Preview: Pizzeria Biga to Open April 23

Luciano Del Signore, chef and proprietor of the Bacco Ristorante in Detroit and Pizzeria Biga in Southfield, gave Royal Oak Patch a sneak preview of his second Pizzeria Biga, which opens April 23 on the top floor of the century-old St. Clair Edison building, one of the oldest commercial structures in Royal Oak.

The brick building at 711 S. Main Street, which once served as a power plant for the streetcars that ran down Woodward Avenue, will now be a bistro-style pizzeria seating 76 people.

With its 30-foot ceilings, the 3,100-square-foot restaurant was filled with plenty of natural light on Wednesday morning. The interior is a mixture of the old (there is an original industrial pulley rig on the main floor) and the new, including a state-of-the-art kitchen.

“Royal Oak has a great dining scene and we wanted to be a part of it,” said Del Signore. “Besides, there aren’t too many 1903 power plants around to open a restaurant in.”

The Menu

The menu will include handcrafted pizzas, Italian antipasti, appetizers, salads, pastas, and desserts, such as homemade gelato, which is made fresh daily.

“What will be different at this location is we will have a big pasta menu,” Del Signore said. There will be between eight and 10 choices of hand-rolled fresh pastas served daily.

The chef said he also plans to have more proteins on the Royal Oak menu, including a steak option, which will prepared in a ceramic tiled, 900-degree, wood-burning oven that Del Signore had custom-made in Naples, Italy.

The atmosphere

In addition to the dining area, Pizzeria Biga has a bar that offers a selection of 24 international craft beers on tap, as well as wine. 

An outdoor deck and patio off the bar area can accommodate an additional 25 – 30 patrons as weather permits. Train fanatics are going to love it. Tracks run along the patio and Del Signore said trains “roll through about 20 times a day.” 

A second story loft in the dining has a 20-foot farm table that can be used for large parties.

Can wait until the 23rd? Pizzeria Biga is hosting two fundraisers prior to the official opening. Stop by on April 18 or 19 for a sneak preview and show your support for a couple of great community organizations.

Wine, Dine & Dough-nate Fundraiser

When: 5:30 pm - 9 p.m. April 18

Cost: $45 (includes food and drink)

Click here to purchase tickets or call 248-541-6430

All proceeds from this event will benefit the Stagecrafters Restroom Renovation Capital Campaign. 

Woodward Royal Oak Tribute Benefit

When: 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. April 19  

Cost: $75 (includes a signed limited edition print of the Tribute, wine and craft beer with strolling hors d'oeuvres)

Click here to RSVP and order tickets.  

For more information, contact the Woodward Avenue Action Association at 248-288-2004. Or, visit www.woodwardavenue.org.

Pizzeria Biga is located above at 711 S. Main Street. Visit pizzeriabiga.com for more information.