Like many a pizza pie, life has a way of coming full circle. Just ask Joe Condito, co-owner of the new Avenue Pizza restaurant in Bloomfield. As a teenager, he worked at a pizzeria in the exact location his pizza shop now stands 10 years later. With signature pies and an Italian American menu of modern favorites, he plans to stay where he is this time.

Joe – a military veteran – was born and raised in Bloomfield, and has always wanted to open his own business. “Having a business in the town that I grew up in seemed like a great idea,” he says. Now open, Avenue Pizza boasts a “modern, rustic look” and seats 24 guests indoors. However, during warmer weather, the restaurant offers sidewalk tables for outdoor dining.