Wild Pie closes after a year in operation

Restaurants

Wild Pie, a vegan pizza restaurant that opened November 2023 in Hodges Point Plaza, announced Jan. 22 it is closing.

Calls to the restaurant went unanswered.

It was in the 2,439-square-foot space that was formerly Brucci’s Pizza at 13500-36 Beach Blvd.

The Wild Pie location in Gainesville remains open.

Jacksonville-based Osterer Construction Co. built-out the 2,329-square-foot space at a cost of $550,000 for Wild Pie LLC of Neptune Beach. M. Todd Osburn Architect LLC of Jacksonville is the architect.

Its announcement on social media read: “Big changes ahead! While we are closing in Jax to focus on Gainesville, here’s a little teaser: a brand new city is on our radar. Stay tuned.”

Wild Pie began in Jacksonville as a food truck in late 2022.

The concept was at least a $2 million investment, OSO Culinary Ventures LLC President Bart Ortiz said in January 2023.

Wild Pie describes the design as: “Copper accents, white subway tile, and softly lit lighting fixtures above the main seating area work together to create a cozy atmosphere, essential for eating pizza.”

Ortiz explained to the Daily Record in 2023 that the target audience was not only those who follow vegan or vegetarian diets. The restaurant also wanted to attract flexitarians, who eat meat but choose a plant-based diet some of the time, such as meatless Mondays.

The menu included 12 plant-based pizzas with vegan pepperoni, sausage, meatballs and chicken. Customers could also build custom pizzas. The pizzas came in 11- and 14-inch pies costing between $15 to $25.