Pizza Man restaurant to open in weeks near Downer, Belleview

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The iconic Pizza Man restaurant is on its way to reopening on Milwaukee's East Side. The original Pizza Man was practically a landmark -- open for 40 years before it was destroyed by a fire in January of 2010. Now, crews are working to get the new Pizza Man restaurant ready to open.

The new Pizza Man restaurant is located near Downer and Belleview on the city's East Side.

The restaurant's owner says despite some delays in construction, he believes they are now just weeks away from opening.

Pizza Man Owner Mike Amidzich is ready to reopen the restaurant that has been his life's work.

On a tour Sunday, July 21st, he proudly showed off the new rooftop deck, paid for by a group of passionate investors.

"Obviously I miss the old place but this place, I consider almost a tribute to the other place," Amidzich said.

The new Pizza Man restaurant is bigger, with more than 200 seats to the old Pizza Man's 55. The original restaurant opened in 1970 and burned down in 2010.

The new place has a replica of the old sign, and the same barn wood.

However, breathing life into an East Side institution hasn't been without delays.

"We had so many weather delays with that long rainy season," Amidzich said.

Then, there was a shortage of steel.

"That's why we missed most of the summer.  So hopefully in a couple more weeks, I'd say mid-August we should be open," Amidzich said.

In the kitchen, chefs are getting acquainted with their surroundings and practicing recipes.

Downstairs, floors are swept, booths are constructed and then carried into their places.