Contractors always seem to the get the short shrift in the restaurant industry, being blamed for opening delays or something not working correctly. But Ben Heller and Max Zuckerman made their contractor, Sonny, a promise while he was building out the Colony Club space for them in Park View. If they ever opened a pizza shop, they’d name it after him. 

Sonny’s is set to open in the spring at 3120 Georgia Ave. NW, right next to Colony Club. It was most recently occupied by a doctor’s office but once played host to a Universal Madness clothing shop.

They’ll serve “grandma-style” square pizza by the slice and by the whole pie. According to Zuckerman, Goldilocks would approve of the crust, which isn’t too thick or too thin. Heller will be doing the cooking. 

The menu will also include house-baked breads, sandwiches, salads, and “old-school New York-style sides like garlic knots and pepperoni rolls,” Zuckerman says. They’ll serve a small selection of beer, wine, and a couple of cocktails that pair well with pizza. 

The space is expansive (there’s room for close to 200 seats) so the owners also plan to open a separate, more involved bar once the pizza shop is up and running. Then there’s the matter of the outside space that comes with the property. “We have a really big backyard so we’re trying to figure out an outdoor bar that’ll be creative,” Zuckerman says. 

Sonny’s, 3120 Georgia Ave. NW