San Diego's TNT Pizza Finally Opens Long-Awaited Chula Vista Location With Retro NYC Pizzeria Vibes

After more than two years in development, San Diego’s cult-favorite TNT Pizza has finally unveiled its long-awaited second location, officially taking over the former Attitude Brewing Company space in downtown Chula Vista with a nostalgic old-school pizza parlor aesthetic straight out of 1970s and 1980s New York City.

The popular East Village pizzeria hosted a friends-and-family welcome party over the weekend at its new South Bay spot ahead of its official public opening scheduled for Wednesday, May 27. Located on Third Avenue in the heart of Chula Vista’s rapidly evolving dining and nightlife district, the new TNT Pizza dramatically expands the footprint of the pandemic-born pizza concept while leaning heavily into a classic neighborhood slice shop atmosphere rarely seen in San Diego County.

Photos shared from the soft-opening festivities reveal a warm retro interior featuring wood-paneled walls, stained-glass hanging lamps, vintage-style maroon leather booths, checkerboard flooring, framed old-school artwork, and even a retro Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade machine - a fitting touch for a restaurant built around unapologetic nostalgia and comfort-food energy.

Founded by longtime local pizza veterans Kevin Gist and Joseph Ghafouri Wehrly, TNT Pizza - short for “Thick N’ Thin” - began as a weekly preorder-only pizza pop-up during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The concept quickly developed a devoted following before opening its first permanent location in downtown San Diego’s East Village in late 2021.

Since then, TNT Pizza has become one of San Diego’s most talked-about independent pizza operations, earning fans for its diverse menu of Detroit-style, grandma-style, tavern-style, and New York-inspired pizzas alongside extensive vegan offerings and rotating specialty pies.

The Chula Vista restaurant continues that approach while offering a significantly larger space for expanded menu experimentation. Diners can expect TNT staples like its thick Detroit pies with caramelized cheese edges, ultra-thin tavern pizzas, and inventive specialty combinations including pickle pizzas and vegan-friendly creations made with house-produced substitutes.

The new location also allows the team to expand into additional comfort-food territory with an eventual roll-out of stromboli, deep-fried calzones, sandwiches, appetizers, desserts, and rotating specials. Owners tell SanDiegoVille that beer and wine service is expected to launch in the coming months pending licensing approval, while additional entertainment features and ongoing interior improvements are also planned as the restaurant settles into operations.

Equally important is the restaurant’s atmosphere, which appears intentionally designed to replicate the feel of a classic East Coast family pizza joint. From the amber lighting and vintage decor to the booths and arcade machine tucked into the dining room, the restaurant embraces a playful throwback identity that complements TNT’s already fiercely loyal following.

TNT Pizza will initially operate Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 9pm, with extended hours until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The company says it plans to eventually expand to seven-day service once operations stabilize. Online and phone ordering are expected to launch beginning Wednesday, though ownership joked they still do not yet know what the restaurant’s permanent phone number will be.

While early expansion plans once included a future North Park outpost connected to a collaborative outdoor dining project, those plans no longer appear to be moving forward, making Chula Vista the company’s first expansion beyond its flagship East Village restaurant.

TNT Pizza officially opens Wednesday, May 27, at 221 Third Avenue in Chula Vista’s downtown district. For more information, follow @tntsdpizza on Instagram.

Originally published on May 25, 2026.