November — that’s when Whispers hears the wildly popular Deluca’s Pizzeria of Hot Springs plans to open its second location in Little Rock’s Breckenridge Village Shopping Center, which was ravaged by the March 31 tornado.
Owner Anthony Valinoti, who opened the pizzeria in Hot Springs in 2013, said the storm delayed plans but the location should be open in the shopping center before the end of the year.
Deluca’s recently celebrated its 10th anniversary in the Spa City.
The pizza joint has won numerous awards and gained national acclaim for its pies. Earlier this year, David Portnoy of Barstool Sports visited the restaurant and rated its pizza an 8.7, a score he apparently rarely gives out. Since then, lines of patrons have snaked outside its Central Avenue location in Hot Springs.
JTJ Restaurants acquired Breckenridge Village on North Rodney Parham Road for $11.3 million in May 2022 and has been working to bring it back to life with new eateries and a cosmetic uplift.
