The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria has lifted the lid on its first-ever official establishment in Santa Monica, California. On opening weekend, lines of TMNTfans of all ages went around the block of the Third Street Promenade, the outdoor tourist-heavy retail destination just off the West Coast.
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The TMNT Universe Spans Eras for Hungry Fans
When the 80's comic book series broke into the mainstream with theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series and eventual live-action movies, scores of fans from Gen X to Gen Alpha have grown up with the crime-fighting brothers with a love for pizza. Since their debut, there have been more animated shows, video games, comics, more live-action movies, and the recent hit animated film blockbuster franchise. So it makes sense to have seen fans raised on the 80s hit, including multi-generational families with toddlers, lining up last weekend for the opening.
View this post on InstagramThe Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria is the franchise's first official immersive restaurant collaboration between Paramount and Andy Nguyen, the fandom foodie destination builder whose other themed cafe concepts are inspired by Hello Kitty and Sonic the Hedgehog. Nguyen told The Hollywood Reporterthat the TMNT concept was a long-time "dream project," noting that he drew on his nostalgia for the animated series and the role pizza played in it. "Those original cartoons, the way they were drawn, there’s a sense of fun that just brings you happiness."
The establishment captures that early '90s peak TMNT cartoon vibe with arcade games, exclusive streetwear, and toy collectibles. In an Instagram reel, comedy content creator and animation voice actor, Jenny Lorenzo (Jellystone!) shared, "The pizza, mocktails, merch, decor...all of it was awesome."
View this post on InstagramExpect to Pay for an Experience, Not Just a Slice
Yes, there is online outrage that a whole pizza can cost from $39 for the Cowabunga cheese and up to $54 for a specialty like Rocksteady's Meat Smash. That's definitely going to leave some fans shell-shocked, but considering the immersive retro locale sits in a major LA tourist destination and offers slices that range from $6.50 to $9, the math begins to make more sense.
Over Father's Day weekend, this writer's TMNT fan husband was treated to a trip, and it's absolutely dad-approved. The hubs got a slice of Raphael's Pepperoni Bash (cost $7.50), which folded perfectly into an NY-style slice when pulled, and a fountain Coke. I particularly enjoyed the Mutagen Mushroom (cost $8.50), which was cheesy with the right amount of umami mixed with ricotta and topped with a zesty lemon cream. Washed it down with an Orange Bandana Margarita (cost $16), which packed a powerful punch. The total spent on food wasn't that bad, but as nerds, the merch haul got our wallets.
Food critics have been raving about the pizza, including L.A. Taco, whose writer called it a "serious New York slice" in a positive review, noting, "Take it from a California-raised food writer who did ten years in NYC, these slices slaughter the competition like a sai to Shredder's face."
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Nguyen affirmed the establishment is not meant to be a gimmick. "This place can’t just look cool. The food is the surprise element. It’s good. We know we need to beat expectations. Otherwise, fans crush you,” he told THR, and to that end, he worked with Angelo Womack of Brooklyn pizzeria Roberta's fame to make the pizza as wow-worthy as the TMNT experience itself.
Together, they sought a way to get their pies as close to NY slice standards as possible, even tinkering with the local water pH to match Manhattan's. But not to expect something like basil leaves on pies, as Womack told THR he "couldn’t see Donatello eating," inspiring clever ways to add flavor like basil by drizzling olive oil with it to emulate TCRI ooze on creamy stracciatella, so it glows. You know, old-school tricking kids (and adults) into eating something good they'll like if it's packaged in a fun way.
View this post on InstagramLA-based lifestyle content creator @ErikaEnchanted shared on Instagram, "Getting that perfect balance of theming, atmosphere, and actually great pizza is what makes this place worth fighting traffic on the 10 FWY," The nostalgia, along with good word-of-mouth among pizza experts and pop culture fans in LA, plus tourist curiosity and all-around love for Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael, will bring out fans of all ages to Santa Monica this summer for Turtle Powered Pizza.
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