Gateway to Gloria

At Pizzeria da Gloria on the Hill in St. Louis, wood-fired pizza making centers around simplicity, flavorful ingredients, and soulful ambiance.

St. Louis, USA & Roma, Italia

Growing up in St. Louis, owner/pizzaiolo Joe Kurowski developed his palette for pizza between meals on the Hill, family trips to Italy, and studying in Rome. He experienced a transformative life event in 2014, when he attended a pizza masterclass in Rome with the bombastic “Michelangelo of dough,” Gabriele Bonci. The pizza master imparted wisdom, like how to create an airy structure. For Joe, it was revelatory. Nothing was the same.

BROOKLYN

Joe quit his job and moved to New York City. He took an apprenticeship at Fornino in Brooklyn, thanks to pizza guru, Scott Weiner. In the Fornino kitchen, Joe learned the love of baking and service to others. Mixing. Shaping. Soaking up Spanish. Baking. All under the direction of two master panaderos from Mexico. This NYC sojourn culminated with working the line at Fornino’s Pier 6 rooftop, overlooking the East River and city skyline. 

Napoli & Sicilia

Love is king in Naples, and the Queen is Margherita. Joe learned to love pizza the Neapolitan way at Pizzeria dal Presidente under the guidance of world champion pizzaiolo Gennaro Russo and “Baffo,” a mustachioed 50+ year chain-smoking veteran-sculptor of truly exceptional dough. In the pizzeria’s temperature-controlled room, Baffo measured nothing and calculated mix times with cigarette breaks. Under his critical eye, Joe learned to manipulate dough “a mano.” He learned to make pizza portafoglio, a pie folded over like a wallet. And he understood the origins of his beloved sfogliatella, a particular pastry found on the Hill. Joe's summer journey continued on a southbound train. He landed on the island of Ortigia, where he frequented markets, cooked with Sicilian grandmothers, and absorbed ancient influences of Greek, Roman, and Spanish on southern cuisine.

ON THE ROAD

Moved by Italy, Joe traveled back to New York City. There, he started as a line cook at Danny Meyer’s wildly popular pizzeria, Marta. Joe performed all prep work, crafted pies, and expedited orders. He kept moving. A series of somewhat bizarre events transpired when Joe consorted with a self-proclaimed “pizza lifestyle brand,” Rad Times Pizza. Together, the group fired-up pizzas at festivals, drag shows, concerts, and DJ sets. It was all directed by former Roberta’s “pizza czar,” Anthony Falco. To Joe, it was like Fellini. After the Rad Times carnival, Joe helped teach pizzamaking classes with the crew at Brooklyn Kitchen. Later, consulting gigs arrived. Eventually, Joe worked to develop a revolutionary pizza dough recipe for Bib Gourmand restaurant, Speedy Romeo in Bed-Stuy, and designed what is believed to be the first Kosher Detroit-style pizza in Midwood, Brooklyn.

On the Hill

Pizzeria da Gloria opened on November 25th, 2020. It is named after Joe’s late grandmother. The menu will feature pizza, greens, plus a curated selection of beer and natural wines.