Last year, the Pita Pit was nothing more than an empty space flanked by Corner eateries Subway and Arch’s Frozen Yogurt. But good news for all those who enjoy healthy food prepared fast — the Pit is back open and eager for new customers.
New owners Brandon Brown and Derek Stein certainly have experience in running Pita Pit franchises. This is the sixth restaurant they’ve opened together, with the previous five all stationed at universities in Ohio. What once started out as a modest chain has expanded to almost 300 locations — 180 in the United States, 120 in Canada and even a few in New Zealand and Japan.
Simply put, the growth of the restaurant, which largely caters to college campuses, is much-deserved. In a fast food world cluttered with hamburgers and fries, the Pita Pit is an innovative breath of fresh air, taking a food typical of Middle Eastern and Greek cuisine and filling it with ingredients more comfortable to the American palate.
The menu is basic but good. Three categories of pitas are offered: breakfast, meat and vegetarian, as well as the “fork style” option where you can make any pita a salad for no extra charge.
Breakfast is served all day and features such options as the Morning Glory, which has tomato and avocado, and the Chicken Classic, which includes chicken breast and grilled mushrooms. Breakfast pitas all come with scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and grilled green peppers and onions. One of the more popular meat pitas is the Local, the ingredients of which vary by locality. In Charlottesville, it includes buffalo chicken, spicy buffalo sauce, swiss cheese, ranch dressing, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and green peppers.
But these ingredients are “just guidelines,” Brown said. Here’s how it works: After ordering, walk to the right and prepare to encounter an elaborate toppings bar where you can customize your pita with vegetables from fresh spinach to sprouts, cheeses (cheddar, Swiss, feta and parmesan) and a wide variety of sauces and spreads like ancho chipotle, tzatziki sauce and hummus. The best part of all is that it is cooked and prepared right in front of your eyes in just minutes flat. While one employee works the grill, another fills the pita with your personal preferences. For instance, on my Local order, I substituted swiss for cheddar, held on the ranch and threw in some sprouts and jalapeños. The meal was as good as it sounds: chunks of juicy grilled chicken spiced to perfection and mixed in with the array of crisp, crunch vegetables.
It was a great meal, but a better bet would be the delicious Gyro — which sells for $6.25. Thin slices of tender, well-seasoned Mediterranean beef paired with lettuce, tomatoes, feta and tzatziki sauce and wrapped in your choice of white or wheat pita could potentially make a native Greek grandmother shed tears.
The Philly Steak, which comes loaded to the brim with flavorful meat, and the Dogwood, which features turkey, ham and roast beef, are two other popular meat-lovers options and are both priced at $6.35. For a limited time, you can also try the Steak Fajita Pita, where loads of shredded steak are tossed in with ingredients from south of the border as well as the usual fixings.
Chicken, however, is the most versatile meat in Pita Pit’s arsenal — the Local is just one of several chicken pitas on the menu. Others include Chicken Souvlaki, seasoned with authentic Greek spices, and the tasty Chicken Caesar, with bacon, ranch and romaine. Or you could just opt for the plain-but-good Chicken Breast. My dining companion raved about his combination of chicken breast, cucumbers, sprouts and tzatziki sauce — again, made according to his preferences.
While to a carnivore like me the vegetarian pitas seem less exciting, they are no doubt still as delicious. All are priced at $5.50 with the exception of the falafel selection, priced 25 cents higher. It’s evident Pita Pit is attempting to blend both Eastern and Western styles of eating on its vegan menu, with falafel (rolled chickpeas with spices), hummus and babaganoush, a roasted eggplant spread, all making the cut. And if vegetarians — or anyone, for that matter — are still hungry and looking to pack an extra punch to their meals, just make it a combo with a fountain drink and a bag of chips or a cookie.
With such a inexpensive and health-conscious menu, the Pita Pit should have no trouble fitting into its cozy spot on the Corner.
“Once we found out about this empty store in Charlottesville, I drove down to see the location,” Brown said. “I thought it would be a great opportunity.”
And a great opportunity it is. It’s an affordable alternative to the greasy College Inn or the all-too-familiar late night offerings of Littlejohn’s New York Delicatessen and Christian’s Pizza. The Pita Pit stays open for business until 2 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and midnight Sunday.
“We also deliver every hour we’re open,” Brown said.
It’s a convenient, clever way to cater to anywhere from the weekend bar crowd to the night owls in the depths of Clemons Library. You can call in an order, send in a fax or just come in person.
If you choose the latter, it’s usually for a meal on the go. That’s certainly what Pita Pit is designed for, with its assembly line structure, limited number of tables and quick, efficient service — which is always quick to greet you with a smile and ever-so-patient with new customers trying to get their bearings on making the perfect pita.
Brown is optimistic about his store’s chances of success in Charlottesville.
“Once people know where we are and what a great thing we’ve got going here, I think business will really start to pick up.”
With fresh, flavorful ingredients, a prize piece of real estate and competitive hours, there’s no doubt a loyal following is just around the Corner.
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