Good Food Equals Good Times

At JK’s Pizza And More

The rich scent of rising yeasted dough and simmering sauces greets patrons that step through the door at JK’s Pizza And More at 150 South Main Street. Under the ownership of Jeffrey Kayfus (JK) since March 1, the small eatery that formerly housed South Main Pizza has taken on a new look.

Hoping to draw a larger eat-in crowd, Mr Kayfus, with the help of friends and family, has created a welcoming dining area. New chairs, glass tabletops protecting white tablecloths, new carpeting, and a fresh coat of deep green and cream paint on the walls brighten the room. If the sconces and mirrors on the walls are reminiscent of somewhere you have been before, think Fireside Inn. During the 2007 demolition of the banquet hall just down the street, a South Main Pizza employee salvaged the bits of Newtown history, and Mr Kayfus has used them in the renovation.

It is not just the décor that might ring a bell with customers. Mr Kayfus, who heads the kitchen staff, many of whom are former South Main Pizza employees, is the owner/operator of Bus 3 for the Newtown School System. JK’s is the first foray into the restaurant business for Mr Kayfus, who has perfected the recipes for the chili, sauces, and entrees at home over the years. All of the sauces, and pasta and potato salads, are made on premises, said Mr Kayfus.

Along with the rest of the kitchen staff, a peek in the kitchen might reveal Mr Kayfus’ two children, Savannah and Nic, working side-by-side with their dad when they are visiting. A third child is due to Mr Kayfus, a Newtown resident, and his wife, Kristen, in late June.

The menu has been expanded to include specialty pizzas such as the popular BBQ chicken, taco, and the meat lovers, priced from $9.50 to $19.50, and available in 10-, 14-, and 18-inch sizes. White “pies” include chicken Florentine, Margarita, shrimp scampi, and clams casino, as well as the brand new chicken Alfredo pizza. Sicilian pizza, with an extra thick crust, costs $14.25 to $16.25, depending on the toppings. Pizza is also available by the slice for $2 or $2.50. As the name of the restaurant implies, there is far more than just pizza available to hungry patrons, though.

Stuffed breads filled with broccoli, chicken, chili, ham, pepperoni, sausage, or spinach and made from the same homemade dough that forms the base for JK’s pizzas, are made to order. A 30-minute wait and $8.50 is all it takes to sink your teeth into one of these trademark breads.

Dinner entrees include eggplant parmesan, fish and chips, ravioli with meatballs, and fettuccine Alfredo, and all of the dinners include salad or soup and a 6-inch garlic bread. Sit down diners kick off the meal with complementary garlic knots, pretzel-like bits of fried dough with garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. While waiting for the main course, diners can indulge in appetizers like the phat basket — a combination of jalapeño poppers, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, and garlic knots. Chicken or Buffalo fingers and fried calamari have been popular with customers, said Mr Kayfus, as have been the fried zucchini sticks and bruschetta. Appetizers are priced from $2.50 to $7.95.

Mr Kayfus’s favorite item on the menu is an Angus beef burger, one of several items now available from the grill. Cheeseburgers, fish burger on a roll, hot dogs with chili or chili and cheese, and a grilled cheese sandwich that comes with options of bacon or tomato are served up hot from the grill with fries, curly fries, or onion rings. Prices for grilled items range between $4.25 and $6.50.

Open face hot sandwiches cost $6.50 for the roast beef au jus, or $6.95 for the roast beef or turkey, and include a side of fries, onion rings, or mashed potatoes and gravy. Hot and cold grinders, and nine different wrap sandwiches are available at $5.50 or $6.50 each, calzones are $7.50 or $8.50, and a children’s menu ensures that even the pickiest eater in the family will find a meal to put a smile on his or her face. Kids’ meals are served with juice or soda, and cost $3.50 to $5.50.

Slipping away from the largely Italian-style foods on the menu, Mexican quesadillas with cheese, chicken & cheese, Philly cheese steak, or chili & cheese have found a niche on JK’s menu and clients have been, pun intended, eating them up.

Non-meat eaters or light eaters will be pleased to find a veggie burger for $4.50 on the menu, and several salads, as well. Cobb salad, as with all of the salads at JK’s, starts with a base of crisp Romaine lettuce and is topped with avocado, bacon, tomatoes, gorgonzola, and hard-boiled egg. Caesar and garden salads include a tuna or chicken option for just $2 more.

If there is a wee bit of room left after savoring every bite of lunch or dinner, JK’s recommends ending the meal with a powdered sugar frosted “Snow Ball,” a fried dough confection.

JK’s Pizza and More provides catering services, and all menu items as well as daily specials items can be ordered for any occasion. Special dietary needs are willingly accommodated.

Fast, free delivery is offered to residents in Newtown, Sandy Hook, and northern Monroe with a minimum $10 order.

“Good Food, Good Friends, Good Times” reads the sign above the entrance into the kitchen, and that, said Mr Kayfus, is his goal.

JK’s Pizza and More, at 150 South Main Street across from Citgo Gas Station, is open from 11 am to 9 pm, Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. To place a take out order call 426-5105, or fax order to 426-5835. Delivery to Newtown, Sandy Hook, and northern Monroe is available with a $10 minimum order. Eat-in, take out, and catering services available.