Connect with Nick
 
Nick Bogacz Linkedin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Connect with Caliente
 

 

 

 

Articles

NOW OPENAlta Via Pizzeria, Bakery Square, 6425 Penn Ave., East LibertyEat to-die-for pies, sandwiches and vegetable-forward meals at big Burrito Restaurant Group’s casual concept in Bakery Square.

 

Anthos Greek Bakery and Café, 3803 Willow Ave., Castle Shannon

Greek friends and family members opened this authentic bakery in April after running an online culinary marketplace since 2020. Get sweet treats and savory eats, including options for vegans, vegetarians and diners on a gluten-free diet.

Bitter End, 409 Butler St., Etna

Located just a few blocks from Rear End Gastropub, this Butler Street storefront has been operating as a neighborhood watering hole since Prohibition ended in 1933. Bitter End injects new life into the old Nooch’s Bar with signature cocktails.

Bottlerocket Social Hall, 1226 Arlington Ave., Allentown

Want to start (or end) your night with a bang? Belly up to the bar at Bottlerocket. What was once a gathering place for churchgoers is now a comedy club and low-key hangout with a retro vibe. After a brief debut with comedy acts earlier this month, the space will officially re-open on June 10. No joke.

Caliente Pizza & Draft House, 288 W. Steuben St., Crafton 

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Caliente opened a seventh location in a space vacated by The Sharp Edge.

Read More

Enter Caliente’s pizza contest, win free pies for a year

Things are heating up at Caliente Pizza & Draft House.

As part of the local chain’s yearlong 10th anniversary, the owners are holding a customer pizza-making contest for patrons 18 and older through June 10. The winning recipe will be featured on the restaurant’s menu for two months.

In addition to bragging rights and a trophy, the honorary chef will receive free pizza for a year. Plus, a dollar from every sale of the creator’s pizza will go to a charity of their choice.

Pizza-makers must use a specially created Caliente Pizza Kit as the foundation for their pie. Kits will be available for pickup only and will contain a large dough ball, pizza cheese and any kind of sauce — even wing sauces and dressings.

From there, contestants can use any toppings they want. To enter, post photos of your final product, along with an ingredient list and recipe, to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook and tag and follow Caliente’s accounts by 10 p.m. on June 10.

Four finalists will face off in person at Caliente’s Aspinwall location on June 15 and be judged by company President and Founder Nick Bogacz, executive regional chef Eric Von Hansen, District Manager Jay Falk and a guest judge.

Read More

Golden Age Beer welcomes you inside, pho’s on at Yum Yum, and more news for your belly

BOB BATZ JR. & POLLY HIGGINS
Post-Gazette APR 22, 2022
This story has been updated.

New restaurants, long-awaited breweries, reimagined bars. It must be spring.The dining and drinking landscape never completely froze, but, as the earth thaws, we are seeing increased movement.Here’s the latest.

Bob Batz Jr.
Eat’n Park’s strawberry pie, transformed into a beer at Grist House Craft Brewery

Openings

Golden Age Beer Co. manager Maddie Burton pours a kölsch.(Emily Matthews/Post-Gazette)

Golden Age Beer Co.: After a grand opening in mid-April, this lager-loving brewery is, finally, fully open. It first started operating in its courtyard, with pandemic precaution, back in November. In the former (briefly) Enix Brewing space that was Levine Bros. Hardware on Homestead’s main drag, Golden Age is serving food (a tight menu including local beef and veggie smash burgers, house-made bratwurst and a Caesar salad), wine and a roster of cocktails, along with a lineup of lagers, its pale ale and some other brews. It’s holding a Lager Fest on May 14 and is hinting about opening what’s upstairs, which “rhymes with ‘rolling alley.’” 337 E. 8th Ave., Homestead

Koulouri, a popular breakfast item in Greece, at Anthos. (Tom O’Connor)

Anthos Bakery & Café: The culmination of two couples’ shared dream of opening a Greek bakery, Anthos, appropriately, translates to blossom. “We wanted to bring some Greek hospitality when we moved here,” says co-owner Ellie Kousouli, who had lived in Athens. Sit down or take out an array of freshly baked goods (koulouri, a kind of Greek bagel, plus pita and baguettes), deli items (hummus and smoked eggplant, sandwiches, salads) and espresso drinks. It opened April 15. 3803 Willow Ave., Castle Shannon

Pho at Yum Yum, which opened April 9. (Bob Batz Jr./Post-Gazette)

Yum Yum Asian Cuisine: People who live in and visit this Mount Lebanon neighborhood — the original Hitchhiker Brewing Co. is just across the street — have been waiting for years for this place to open in the former Mm Mm Pizza storefront. Mm Mm became Yum Yum, a pan-Asian spot run by Thai native Wilaiwan Riccardi and her husband, Hector Lopez Diego, who plans to contribute some Mexican dishes eventually. It opened on April 9, and it didn’t seem like it was it’s first day. 193 Castle Shannon Blvd, Mt. Lebanon

Coven Brewing: Caiti Sullivan and Trevor Greer officially opened their new brewery in the former Roundabout Brewery space April 6. They’d already been hosting food trucks for sidewalk noshing, and will continue to do so. Recent trucks have included The Boonseek, Stuntpig and Just Roll’d Up. 4901 Butler St., Lawrenceville

Caliente’s seventh restaurant opened April 1.(Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette)

Caliente Pizza & Draft House: The local chainlet arrives with two news hooks: An April 1 opening for its Crafton location in the same year Caliente turns 10. The new spot is the company’s seventh, on the (slightly cooled) heels of last fall’s Sewickley launch. And while you’re there, try the new(ish) Hazy Dough Dazy IPA, which the restaurant released in mid-October. 288 W. Steuben St., Crafton

Read More

Building Blocks: Opening a New Pizzeria Fast, Part 1

 
Words by: Nick Bogacz • Photos by: Josh Keown

As mentioned in the last installment of Building Blocks, I recently opened two new locations in four months. But the time spent between getting the keys and opening the doors was far shorter — 15 days for the first and 30 days for the second. Thirty days, in fact, is the longest we’ve taken to open a store — and that was only because the building itself had been unoccupied for three years and needed several repairs. 

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Pittsburgh

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

Someone asked why we decided to open our stores so quickly, and I answered honestly: I didn’t know there was another option. I always thought it was normal to open a store in a week or two. So, I have a system to make that happen. This month, we’ll talk about what do before you have the keys.

First steps

 

As soon as you reach an agreement on a new restaurant, it’s time to plan. Make sure to: 

  • Make lists of everything needed to open a new store, from infrastructure to personnel.
  • Identify who will be working on the new store, such as familiar contractors, electricians and plumbers. Alert them of the project with a loose start date, impressing on them how important speed will be in the job. 
  • Locate all the required equipment, either purchasing or putting deposits on the gear. 
  • Connect with the local health department and municipality to discuss what permits are required and order them right away. These will always take time, so to make things easier, find a city council member or municipal board member who is supportive of new businesses. Meet or contact them early on so you’ll have someone in your corner in case of any permit issues.

Make some room

Once you’re confident that the deal will go through, it’s time to order your equipment and materials so it’s ready to move into the store once you have the keys. If you don’t have adequate storage space, you might get a little crowded. Recently, my living room and garage was filled with so many boxes a delivery person asked if I was moving. As always in our business, though, you adapt. 

Sort your equipment list by priority, ordering the most important items first and so on. Your list will always grow — and it’s easy to forget something — so it’s worth taking a walk through the new space to spark ideas. 

Get on the phone

Once you have an idea of when the keys will be in your pocket, reach out again to those who will be working on the project. A quick opening depends on the speed of others, so communication is vital to keep everyone on the same page. I always give contractors a solid date to begin work, but never a real finish date; I’ll estimate a week sooner to account for any delays. 

If you finish these steps, then once everything is finally signed, you’re in a great position to open fast. In the next installment, we’ll get you from the moment you open the doors for yourself to when you’re opening them for customers.

NICK BOGACZ is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

Building Blocks: How to Conduct an Interview

 
 

 

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Pittsburgh

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

You’ve done all the hard work, and finally, job hunters are calling you. Now what? 

I like to break down the process into a few steps. But, first, if you recall from our previous Building Blocks articles, it’s a matter of speed. Be sure to reply to anyone who applies (and shows promise) within 24 hours, and then it’s on to the interview. In fact, the interview begins with that first call. 

On the phone

Start with this candid question: What are you doing now, and what are you looking to do? This sounds like a straightforward question, and it is, but the answers you’ll receive are telling. 

I’ve heard everything from, “I have a job now but looking for a new opportunity,” to “I haven’t worked in years because I don’t like structure, but I love pizza!” As you can guess, the question helps weed out candidates right away. But if this early questioning suggests they’re worth a follow-up chat, find out the earliest time they can come in for an interview. You’ll want to do this quickly because you don’t want them to find a different job in the meantime.

In the store

You can have your own interview style, but personally, I find making a candidate feel at home from the outset is important. Greet them with a shake of the hand, offer a drink and give them a moment to fill out an application. I start every interview by introducing myself, sharing my company’s history, and what jobs we have available. 

Most importantly, I share the company’s vision and how someone can advance. I want to paint a clear picture that this “job” can be a career. I also describe the positive things we do as a company for our employees and the incentive programs we have in place. It’s all about explaining the company culture. Once that’s done, it’s time for the candidate to share their story.

The most important question?

Sure, there are many revealing questions you can ask, but there is an especially powerful question that can open a conversation and tell you a lot about someone’s situation: “Now you know the company’s story, so what’s yours?” You’ll get all kinds of answers, but as long as there are no red flags and you like what you hear, you should feel confident to offer them the job. 

Read More

Building Blocks: Creating Accountability with Tools and Teachable Moments For Employees Pizza Today

You have a defined management structure, and your leaders have clear job descriptions. Now, you might be asking yourself, “How do I get the most from them?” This is where accountability comes into play. There are some clever sayings on this topic — “You get what you inspect,” and “What you tolerate is what you procreate,” but communication is the most important characteristic for holding your team of managers accountable. Indeed, before you inspect their work (and decide what you’ll tolerate), your managers must understand your expectations and their personal accountabilities. 

Read More

Building Blocks: Drafting Your First Job Description? Pizza Today

In the previous installment of Building Blocks, we explained which management positions are required to run a successful pizzeria — now we need to define them. Before you identify the potential managers within your organization or make the proper hires — or at least before they begin serving in their new roles — ensure you have complete job descriptions. Each manager will have different duties, so take them one by one. Begin by summarizing the duties and characteristics of the position, then address daily activities in detail. 

Read More

The Secret Sauce to Building a Successful Business

Nick Bogacz is the President and Founder of Caliente Pizza & Draft House, a bar-restaurant located in the Pittsburgh region. ​With over 20 years of experience in the industry, he opened his first location in 2012 and has grown quickly to the 5+ locations today. Bringing in a gourmet chef as his top pizzaiolo, Caliente’s pies have received national and worldwide acclaim, including the World Championships at the Pizza Expo for three years in a row and The Best American Pizza at the World Pizza Championships in Italy. Nick is also the author of the book The Pizza Equation: Slicing Up How to Run a Successful Pizza Enterprise and podcast host of the Business Equation Podcast. Link

Boozy book nights, vegan cheese, and more Pittsburgh food news By Dani Janae Pittsburgh City Paper

Read More

New menus, Betty White pizza, and more Pittsburgh food news By Dani Janae Pittsburgh City Paper

Read More

Pittsburgh’s 21 best new restaurants of 2021

by Michael Machosky

I’ve been an enthusiastic supporter of Pittsburgh dining for well over a decade — before it had any momentum or national accolades — first as a restaurant critic for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, then with contributions to NEXT. And I’ve never seen a year like 2021. Except for 2020, which was way worse, of course.The pandemic pushed the very concept of dining at a restaurant to its breaking point. It was a very hard year — which, ironically, will probably make it better remembered than the easy years (like 2016 and 2017), when Pittsburgh dining started hitting its creative peak.

Read More

Holiday gift cards that offer Beaver Valley flair

by Scott Tady Beaver County Times

Gift cards are a trusty go-to if you need to finish your Christmas shopping list. Who doesn’t enjoy being handed a free card good for purchases at a nearby restaurant or retailer?While the national chains and big box stores offer gift cards as close as your supermarket checkout line, maybe this is the year to emphasize truly local gift cards. Rooted Locally, for instance, a new initiative from the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce, provides a gift card that can be used at any of 30 local businesses.

Read More

Caliente Pizza & Draft House opens in Sewickley TRIBLIVE

Caliente Pizza & Draft House celebrated the grand opening of its Sewickley location on Nov. 12. The restaurant is located at 510 Beaver St. Rear, in the space that formerly housed the Sharp Edge. “The response to the Sewickley location has been great, ” said Robert Clark of WordWrite PR. “They were packed the first weekend and have had good crowds so far.”
 

Caliente’s Pizza set for Sewickley opening Nov. 12 Scott Tady- Beaver County Times

SEWICKLEY — Caliente’s Pizza & Drafthouse opens its newest pizzeria Nov. 12, in the borough.The three-time World Pizza Champions, named Best Pizza in America 2019, takes over the Sharp Edge Bistro at 510 Beaver St., between Broad and Division streets, in the heart of Sewickley’s business district. “We’re going to bring craft beer and our award-winning pizza; we can’t wait to be part of the community” Caliente founding owner Nick Bogacz said.

Read More

Caliente Pizza & Draft House Now Brewing Its Own Craft Beer- The Pittsburgh-based chain is about to debut the Hazy Dough Dazy IPA.

Eric Heyl, Patch Staff Posted Mon, Oct 4, 2021

PITTSBURGH, PA — Local restaurant chain Caliente Pizza & Draft House already makes its own award-winning pie. Now it’s branching out and brewing its own beer.

Hazy Dough Dazy, a New England IPA, will debut Oct. 15 at Caliente’s five locations and will be featured at two new locales that are close to opening. The beer, 5.3 percent alcohol by volume, is brewed with two row barley, oats, Vienna and wheat malts, bright floral, soft citrus and grapefruit tones, with notes of lychee and tropical fruit.

“This has been a long time coming,” said Bogacz, Caliente’s owner and founder, said in a news release. “We’ve always been passionate about serving great, hard-to-source craft beers, and now we can share a beer that we’ve brewed ourselves with help from experts and friends in the industry.”

Caliente currently has locations in Bloomfield, Mt. Lebanon, Hampton, Aspinwall and Monroeville. The new locations are former Sharp Edge restaurants in Sewickley and Crafton; opening dates will be announced soon.

Italy just named this local pizza the best in the country by wpxi news

PITTSBURGH — Forget New York or Chicago — a local pizza was just named the best in the country by the country where pizza is from. Calienta Pizza and Drafthouse recently participated in 2019 World Pizza Championships In Parma, Italy, according to a Facebook post. Read More

Pittsburgh pizza-makers competing in Pizza World Championship

by Maggie Weaver pghcitypaper

World Champion Pizza Team Pittsburgh’s pizza pros are headed to the big dance. Nick Bogacz, owner of Caliente Pizza & Draft House, and the local chain’s regional chef Eric Von Hansen are joining a team of pizza all-stars and taking their talent to Parma, Italy. Read More

This Pittsburgh pizzeria was just named America’s Best Pizza in world championship

by Megan Lavey-Heaton Pennlive

Once again, a pizzeria in Pennsylvania is considered among the best in the world. Pittsburgh’s Caliente Pizza House was named America’s Best Pizza at the Pizza World Championship in Parma, Italy. The honor was given to a pie inspired by Chef Eric Von Hansen’s Italian grandmother, as well as his mother..Read More

Caliente Pizza & Draft House has America’s best pie … and you can try it starting today

by Kristy Locklin NEXT Pittsburgh

UPDATE: Starting May 1, you can get the nation’s No. 1 pizza at Caliente Pizza & Draft House. It will be available at all five locations.The company’s Regional Chef Eric Von Hansen recently won Best Pizza in America at the 2019 World Pizza Championship’s Pizza Taglio Division in Parma, Italy. Named after his mom and grandmother, the Mee-Maw pie is made with five-day fermented dough topped by olive oil, five-year aged Parmesan and rapini. It’s cooked with peppered bacon, shallots, garlic, onion, crushed plum tomato, porchetta, shaved black truffle pecorino Romano, salt, paper and, yes, more Parmesan. Read More

Local chef makes best American pizza at global event

by Mike Larson Pittsburgh Business Times

Local pizza chef Eric von Hansen can add another award to his shelf. Von Hansen — the chef at Caliente Pizza & Draft House, which has five locations in the region — won the best pizza in America title at the 28th edition of the Campionato Mondiale Della Pizza, according to a report from the Post-Gazette.The event, held in Parma, Italy, is considered the World Pizza Championship. Read More

Story behind Caliente’s award-winning Mee-Maw pizza

by Paul Guggenheimer TRIBLIVE

When Eric Von Hansen, the regional chef of Caliente Pizza and Draft House, flew to Parma, Italy, to compete in the World Pizza Championship, he took a radically different approach than his competitors. While his American opponents brought their ingredients with them, Von Hansen decided to forage for his all over Italy. The strategy paid off, and he ended up winning the Best Pizza in America title for his pan pizza made with locally sourced porchetta, rapini and cheese. Read More

Pie in the sky, Caliente Pizza & Draft House again top among pizzamakers

by Mary Pickels TRIBLIVE

Nine Caliente employees, including five store managers and regional chef Eric Von Hansen, recently traveled to the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. In the Challenge competition, Nick Fink, Bloomfield location general manager, competed with the “Nicky Had a Little Lamb” pizza topped with herbs, arugula and lamb in the “non-traditional” division, while Aspinwall general manager Jay Falk opted for the literal “quail four ways” in the “pan” division. Each placed in the top 10 pizza makers in their divisions. Read More

Matriarch pizza wins Caliente ‘best’ honors

by Mary Pickels TRIBLIVE

Caliente Pizza & Draft House chef Eric Von Hansen’s tribute to his mother and grandmother, “Mee-Maw” pizza, will soon be available to local mee-maws and their families. Hansen and business owner Nick Bogacz traveled to Italy recently to compete in the Pizza World Championships, where Von Hansen won “Best Pizza in America 2019,” the restaurant’s Facebook page states. Read More

Caliente’s Pizza House Named America’s Best Pizza In Pizza World Championship

by Jon Delano KDKA2CBS Pittsburg

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A local family-owned pizza house has won a competition in Italy for making America’s best pizza in 2019. The pizza was the creation of a local chef who says Pittsburgh is finally getting recognition for its pizza. Read More

Pittsburgh Pizza Place To Compete At Italy’s ‘World Pizza Championship’

by KDKA2CBS Pittsburg

PITTSBURGH (Patch.com) — Caliente Pizza & Draft House owner Nick Bogacz and regional chef Eric Von Hansen are pursuing a dream and it’s no pie-in-the-sky one. The pair will represent Pittsburgh in the 28th Pizza World Championship in Parma, Italy in April. After being named world pizza champions three years in a row at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, Bogacz and Von Hansen were invited by 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani to join his World Pizza Champions team. Read More

Pittsburgh To Be Represented In Italy’s Pizza World Championship

by Eric Heyl, Patch Staff

PITTSBURGH PA – Caliente Pizza & Draft House owner Nick Bogacz and regional chef Eric Von Hansen are pursuing a dream and it’s no pie-in-the-sky one. The pair will represent Pittsburgh in the 28th Pizza World Championship in Parma, Italy in April. Read More

Best Pizza Across the U.S. ( You’re Welcome)

by Kim Kornfeld/ MEDIUM

National Pizza Day is upon us this weekend (Feb. 9th), which means you have an excuse to head to that dollar pizza spot and not feel bad about it. Heck, you can even grab a different slice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Read More

Is this Pittsburgh pizza actually the best in America? We tried a slice

by ROSSILYNNE CULGAN / THE INCLINE

Growing up in an Italian-German family in Shaler, Eric Von Hansen got to know the culinary specialities from his Mom and Grandma, especially their pizza.“We ate a lot of Grandma-style pizza,” he said — dough left over from baking, left to rise on a pan, topped with “whatever you had in the refrigerator.” Read More

Matriarch pizza wins Caliente ‘best’ honors

by MARY PICKELS TRIB LIVE

Caliente Pizza & Draft House chef Eric Von Hansen’s tribute to his mother and grandmother, “Mee-Maw” pizza, will soon be available to local mee-maws and their families. Hansen and business owner Nick Bogacz traveled to Italy recently to compete in the Pizza World Championships, where Von Hansen won “Best Pizza in America 2019,” the restaurant’s Facebook page states. Read More

Caliente’s Pizza House Named America’s Best Pizza In Pizza World Championship

By Jon Delano KDKA

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A local family-owned pizza house has won a competition in Italy for making America’s best pizza in 2019.The pizza was the creation of a local chef who says Pittsburgh is finally getting recognition for its pizza It’s as American as apple pie — pizza — and now judges at the Pizza World Championship in Parma, Italy, have declared this pizza at Pittsburgh’s Caliente Pizza as America’s best. It’s a pizza pie designed by Chef Eric Von Hansen and called the “Mee-maw” after his Italian mother. Read More

Pittsburgh Pizza Place To Compete At Italy’s ‘World Pizza Championship’

PITTSBURGH (Patch.com) — Caliente Pizza & Draft House owner Nick Bogacz and regional chef Eric Von Hansen are pursuing a dream and it’s no pie-in-the-sky one. The pair will represent Pittsburgh in the 28th Pizza World Championship in Parma, Italy in April. After being named world pizza champions three years in a row at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, Bogacz and Von Hansen were invited by 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani to join his World Pizza Champions team. Read More

Pittsburgh To Be Represented In Italy’s Pizza World Championship. Two members of a well-known Pittsburgh pizza place will compete as part of the World Pizza Champions Team

By Eric Heyl, Patch Staff

PITTSBURGH PA – Caliente Pizza & Draft House owner Nick Bogacz and regional chef Eric Von Hansen are pursuing a dream and it’s no pie-in-the-sky one. The pair will represent Pittsburgh in the 28th Pizza World Championship in Parma, Italy in April. After being named world pizza champions three years in a row at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, Bogacz and Von Hansen were invited by 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani to join his World Pizza Champions team. Read More

Best Pizza Across the U.S. (You’re Welcome) The best day of the year any way you slice it…

by Kim Kornfeld

National Pizza Day is upon us this weekend (Feb. 9th), which means you have an excuse to head to that dollar pizza spot and not feel bad about it. Heck, you can even grab a different slice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It can be tough to find the best slice, especially when you live in the New York area and travel to a different state. With that in mind, I rounded up some of the best spots you can visit to get a taste of the local pizza. Read More

Is this Pittsburgh pizza actually the best in America? We tried a slice …

by ROSSILYNNE CULGAN / THE INCLINE

Growing up in an Italian-German family in Shaler, Eric Von Hansen got to know the culinary specialities from his Mom and Grandma, especially their pizza.“We ate a lot of Grandma-style pizza,” he said — dough left over from baking, left to rise on a pan, topped with “whatever you had in the refrigerator. ”Now the chef at Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Von Hansen tried his hand at the creation, and it turned out well — so well that his Mee-Maw pie was named Read More

Nick Bogacz, from delivery driver to World Pizza Champion

by Jennifer Baron NEXT Pittsburgh

World Pizza Champion Nick Bogacz started in the pizza industry as a delivery driver more than 20 years ago. In 2012, he founded Caliente Pizza & Draft House and has since expanded to five locations throughout the region. Along the way, he’s become a member of the World Pizza Team and a successful author and podcast creator. Get to know the pizza guru and Hampton resident. Read More

Pittsburgh’s Caliente Pizza & Draft House donates pies to Light of Life

by JoAnne Klimovich Harrop  Tribune-Review

Hope starts with a meal. Those were the words of Doug Smith, director of development for Light of Life Rescue Mission on Pittsburgh’s North Side on Friday as he watched residents enjoy slices of pizza from Pittsburgh-based Caliente Pizza & Draft House as 40 extra-large pizzas (approximately 480 slices) were delivered to the mission on Friday.  Read More

Hampton couple turned passion for pizza into Caliente empire

by Kristy Locklin TRIB LIVE

Nick Bogacz is happiest when he’s wearing his official work uniform: a black T-shirt covered in flour. “This is my passion,” says the Hampton resident, who runs Caliente Pizza & Draft House with his wife, Angie. Since 2012, the couple has turned one, small shop into a Pittsburgh pizza empire. Read More

Peter Reinhart and Nick Bogacz to headline Pizza & Pasta Northeast!

by Bill Oakley PIZZA TODAY

This year’s opening keynote speaker will be Peter Reinhart, instructor at Johnson & Wales University, founder of the Pizza Quest video and blog site, American baker, educator and author. Peter is the author of numerous books, including “Bread Upon the Waters: A Pilgrimage Toward Self Discovery and Spiritual Truth”; “Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for Serious Bread Bakers” and “American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza” Read More

Conversation with Nick Bogacz, Caliente Pizza & Draft House Pittsburgh, PA

by PIZZA TODAY

Nick dishes on Caliente’s growth and expansion plans. Our concept is a full-service restaurant and bar with a full delivery area. Our pizza philosophy is that we just really love pizza — and it shows in every facet of our business. When you truly love what you do it all comes natural. We have great pizza, but everyone always says that. The real truth is the thing that we do have that not everyone has is great people. Read More

Pizza Today on the Road: Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Pittsburgh, PA

by PIZZA TODAY

So Hot  Caliente Pizza & Draft House lights up Pittsburgh Nick Bogacz is the type of pizzeria owner who’d drive across town to pick up a couple of writers who’d gone astray. In the process between the wrong location and right, we learned much about this four-unit store that’s making strides in Pittsburgh’s neighborhood-centric locations.  Read More

Personalities of Pittsburgh: Nick Bogacz’s love of pizza kept bringing him back

by Mike Larson Pittsburgh Business Times

Read Story

The Secret Ingredient in Your Marketing: Direct Mail with Mail Shark

by PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE

Just ask Nick Bogacz, the president/founder of award-winning Caliente Pizza & Draft House, a three-time World Pizza Champion in Pittsburgh, and author of The Pizza Equation. “One of the relationships that has helped me explode my business is with the great folks at Mail Shark,” he says.  Read More

Employee turnover can be costly and bad for morale. Reduce turnover by using these methods to hire and keep your employees.

by Nick Bogacz

The ongoing crisis over the COVID-19 outbreak is vastly changing the nation’s employment rate. Mere weeks ago, we at lows not seen for decades. Now, we’re setting new records for the wrong reasons.  The length and severity of this pandemic are uncertain, although we can say with certainty, it’s already been too long and too devastating. But all crises end. Read More

They found love in a pizza place: Angie and Nick Bogacz

by  Morgan McCoy, WordWrite Communications

 

Nick Bogacz befriended his future wife at 18 through delivering pizzas. When Nick lost everything to a house fire, Angie came right to his side and the pair hasn’t separated since. Read More

Pittsburgh-based pizza restaurant travels the globe to win industry accolades

by Caliente Pizza Draft House

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Caliente Pizza & Draft House, a Pittsburgh-based restaurant known for its internationally acclaimed pies and extensive craft beer list, is rapidly growing in global recognition after collecting numerous accolades in 2019. Locally owned and operated by founders Nick and Angie Bogacz, Caliente sent its team across the United States and Europe this year to participate in the industry’s biggest competitions. Read More

Commentary: Teary Eyed

by Jeremy White PIZZA TODAY

If you were at Pizza & Pasta Northeast in Atlantic City last month, then hopefully you attended the Day Two Keynote Address by Nick Bogacz. Nick owns Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh, and boy did he have a story to tell! Nick has been through it all since he first entered the pizza industry as a delivery driver at age 16.  Read More

Caliente Pizza & Drafthouse Owner’s Book No Half-Baked Idea

By Eric Heyl, Patch Staff

PITTSBURGH, PA – Caliente Pizza and Drafthouse owner Nick Bogacz doesn’t just own and operate an award-winning pizza chain. He’s also an author. Bogacz’s first book “The Pizza Equation,” will be out March 1. It details what he considers to be the most important aspects of operating a pizza business and serves them up in a handy guide. Read More

What to Know Before Expanding Your Operations

by Jason Cercone BREAKINGBREWS

As success comes, the notion of expanding becomes more and more prominent. If you are in the process of growing your bar, restaurant, or brewery beyond the original four walls that put your brand on the map, it’s important to make sure the timing is right and it makes sense to move forward. To provide insight on this topic, we will tap Nick Bogacz, owner of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh, PA, a brand on the verge of opening their 5th location in just over six years. Read More

Do we release the new menu?’ Despite COVID-19, restaurant owner says ‘yes’

by Harry Funk The Almanac

The regular routine was in place for the folks at Caliente Pizza and Draft House. “Once a year, we do a new menu. We usually start it in December and then roll it out in late February or early March,” owner Nick Bogacz said. He founded the business in 2012, and it has grown into a five-restaurant chain, including one in Mt. Lebanon. Read More