Freeda's Pizza & Calzones, Coming to North Beverly This November

Freeda's Pizza and Calzones, coming this November to the North Beverly Plaza, isn't your typical mom and pop pizza shop. 

Sure, the Guevara family has been operating Mario's Pizza in North Reading for 30 years. And, yes, mom and pop, in this case, Alfina and Romeo, are the president and vice president of the company. 

But operations director Al Guevara says Freeda's, named after his mother, Alfina, whose nickname was Freeda when she grew up in Sicily, isn't the average. 

With gourmet pizzas baked in a special brick oven straight from Italy,  Guevara assures customers they'll be able to find quality food and excellent service, in a timely manner. Guests will order their meals from the two 60 inch LED screen menus, and pizzas will be delivered to tables and then sliced by the food runners. 

"It gives it that authenticity that you just got it right out of the oven. Hot, fresh, and right in your lap," Guevara said. Plus, the restaurant can seat 80, featuring a special booth that seats ten, and long booths that can easily accommodate a party of 60. 

Some of their specialities?

Chicken broccoli Alfredo pizza, shrimp scampi pizza, the insalata pizza, the ribeye sandwich and the Tuscan wings.

"[The wings] are so unmatched, no one can even compare," Guevara said. "It's a lemon flavored wing, marinated for 24 hours and then fire-roasted. It's so flavorful you don't need dipping sauce."

Customers will notice the menu has nothing fried, and a choice of just five gourmet sandwiches that come on fresh artisan rolls.

"It's a limited menu, but we'll execute it very, very well," Guevara said. "We have a little bit of everything to satisfy the typical eater that comes in."

Guevara said Freeda's expected to open in the former Upper Crust space before Thanksgiving. Because of the legalities of the Upper Crust's closing, Freeda's did not obtain their liquor license, but Guevara said they have 'every determination' to obtain one as soon as it becomes available by the city. 

The restaurant will be open till 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and open till midnight for the college students and later crowds, on Friday and Saturday nights. 

Freedas is currently accepting applications. An online version can be found on Craigslist.