Matchbox Pizza Eyes Tampa Expansion

Tampa Bay area residents with a taste for wood-fired, brick oven pizzas may soon get to experience the flavors Matchbox has been delivering to the Washington, D.C., area for years.

The company has announced plans to expand into several new markets, including Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Dallas, Austin and others. How soon a Tampa location might open remains up in the air, but company officials confirm the city is on its list of desired expansion locations.

“We don’t have any confirmed locations yet in Tampa, but are looking and interested in many areas,” spokeswoman Ashlie Levy told Patch. The company’s Facebook page also indicates its interest in the city and others, including Fort Lauderdale.

Matchbox was founded by three friends about 12 years ago who happened to have a passion for artisanal pizza. The trio began serving up food in D.C.’s China Town and soon expanded to locations in Virginia, Maryland and California.

Aside from those wood-fired pizzas, Matchbox is known for its grilled angus mini-burgers, craft beer, salads, soups and “ginormous” meatballs.

While it’s unclear how soon a Tampa location might open, the Tampa Bay Business Journal reports the Fort Lauderdale location in Sawgrass Mills Mall has been secured.

Matchbox logo from Facebook