Santoro’s Pizzeria, on W Cass Street, is one of the hottest new restaurants in the Bay, but—if you’re a foodie—you already know that. In fact, you were probably part of the 243 pie orders that sold the no-frills joint out of dough on their very first weekend. What you don’t know, however, is the relentless, sweat-filled grind that brought this pizza powerhouse to life. Last night, I met with owner, Travis Kaiser, to get all the details.

Sitting at a bright, hand-painted picnic table, I dove into a sloppy pepperoni slice as Travis dove into his backstory. “I was working for a corporate restaurant group before this, and my cousin Ralph was making pizzas with our family up north. I knew Tampa needed a quality slice, and I wanted to bring that, so I bought this place on loan. I felt really confident.”