Mike Fadem did not set out to be a restaurant owner and chef. He spent years working in the music industry while picking up shifts in restaurants on the side — until his side job slowly became the main gig.
“I worked in music for a long time, and kind of worked in restaurants on the side. And at some point, I decided to make this the focus of my career,” said Fadem, co-owner and chef of Ops Pizza.
Nearly a decade after co-founding Ops, the sourdough pizzeria that became a Bushwick favorite, Fadem has opened a second location in Manhattan’s East Village.
“We’re in a really big city… and we just thought it’d be cool to reach more people,” Fadem expressed.
Fadem grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, where pizza nights were very important to his family. His dad, being obsessed with pizza, would often pile the family into the car to try out new spots around the Midwest.
“We would travel all over the Midwest eating pizza. He’d hear about a place he’d read in the newspaper, and we’d always go check it out,” Fadem told amNewYork. “It was just always very clear to me, because of him, that pizza was a really important food.”
Midwestern pizza, as Fadem describes it, is typically thin, crisp, and cut in squares.
At the new East Village location, Fadem decided to bring that pizza that he grew up with along. Ops introduces Tavernetta-style pies, a blend of St. Louis and New Jersey pizza styles.
The tavernetta pies started when Fadem and Ops chef RJ first bonded over their shared love of the pizza they grew up eating — RJ in New Jersey, and Fadem in St. Louis.
For research, the team took a 24-hour trip to Chicago, trying iconic Midwestern spots. They realized that the style they love so much is not well represented in New York, so they decided to represent it proudly.
This thin, midwestern-inspired pizza comes in different variations, including Classic, Hawaiian, and Pissaladiere.
Guests can also find the sourdough, Neapolitan-style pizzas Ops is known for — like the Napoletana, Pops, Cicero, Rojo, and more — on the menu.
What sets Ops Pizza apart is the dough itself.
“Sourdough is a dangerous thing to do,” said Fadem.
The dough, which takes days to ferment, is entirely made with sourdough starter — not commercial yeast – and according to Fadem, working with fresh sourdough makes everything more unpredictable.
“It changes all the time…It’s really hard on the staff because it’s not the same every day,” he said. “But we are really obsessed with it, and it’s really important to us to do it this way.”
Beyond pizza, there is a mix of small plates and dishes that also complete the menu. There is Suppili — a Roman-style fried rice ball with gooey mozzarella in the middle. The Ops Salad, tossed with an oniony dressing that co-owner Marie Tribouilloy created, is also a great starter.
And other standouts include a southern Italian veggie stew called Ciambotta, a sausage plate over kale, and a beautiful lasagna bolognese that Fadem says is one of his favorite things on the menu.
“It’s kind of complicated to make, but I think the reward is really special,” said Fadem.
And before you ask, there is dessert too. With options like a soft serve sundae, flourless chocolate cake, and panna cotta, you will definitely be staying.
And of course, no meal is complete without a glass of wine. With Ops being recognized as a James Beard Semifinalist for Outstanding Wine Program and being among the top 50 best pizzerias in the USA 2023-2024 by 50 Top Pizza, you will be wanting a glass to go with that pizza.
From late nights in the music world to weekend pizza runs with his father in St. Louis, Mike Fadem’s path to owning two restaurants was not exactly foreseeable for him, but it was always driven by passion.
Now, with a second Ops location in full swing he is doing what he has always wanted to do: putting midwestern pizza on the map.
“I hope everybody comes and visits us,” Fadem said.
Book your reservation now on opsbk.com for the East Village location on 2nd Ave and 11th St.
