Border Brewery & Barbecue Marks One Year Serving Wood-Fired Pizza

SALEM, N.H. - Feb. 10, 2025 - PRLog -- In February 2024, Border Brewery & Barbecue added a new section to their menu: Border BBQ Pizzas. The Salem, NH, restaurant known for its barbecue and beer now serves eight wood-fired pizzas. Three of the eight are traditional favorites, and the other five are inspired by other items on the Border Brewery menu.

After finding success with his beer and barbecue, restaurant owner Joe Ruotolo decided to take on a new challenge he had long wanted to try and hoped would delight his customers. At the end of 2023, he purchased a wood-fired pizza oven and spent several weeks crafting and perfecting his recipes. Ruotolo is no stranger to taking his time. "You cannot rush barbecue, you cannot rush beer, you cannot rush dough," he told the restaurant review website Phantom Gourmet.

In February of 2024, Ruotolo added his new pizzas to the Border Brewery menu, and they were an immediate success with his customers. Locals and visitors alike have praised Border Brewery's pizza, calling it "delicious," "so good," "excellent," and "the best pepperoni pizza ever" in online reviews. Food influencers on Instagram are also enjoying the pizza. Popular account @mary_eatz called the pepperoni pizza "phenomenal," and @the_roamingfoodie, Joey Calcavecchia, recommended all the pizzas to his followers, especially the mac and cheese pizza.

Multiple online reviews comment that the pizza is "cooked perfectly," which is due to Border Brewery's wood-fired pizza oven. Using a wood fire as a heat source, the oven can reach and sustain higher temperatures than a traditional oven. The domed shape combined with the actively burning wood fire allows the oven to reach the ideal temperature for cooking pizza: 700-800ºF. At those high temperatures, a pizza cooks in minutes, resulting in perfectly melted cheese and crispy crust with just the right amount of char.

The decision to include wood-fired pizza on the Border Brewery & Barbecue menu is not a departure from serving barbecue but rather an extension. Five of Border Brewery's pizzas are inspired by existing menu items. The pulled pork and brisket pizzas directly combine the restaurant's two main offerings, while the mac and cheese pizza is topped with a classic barbecue side dish. Phantom Gourmet praises the brisket pizza: "There's no better way to enjoy a pizza at Border than one topped with brisket. This flavor bomb combines their succulent smoked brisket with housemade BBQ sauce and lots of cheese."

In addition to barbecue and wood-fired pizza, Border Brewery continues to serve their house-brewed beer. Customers consistently rave about the beer, noting its appealing taste and the brewery's unique offerings. Border Brewery's signature Peanut Butter Stout is one of their most popular beers and is regularly served alongside their rotating seasonal beers.

About Border Brewery & Barbecue: Border Brewery & Barbecue is a brewery and barbecue restaurant located in Salem, NH. Since opening his restaurant in 2013, owner Joe Ruotolo has proudly served his beer and barbecue to his customers.