It's about to get a whole lot easier to grab a slice of Knoxville's most sought-after pizza.
A Dopo is adding 2,200 square feet to its award-winning sourdough pizza restaurant just north of the Old City, including a full cocktail menu, pizza by the slice and walk-in availability.
Co-owner Brian Strutz is calling it The Slice Bar. The new concept, which connects to A Dopo's dining room, will have its own entrance on the northeast side of the building at 516 Williams St.
"We've maxed out our wood-burning oven," Strutz told Knox News. "We can't make more pizza right now."
A Dopo was named to USA TODAY's 2025 Restaurants of the Year list and has built a loyal base of sourdough pizza lovers. Reservations are notoriously hard to come by, and Strutz realizes
there's a large portion of Knoxville that A Dopo hasn't been able to serve.
The new concept is a way for guests to eat at one of the hottest spots in town without having to schedule ahead of time. It will be walk-in only when it launches at the end of October, Strutz said.
The Slice Bar will open earlier than the rest of the restaurant and stay open later, he said. Its menu will differ from the main dining room, serving Roman-style pizza by the slice that Strutz said will be even more creative than what's offered at A Dopo.
The Slice Bar also will serve espresso and gelato alongside its menu of cocktail and pizza.
"We are just packed," he said. "The Slice Bar is an elevated version of what we do in front of house."
The neighborhood surrounding A Dopo is growing quickly, and Strutz hopes this addition will help accommodate the influx of neighbors. Two nearby developments within blocks of the restaurant, one on Depot Avenue andthe other on Fifth Avenue, are slated to bring more than 400 residential units to the area.
Knox News reporter Joanna Hayes covers restaurants and retail for the business growth and development team. Email: joanna.hayes@knoxnews.com; Instagram: @knoxeat65. Sign up for Joanna's Eat65 email newsletter to get the latest drink and dining news, as well as restaurant recommendations, at knoxnews.com/newsletters.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Skip the wait at A Dopo. Its walk-in Slice Bar will have pizza by the slice
