurant offers a full Italian menu including appetizers, salads, pastas, entrees, desserts, and a curated wine list with local craft beers, complemented by dine-in service, online ordering for pickup, table reservations, third-party delivery, catering, and private event hosting.

Product overview

CRUST PIZZERIA, LLC operates as an upscale, neighborhood pizzeria serving handcrafted Artisan New York-style Pizza with a modern touch. The core product is the Artisan New York-Style Pizza offering, complemented by a full menu of appetizers, salads, pastas and entrees, desserts, and a carefully curated wine and craft beer selection. Services include online ordering for pickup, third-party delivery through DoorDash and GrubHub, table reservations, and comprehensive catering for private events. The restaurant is led by Master Pizza Chef Charlie Meola and is located in Carlsbad, California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artisan New York-Style Pizza Handcrafted pizza offerings prepared by Master Pizza Chef Charlie Meola, featuring signature named pizzas such as Elle (sausage, bacon, jalapeno), Kelly (pepperoni, sausage, mushroom), and Karla (fresh mozzarella with San Marzano tomato sauce), served to dine-in, pickup, delivery, and catering customers.
• Catering Services Off-premise catering service for events including birthday parties, holiday parties, corporate events, and wedding festivities, featuring party pans (pasta, spaghetti and meatballs, Mediterranean dishes, mac and cheese), salads, and seasonal trays with special event pricing.
• Private Events & Parties Venue hosting service for private parties and group reservations at the restaurant, including birthday parties, office functions, and special occasions, with full event management.
• Online Ordering (Pickup) Proprietary online ordering platform at order.crustpizzeriaofcarlsbad.com allowing customers to place pickup orders directly with the restaurant.
• Delivery Services Off-premise delivery service for customers through DoorDash and GrubHub third-party delivery platforms.
• Table Reservations Online reservation system allowing customers to book dine-in tables in advance at the Carlsbad restaurant.
• Gluten-Free Menu Options Dietary offering including gluten-free crust available for any 10-inch pizza and gluten-free pasta available as a substitute for pasta dishes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Regular customers report visiting 2-3 times per week, indicating high customer loyalty and retention
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DoorDashminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery marketplace partnership enabling off-premise delivery service to customers. Crust Pizzeria products are available for delivery through the DoorDash platform, extending customer reach beyond the physical location.
• GrubHubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party food delivery marketplace partnership providing additional delivery channel for off-premise orders. Enables customer access through GrubHub's platform and customer base.
• SpotHoppercoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite design, social media marketing, and email marketing platform provider. SpotHopper powers Crust Pizzeria's digital presence including the restaurant website, online ordering integration, menu management, reservation system, and accessibility compliance (WCAG Level AA). Provides ongoing website hosting and digital marketing services.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Pizza Hut: Legacy national pizza chain with dine-in, carryout, and delivery. Operates within the same Carlsbad trade area as a price-anchored mass-market competitor.
• Domino's Pizza:
• Papa John's: National QSR pizza chain with strong delivery presence. Competes for off-premise orders within the same Carlsbad delivery radius.
• California Pizza Kitchen: Established upscale pizza-centric chain with a broad menu, full bar program, and dine-in experiential positioning. Comparable in offering breadth and beverage-driven traffic model.

Direct peers

• Mellow Mushroom: Multi-location artisan pizza chain with a similar upscale-casual pizzeria feel, craft beer program, and creative signature pies. Closest scaled peer to Crust's chef-driven neighborhood positioning.
• Blaze Pizza: Fast-casual build-your-own pizza chain with California roots. Comparable product category (pizza-focused) but lower price point and counter-service model.
• Pieology: California-based fast-casual pizza chain with craft-style positioning. Comparable pizza-centric menu and similar regional competitive overlap in the SoCal market.
• MOD Pizza: Fast-casual artisanal pizza chain emphasizing customization and speed. Direct competitor in the pizza category, with similar artisan-leaning positioning.

Emerging players

• &pizza: Fast-casual build-your-own pizza concept with design-forward, chef-inspired branding. Comparable in trending toward premium artisan pizza positioning within a fast-casual model.
• The Pizza Press: Emerging fast-casual pizza chain with a nostalgic, chef-curated theme. Comparable in artisan-leaning pizza positioning at a more accessible price point.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CrustPizzeria
• Facebookfacebook.com/189083990961961
• Instagraminstagram.com/crustpizzeria
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crust-pizzeria-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CRUST PIZZERIA, LLC