Fan pizza shop The Hop closes, hands keys over to new Jewish restaurant concept

The Hop closed in recent days after six years in the Fan. (Mike Platania photo)

A Fan restaurant space is trading pizza for matzoh balls. 

The Hop Craft Pizza & Beer at 1600 E. Cary St. closed last week after selling its lease, equipment and business assets to industry veteran Yael Cantor for her new concept, Susie’s.

Cantor, whose resume counts stints at Stanley’s, Mamma Zu and Saison, said Susie’s will serve a mix of Jewish and Mediterranean food, including brisket sandwiches and matzoh ball soup. 

The Hop had been in the building since 2018. Last year, Hop owner Evan Byrne started a spinoff frozen pizza business, Udderless Pizza. 

Udderless began to gain traction this spring, prompting Byrne to explore selling the restaurant. He said selling to Cantor felt like a perfect fit, and that he’ll continue to run Udderless out of Hatch Kitchen in the Southside. 

“I’m thankful for (The Hop’s) six years,” Byrne said. “It felt like a smart pivot to focus on Udderless.”

Named for Cantor’s grandmother, Susie’s started as a pop-up in 2021 and she initially secured a home for it at 1330 W. Main St., but ran into space constraints.

Yael Cantor

“It was very cute but it was an office before. As we were building it out, we were like, ‘This place is too small for a kitchen and restaurant,’” Cantor said. “The only thing we’d be able to do there is grab-and-go.”

Cantor wound up finding The Hop’s space and purchased its assets earlier this month. Sperity Real Estate Ventures’ Nathan Hughes represented Byrne in the deal. Town & Country Real Estate’s Scott Gaeser represented Cantor. Terms of the deal were confidential.

At around 2,000 square feet, The Hop building has room for both a dining room, bar and deli counter, where Cantor said Susie’s will stock things like hummus, lox, trout dip and salads. She said beer and wine will also be available for sale to go as well as a cocktail menu. 

“It feels great, it feels like the exact space I’ve always wanted,” Cantor said. “I’ve always wanted not only a restaurant, but a space for people to hang out, where they could have a meeting at four o’clock with a cup of coffee or an Aperol spritz.”

Cantor said they’re working on repainting and cleaning out the space, with eyes on an October opening for Susie’s. 

Other new restaurants heading to the Fan area include La Playa Mexican Food and Mariscos, a new concept from the owners of nearby Blue Habanero, and Brickwood Barbecue, a new venture from a former F.W. Sullivan’s co-owner. 

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