Motorino Pizza

What Motorino Pizza does

Motorino Pizza is a chef-owned Neapolitan pizzeria founded in 2008 by chef Mathieu Palombino. The company operates three company-owned restaurants in New York City — East Village, Williamsburg, and Upper West Side — that serve Neapolitan-style pizzas, antipasti, salads, and desserts made with imported Italian ingredients and cooked in traditional wood-fired ovens. The brand is positioned as an authentic, chef-led alternative to commodity pizzerias, with Palombino's personal reputation and technique functioning as the central product differentiator.

Beyond the three company-owned locations, Motorino generates revenue through a formalized international licensing program that has produced seven licensed restaurants across five countries in Asia: two in Hong Kong, three in Manila, one in Singapore, and one in Genting Highlands/Kuala Lumpur. The licensing package covers recipe transfer, restaurant design, training, and opening support, and Palombino has personally traveled to train licensee teams (including a cited Philippines training trip). The company also runs a private-event catering service that includes off-premise events in the Hamptons.

The business model is a hybrid of company-operated retail (NYC dine-in and takeout) and asset-light international licensing (royalty and/or upfront fee streams from Asian licensees), supplemented by seasonal catering. The company is privately held by Palombino, operates with approximately 34 employees, and has not raised institutional funding or disclosed revenue. Pricing sits at a premium to typical NYC pizzeria benchmarks, consistent with the chef-led positioning and ingredient sourcing.

Name

Motorino Pizza

Legal name

Motorino Pizzeria

Website

https://motorinopizza.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Motorino Pizza is a chef-owned Neapolitan pizzeria founded in 2008 by Mathieu Palombino, operating three company-owned restaurants in New York City and licensing its brand and recipes to seven restaurants across five Asian countries, supplemented by private-event catering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restaurant Services

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Pizza Fast Casual (THAFABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Patisseries & Viennoiserie (French-Style) (THAFAFAB)

Keywords

• Neapolitan pizza
• Restaurant licensing
• Italian pizzeria
• Pizzeria chain
• Catering services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Sales (Food & Beverage): Company-owned locations generate revenue through dine-in, takeout, and catering orders. Three company-owned pizzerias operate in New York City.
2. Licensing Fees: Motorino licenses its brand, recipes, design, and operational system to established restaurant groups worldwide. Licensees pay for the comprehensive service package including training, opening support, and ongoing annual follow-up visits.
3. Catering Services: New York City locations offer catering services, providing pizza for events and gatherings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Motorino Pizza operates authentic Neapolitan pizzerias serving wood-fired pizzas at company-owned locations in New York City. The brand extends globally through a licensing program that provides established restaurant groups with Motorino's recipes, design packages, training videos, and ongoing operational support overseen by chef-owner Mathieu Palombino. Catering services and online ordering/gift certificates complement the dine-in restaurant business.

Product overview

Motorino Pizza operates as a chef-owned Neapolitan pizzeria chain with a dual offering: (1) the core restaurant business featuring wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas at company-owned locations in New York City (East Village, Williamsburg, Upper West Side), Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore, and Genting Highlands, and (2) a worldwide licensing/franchise program that enables qualified operators to open Motorino pizzerias using the brand's recipes, design packages, training videos, and operational support under the guidance of owner Mathieu Palombino.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Motorino Pizzeria Authentic Neapolitan pizzeria chain offering wood-fired pizzas at company-owned locations in New York City (East Village, Williamsburg, Upper West Side) and licensed locations in Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore, and Genting Highlands Resort. Targets pizza enthusiasts seeking traditional Italian dining experiences.
• Motorino Licensing Program Licensing program for established restaurant groups and professionals worldwide that provides Motorino's proprietary recipes, video tutorials, complete design package, graphic design templates, service director package, opening team support from chef Mathieu Palombino, and yearly follow-up visits to operate Motorino pizzerias.
• NYC Catering Catering service available at New York City Motorino locations, providing the restaurant's Neapolitan pizza menu for events, parties, and gatherings.

Segments2 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hong Kong Licensee (First International Partner)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2013A young restaurateur in Hong Kong contacted Motorino in 2013 to bring Motorino to Hong Kong, as there were no pizzerias of this kind in the city. This first international location opened in 2013, followed by a second a year later. Both are still operating successfully, and their success has brought other restaurateurs to Motorino.
• Manila Licensee GroupcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerThree licensed Motorino locations operating in Manila, Philippines.
• Singapore LicenseecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOne licensed Motorino location operating in Singapore.
• Genting Highlands Resort LicenseeminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOne licensed Motorino location operating in the Genting Highlands Resort in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Una Pizza Napoletana: Anthony Mangieri's Neapolitan pizzeria, widely regarded as one of the best in the US. Competes directly with Motorino for the same craft-Neapolitan, chef-obsessed customer segment.
• Lucali: Mark Iacono's Brooklyn Neapolitan pizzeria, a destination restaurant with strong national press and a no-reservations model. Highly comparable to Motorino on brand cachet and price point.
• L'Industrie Pizzeria: Fast-growing NYC Neapolitan-style slice shop with multiple Brooklyn and Manhattan locations. Comparable to Motorino in product category and New York customer base, though with a more counter-service model.
• Roberta's: Iconic Brooklyn-based Neapolitan-style pizzeria with multiple NYC locations and a strong chef-driven brand. Directly comparable to Motorino in cuisine style, target customer, and chef-ownership positioning.
• Di Fara Pizza: Legendary NYC pizzeria known for craft, handmade pizza with a cult following. Comparable to Motorino in being a destination, chef-driven, single-market pizza brand with strong word-of-mouth.
• Kesté Pizza & Vino: NYC Neapolitan pizzeria founded by Roberto Caporuscio, with locations in Manhattan and a strong reputation among Neapolitan pizza enthusiasts. Directly comparable authentic Neapolitan product and chef-driven identity.
• Tony's Pizza Napoletana: Tony Gemignani's San Francisco Neapolitan pizzeria with multiple styles and a national champion pizzaiolo. Comparable to Motorino as a chef-owned, award-recognized Neapolitan destination.

Broad incumbents

• &pizza: Fast-casual pizza chain with a focus on design-forward, custom pies across multiple US markets. Relevant as a scaled counter-service pizza operator that competes with Motorino for casual pizza occasions.
• Blaze Pizza: Large fast-casual pizza chain with hundreds of locations. Not Neapolitan-specialist but competes in the broader fast-casual pizza category that Motorino occupies.

Emerging players

• Pizza Locale: Neapolitan-inspired fast-casual pizza concept with a smaller footprint. Comparable to Motorino in Neapolitan DNA and price point, though with a more limited-service format.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/motorino-pizza

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 Motorino Pizza