Chef Teddy Diggs Announces Opening Date for Coronato, New Roman-Style Pizzeria

Chef Teddy Diggs is excited to announce the grand opening date of Coronato, his new Roman-style pizzeria concept. Diggs' new restaurant is slated to open to the public on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 at 5pm. Take away orders will be available beginning Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. Coronato is a new build located in the South Green shopping center at 101 Two Hills Rd. #140, Carrboro, NC 27510. Diggs' Roman pizzeria is the first of its kind in North Carolina.

The Food
Coronato's food menu draws inspiration from the Eternal City’s bustling neighborhood pizzerie that churn out cracker thin crust pizzas, snacks and seasonal antipasti. The latter are meant to be shared and feature options like proscuitto and melon, suppli alla Romana, garlic-butter dough knots, fava falafel, cacio e pepe fries and more. Pizza offerings include crowd favorites such as organic tomatoes, fresh Italian mozzarella and pepperoni, along with unique selections such as il Verde, which has a bescimella base, and is baked very quickly in a 750 degree F oven with charred broccoli, Italian mozzarella and fresh basil—a personal favorite of Diggs' youngest daughter. For dessert, Diggs plans to serve his take on tiramisu, lemon-ricotta bomboloni—think Italian doughnuts—tossed in sugar, fresh fruit salad and a special Videri Chocolate bar(if you unwrap a 24k gold bar, you get a free pizza!). The food menu is available online.

The Drink
In the glass, Coronato plans to offer cold craft beers from NC breweries, prosecco and Botanist & Barrel Cider on tap—by the pitcher, and approachable Italian wines, alongside affordable bottles of wine and bubbles that pair perfectly for pizza-loving wine enthusiasts. Non-alcoholic beverages are available and include Lurisia Italian mineral water, Devil's Foot ginger beers and sparkling sodas, and La Croix sparkling water. The drink menu is available online.

What is Roman Inspired Pizza?
After extensively researching (and eating) Roman pizza during his many travels to Italy, Diggs has perfected Coronato's pizza dough. Rome and the surrounding areas of Lazio feature three types of pizza: Pizza al Bianca, Pizza al Taglio and Pizza Romana (commonly referred to as tonda or al mattarello.) Coronato will feature the latter.

Pizza Romana is rolled very thin and the addition of extra virgin olive oil into the dough gives the crust more weight, flavor and a crispy cracker like crunch. Roman style pizza dough is also relatively low in hydration (the higher the hydration then the wetter the dough, the wetter the dough then the softer and more flexible finished crust will be). Therefore, Coronato’s crust is thin, perfectly blistered and crunchy.

About Chef Teddy Diggs
Chef Teddy Diggs was born into a military family and traveled across the country for much of his childhood, exploring foods and cultures native to the locations wherever his dad was stationed. He loved learning and experiencing regional traditions and cuisine and fell in love with food because of it’s ability to connect people. Diggs worked in the restaurant industry while in high school and he later attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

After culinary school, Diggs worked in the top kitchens in Washington D.C., focusing on high-end Italian cooking. In 2009, he was lured to Martha’s Vineyard to run a restaurant group that focused on the Island’s sustainable fishing and farming efforts and also ran the dining programs for two of the island’s top hotels where he was fortunate enough to have many varied restaurant operation experiences, including cooking for many celebrities and President Obama.

Diggs moved to Chapel Hill with his wife and two daughters in 2014 to operate the Siena Hotel and Il Palio restaurant as their executive chef and food and beverage director. While at the hotel, his hospitality team realized many achievements both locally and nationally including an invitation to cook at the James Beard House in New York City. After 5 years at the Siena Hotel, Diggs felt that his purpose and impact on the hospitality industry could be furthered if he opened his own project. He gravitated to Roman cuisine, specifically Rome’s pizza culture, and fell in love with the concept that is now Coronato.

Connect with Coronato on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Photograph by Stacey Sprenz