Jessica and Brandon Tenney, the owners of Truckin Pizza, are taking over the former Slab Sicilian Street Food spot on Preble Street where they plan to open a new restaurant called Za (instagram).
The restaurant will serve pizza by the slice and as whole pies as well as sandwiches, salads, sides, appetizers and desserts. Their What the Dill Pizza is topped with house-made ranch and sour pickles, fresh dill, potato chips, red onion and mozzarella. A popular item from their salad list is a Roasted Beet Salad made with blueberries, goat cheese, pomegranate molasses, vinaigrette, basil, watercress and pickled onions.
The bar menu will offer wine, local draft beers, cocktails on tap from local distilleries, signature cocktails and spirits from Wild Bevy Distilling in Wells. The Za bar menu will also feature house-made non-alcoholic cocktails, local sodas, and sparkling water.
The Tenneys both hail from Maine. Brandon Tenney is a Culinary Institute of America graduate and worked in NYC before moving back to Maine. Jessica Tenney has worked in restaurants and in wedding and event planning. They each have 25 years of experience in the restaurant and event industries.
This is a dream come true for Brandon and I. This opportunity came and we just knew we couldn’t pass it up. It feels like a full circle moment for us after spending over two decades each working in the restaurant and event space in and around Portland. We are so grateful for all the love and support we have received with Truckin’ Pizza. Everyone kept asking if we had a brick and mortar and where they could find more of our food in Portland that it just seemed like the natural next step.
The Tenneys launched Truckin Pizza in 2022. In addition to providing catering for weddings and other events, Truckin Pizza also operates a food truck at Wild Bevy where they serve dishes like poutine, Tuscan artichoke salad and mac and cheese.
They hope to open Za for business this spring, and plan to use the large outdoor space to host live music and other events during the warmer months.