The original Zalat Pizza is located on N. Fitzhugh Avenue. Photography by Renee Umsted.
Update (Jan. 12): A previous version of this story announced a Jan. 31 opening for the new restaurant, based on a post the restaurant shared on its Facebook page. However, a spokesperson for Zalat Pizza says a definitive opening date has not yet been set.Â
Local chain Zalat Pizza will open early February in the old Cigarz Bona Pizza on Gaston Avenue.
Cigarz closed after 20 years in November, and the restaurant was sold, Cigarz wrote on its Facebook page.
The original Zalat is in East Dallas, on N. Fitzhugh Avenue. There was news last year that the chain would open a location in the old 20 Feet Seafood at Garland and Peavy, but the operator decided to abandon those plans, citing a “complex legal structure” and not enough parking spaces.
Besides the one on Fitzhugh, no other Zalat locations are in East Dallas. But there are almost 30 others across Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.
Founded in 2015 by Khanh Nguyen, who also established DaLat Vietnamese, Zalat just this week started selling appetizers and desserts. Previously, pizza has been the star of the menu.
Zalat recommends newcomers try the “Zealot” pizza first. It comes with pepperoni, sausage, salami, red onions, black olives, mushrooms, red bell peppers and chives.
The White Rock location is in an area with a high pizza concentration. PILF Restaurant Group’s Thunderbird Pies and Cane Rosso are just east of the old Cigarz spot, but each caters to a specific audience. Cane Rosso specializes in Neapolitan-style pies, whereas Thunderbird offers deep-dish, Detroit-style pizzas. And Zalat is there for the late-night crowd, staying open until 2 a.m., 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. daily.
