Sally’s Apizza Plans Dozens of Texas Locations in Ambitious 2026 Expansion

, the famed New Haven pizza institution, is heading south—way south. The 87-year-old Connecticut pizzeria, beloved for its blistered, coal-fired pies and chewy-crisp crusts, has announced a bold national expansion that includes a deep push into Texas. According to the company’s newly released 2026 development plan, Sally’s intends to open as many as 45 locations across Texas beginning in 2026.

The move marks the brand’s most ambitious leap since it first stepped beyond New Haven’s Wooster Square, where Sally’s has been serving pizzas since 1938. Founded by Salvatore Consiglio, one of Frank Pepe’s nephews, Sally’s has long been a pilgrimage spot for pizza purists, politicians, and visiting celebrities. For decades, the line outside its original brick storefront on Wooster Street was proof enough of its reputation—thin, coal-charred pies with a signature chew that defined New Haven’s apizza style.

Now, Sally’s plans to replicate that experience across the country. In its Sally’s Apizza Location Development Plan 2026, the company describes the next stage as a “disciplined national rollout built around strategic markets that align with our brand’s commitment to quality and heritage.” The plan outlines 255 new restaurants across 12 states, with Texas and Florida leading the list. The long-term goal: to grow to more than 1,000 units nationwide while “maintaining the craft and character that define Sally’s.”

While specific addresses for Texas have yet to be confirmed, the plan identifies Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio as priority markets. Initial Texas openings are projected for late 2026, with construction and site scouting already underway. The company’s expansion map shows Texas as one of its largest target territories, alongside Florida, New York, and New Jersey.

What sets Sally’s apart from most pizza chains isn’t just its legacy—it’s the method. Every Sally’s pie starts with a slow-fermented dough that develops flavor and texture over several days. Each pizza is baked in a coal-fired oven, producing the leopard-spotted crust that defines New Haven–style apizza. Toppings stay minimal and focused: tomato, mozzarella, and olive oil for the classic tomato pie; or the white clam pizza, another cult favorite that has inspired devotion and debate since the 1940s.

Sally’s modern leadership, now backed by a private equity group, insists the goal isn’t to dilute that heritage but to preserve it at scale. “We’re not chasing volume for volume’s sake,” reads the company’s development plan. “We’re building a national platform for one of America’s most iconic food traditions.” Each new restaurant will feature custom-built coal-fired ovens designed to mimic the original’s heat profile, along with the familiar black-and-white signage and vintage dining-room aesthetic that loyalists know from Wooster Street.

For Texas, that means more than just another out-of-town chain. It’s a culinary import with deep roots—the kind of regional food story that fits naturally into the state’s growing appetite for destination-level pizza. Dallas already plays host to acclaimed New York–style and Neapolitan pizzerias, but New Haven’s apizza tradition remains largely unrepresented here. Sally’s arrival could be the moment that changes that.

If Sally’s delivers on its promise—to bring the soul of Wooster Street to Texas—it might shift how the rest of the country sees coal-fired pizza. For now, fans can only wait, watch, and plan a pilgrimage north for a taste of what’s coming.

Reservations and updates: Visit sallysapizza.com or follow @sallysapizza for opening announcements and location details.