Am I Blue? 

“Serious Pizza. Humble Food. No Bull.” Or so proclaims the newly installed window decal of the Blue Stone at 15 Stowe Street in Waterbury. Diners will be able to see if owners Chris Fish and Vincent Petrarca can live up to that promise on November 26, when they celebrate the 50-seat restaurant’s grand opening.

Fish says those especially eager for a taste may get one earlier, even if they’re not on the guest list for a series of invitation-only soft openings. “We may find by Thursday of [the preceding] week that we’re 100 percent ready to go, but we don’t want to put something out there that won’t come 100 percent to fruition,” he says.

Though Waterbury is developing a reputation as a beer drinker’s mecca, Fish says he prefers to keep his drink menu to a few carefully selected craft brews. “We want to be known for the hand-tossed pizza rather than being a beer destination,” he says.

Chef Petrarca is joined in the kitchen by his longtime sous-chef at Positive Pie in Montpelier, Sam Boyd. The team will specialize in New York-style pies topped with long-cooked, high-quality meats, including bourbon-braised pork and smoked chicken. Vegetarians will have enticing options, too, including the Stump Jumper, which features roasted garlic, Vermont goat cheese, basil and Fontina, plus an array of mushrooms: button, crimini, shiitake and oyster.

Once the kitchen gets rolling, Petrarca says he plans to add house charcuterie to the mix, including his own sausages to top pies. Blackboards will announce daily pizza specials.

Diners may want to leave room for dessert, including Sweet Cinnamon Knots with maple sour cream, and flourless chocolate cake with burnt oranges and caramel sauce.