How to start a pizzeria

Many people out there dream of making delicious pizzas that customers will queue up for. But where do you start? This is a question that many people have asked us, and that is why we have created this guide. Basically, the guide is made for those of you who have long dreamed of opening your own pizzeria, but don't know what it takes to get started. When you have read the article to the end, it is our hope that you have become more clear about the further process.

Fresh ingredients - where to find them

Fresh ingredients are the most important thing to ensure good taste - what customers will remember you for and what determines whether they return or not.

Find out if there are any farmers markets or markets in your area that sell fresh produce daily. Be sure to get prices from two or more.

Alternatively, you could buy your raw materials from wholesalers such as Dagrofa S-engros or Inco. Some are "Cash and Carry" where you have to pick up your goods yourself, and others deliver to your door.

If you can transport your goods yourself in a safe manner, you will save money with cash and carry, while having it delivered often costs a little extra, but at the same time saves you time.

Consider what is best for you.

The right equipment

It requires a larger investment to start a pizzeria, but we recommend buying quality that will last for many years. When it comes to pizza equipment, this is often goods from Italy.

1. Stirring machine

You will need a mixer to make the dough in. Here it is important to find a solid machine that can mix the dough thoroughly. For the cheap models, the dough will often climb up the dough hook and therefore we recommend a quality machine from Bjørn. Their models are incredibly reliable and do not wear out.

2. Pizza counter with salad cooler

You will also need a pizza counter with a salad cooler on top. Here you keep your vegetables and sauces cold in small stainless steel containers called canteens or gastro trays.

It is important that the tabletop is made of granite. If you are going to serve customers, it is a requirement that the salad cooler has a glass top that ensures that customers cannot cough or sneeze into the food or otherwise come into contact with it. This could be this model.

3. Canteens/gastropubs

Canteens for the salad cooler are available in either GN 1/3 or GN 1/4 sizes and with a depth of 100 or 150 mm.

4. Display refrigerator

A display refrigerator, for selling soda and water, is a must in a pizzeria. Here you can choose one with hinged doors or sliding doors. It is a bit of a matter of taste which is best, but since the cabinet will be opened and closed a lot, it is inevitable that there is some loss of cold. Therefore, you should find a refrigerator that has low power consumption.

If you want to sell alcohol, you must have an alcohol permit, which you can get from the police.

5. Storage refrigerator

Here we would like to recommend some quality products from, for example, Liebherr that will last a long time. There are certainly cheaper alternatives on the market, but by buying quality you also have something that will last for many years to come. That way you can also avoid the high costs associated with requesting a refrigeration technician and having to wait for a spare part to be sent from abroad.

6. Pizza oven

Of course, you need a pizza oven to make the pizza in or alternatively a conveyor belt fryer.

The former works best for Italian pizzas, whereas a belt fryer is good for deep pan pizzas, i.e. a thicker base. At home, a hearth oven is most often used, as it gives a good crispy base and even heat distribution. Pizza Master and Sveba Dahlen are some of the most popular brands, but if we had to point to one, we would recommend a Sveba Dahlen oven.

Please contact us if you would like to hear more about this option.

7. Dough molds

A dough shaper works by you putting the dough in and then the dough comes out in a bun shape. Always the same size. If you have a flair for it, you can of course also do it manually, like in the old days.

8. Pizza roll

Pizza dough is best rolled out by hand. This way you retain some of the air in it and it bubbles up nicely in the oven.

But if you have to make a lot of pizzas during the day, a pizza roller can make the job easier for you. You place the dough on top and it rolls out to the size you want in a short time.

9. Vegetable cutter

You can benefit from purchasing a vegetable slicer that cuts onions, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc. You should look for a machine that is quiet, and be careful to choose the right size slices.

10. Other things

  • Pizza spatula makes it easy to take pizza in and out of the oven.
  • A dough box that is food-grade for storing dough.
  • Pizza cutter.
  • Cash register.
  • Industrial hood.