> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Pizzeria Toro Reopening in Late July - URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/pizzeria_toro_reopening_in_late_july_0623140659/ - Published: 2014-06-23T19:52:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-22T16:05:52.000Z - Description: Pizzeria Toro, closed since a November fire, plans to reopen in downtown Durham in late July, its owners say. Co-owner Jay Owens calls the community's support humbling, and the rebuild added a newly designed ventilation system while preserving the dining room's Tuscan-influenced decor. - Author: Food Consumer - Tags: Dining, Recipes & Dining, #vivvo-import FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 23, 2014 Media Contact: Gray Brooks [anchovy@pizzeriatoro.com](mailto:anchovy@pizzeriatoro.com) Pizzeria Toro Reopening in Late July --- The virtual lines outside Pizzeria Toro at Five Points in Downtown Durham are starting to form. Eager diners await the reopening of this restaurant which closed in November due to a fire in the building. If the buzz about town and on social media has any validity, fans of this popular Durham eatery are already planning to line up in an orderly queue to get a seat…and a pie. “The support from the community has been, if I can summarize in a single word, ‘humbling’,” says Jay Owens, one of the three owners of Pizzeria Toro. Gray Brooks and Cara Stacy make up the balance of the ownership team, both of whom are also fixtures in the restaurant and the kitchen. Gray is a nationally-known chef who keeps a low profile, but whose commitment to outstanding food is shown on every item that comes from his kitchen. Besides the critically acclaimed pizzas, the local-product heavy menu is full of well-conceived salads, appetizers and desserts. A well rounded Italian wine list and creative cocktail menu complement and accentuate the menu. Since opening in October, 2012, Pizzeria Toro has received national media attention praising the restaurant’s food, service, and space. “Reopening is as intense and exciting as the initial opening,” says Gray. The process of repair and installation of a newly designed ventilation system, while maintaining and protecting the Tuscan-influenced charm of the dining room décor is a challenge. “There are many people who have questions, and I want to talk with everyone who wants to talk with us.” Brooks says. He asks that those wanting questions answered or information updates please email him first at[anchovy@pizzeriatoro.com](mailto:anchovy@pizzeriatoro.com), as he has a pretty tight schedule these days with the reopening drawing near, and wants to make sure that he has time freed up for anyone who wants to meet with him, either in person or by telephone. Those simply wanting updates as to what the exact date of reopening be should check the restaurant’s website and social media. “If anyone has questions, we are happy to answer them,” says Cara. Summer in Durham is a busier time than it used to be, and the partners and staff at Pizzeria Toro are gearing up as quickly as possible to get back to serving customers. The now paper covered windows at 105 E. Chapel Hill Street will soon be revealing a dining room and bar filled with patrons. Until then, join others as they line up and wait for that unknown date in July. --- \# # # [Durham News Service](http://dcvb.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT00MTA1Mjg0JnA9MSZ1PTEwMzg0NzE3MDEmbGk9MjM0NjgzMTI/index.html?ref=foodconsumer.org) is a service of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, an internationally accredited local tourism development authority and the official destination marketing organization for Durham, North Carolina, including Research Triangle Park. Want images for your story? Go to [Durham NC Photos](http://dcvb.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT00MTA1Mjg0JnA9MSZ1PTEwMzg0NzE3MDEmbGk9MjM0NjgzMTM/index.html?ref=foodconsumer.org).