Timber Pizza Co. is opening its first Richmond restaurant in Bellevue this fall

After nearly five years of chasing Timber Pizza Co.’s mobile oven from brewery patios to backyard weddings, Richmond fans are about to get something more permanent. The wood-fired pizza outfit, born in Washington, D.C. and decorated with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, is opening its first Richmond brick-and-mortar this fall in Bellevue.

The new spot will land at 4029 MacArthur Avenue, just steps from the historic Bellevue Theatre, turning a familiar stretch of one of Richmond’s most walkable neighborhoods into another anchor for the community.

Leading the Richmond operation is veteran chef Kevin Church, who has spent more than a decade working in the city’s restaurant scene and serves as franchise owner. He’s been running Timber’s mobile oven around Richmond since 2022, slinging pies at breweries, neighborhood events and weekend gatherings long enough to know where the brand would fit best.

“This isn’t just another restaurant, this is a chance to invest in the city that’s helped shape my life and career,” Church said. “After we started slinging pies all over the city nearly five years ago, we knew Bellevue felt like the right place to build something that’s both high-quality and genuinely welcoming to the neighborhood.”

A D.C. pizzeria with a serious resume

Timber was founded in 2014 by Andrew Dana and Chris Brady, who started out with a pizza oven, a 1967 Chevy pickup and what the company describes as a deep love of dough. The concept built around 12-inch wood-fired pizzas, green, red and white, cooked in a Marra Forni oven at 650 degrees.

The accolades stacked up from there. A Michelin Bib Gourmand. Pizzeria of the Year from Bon Appétit. A spot on Pizza Marketplace’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers of 2026. Menu favorites include The Julia, The Bentley and The Shirley.

The Richmond location is also backed by the Picarde family, Steve Picarde Sr. and his sons Steve Jr. and Christopher, all three of whom attended Randolph-Macon College. Christopher Picarde has been close friends with co-founder Chris Brady since childhood, and that connection is what put Church and Timber in touch when the brand started looking south.

“Kevin embodies everything we look for in a partner, deep roots in the community, incredible culinary experience and a genuine passion for bringing people together,” Brady said. “And having families like the Picardes involved made the fit feel even more natural. This has never been about simply entering a new market. It’s about growing alongside people who genuinely care about the community they’re serving.”

What to expect on MacArthur Avenue

The restaurant will span roughly 2,498 square feet with seating for about 50, including a bar, bench tables and both indoor and outdoor options. Reclaimed wood finishes will lean into Timber’s established aesthetic, and a mural by a local artist is planned as a nod to Richmond.

The restaurant will open seven days a week for dine-in and takeout, with no reservations required. More information and the full menu are available at timberpizza.com, and Timber’s RVA Instagram page will continue to track the mobile oven around the city until the doors open this fall.