Every pizza shop is built around one decision: the oven. Deck, conveyor, brick or a countertop unit each change your hood, your electrical or gas, your floor plan and how many pies you can push out at the rush. Get that right first and the rest of the kitchen falls into place.
Want this as a step-by-step plan? The free Commercial Kitchen Opening Playbook has a pizza shop package with checklists, a cook line builder, a floor planner and a daily open routine. It is free from STL Food Service Equipment.
Start with the menu, not the equipment
Pick your style (New York, Neapolitan, St. Louis-style thin crust, Detroit, pan) and your peak pies per hour. A delivery-heavy shop that needs speed often looks at conveyor ovens. A sit-down spot built around char and crust often looks at deck or brick ovens. Your dough plan (made in-house daily or bought in) decides whether you need a mixer, dough sheeter and proofing space. The order that saves the most money is menu, space, codes, equipment: your menu decides your equipment, your space decides what fits, and the codes decide what is allowed.
Pizza Restaurant equipment, station by station
Dough
- Spiral or planetary mixer sized to your daily dough
- Dough boxes, a dough rack and refrigerated space for cold fermentation
- Bench space with flour bins and scales
Make line
- Refrigerated pizza prep table with a cold rail for toppings
- Reach-in underneath for backups
- Portion cups or scales so every pie costs the same
Oven and cut
- Deck, conveyor or brick oven sized to pies per hour
- Peels, screens, cutter and a cutting station near the oven
- Warming or heated shelf space for to-go orders
Every kitchen also needs the basics most health departments look for: a dedicated handwash sink, a 3-compartment sink, a mop or utility sink, commercial equipment listed for food service (look for NSF/ANSI or an equivalent listing) and enough refrigeration to keep cold food at 41 F or below.
Hood, fire and health code basics
Most commercial pizza ovens need ventilation. Whether that is a Type I hood with fire suppression or another listed option depends on the oven, the fuel and whether you also run fryers or other grease-producing equipment. Wood- and coal-fired ovens usually bring extra chimney and clearance rules. Confirm with your plan reviewer and fire marshal using the oven’s spec sheet.
Before you sign a lease or buy equipment, call your local health department’s plan reviewer. Most require a plan review with your menu, floor plan and equipment spec sheets before you build. If you are in the St. Louis area, our Health Code Cheat Sheets cover the City of St. Louis, St. Charles, East St. Louis, Jefferson, Franklin and Lincoln counties in Missouri, Madison, Monroe, Clinton and Jersey counties in Illinois, plus the Missouri, Illinois and FDA food codes, in plain English.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Buying an oven that is too slow for your delivery volume
- No room planned for dough proofing and cold storage
- Forgetting the oven’s gas or electrical requirements until install day
- A make line that is too far from the oven
Frequently asked questions
What oven is best for a new pizza shop?
It depends on your style and volume. Conveyor ovens are consistent and fast for delivery; deck and brick ovens give more crust character but take more skill. Start with your menu and pies per hour.
Do pizza ovens need a hood?
Most do. The type depends on the oven, fuel and your local code, so check with your plan reviewer before you buy.
Plan it step by step for free
Pick the pizza shop package in the Commercial Kitchen Opening Playbook and work through menu, space, codes and equipment in order. When you are ready to equip your kitchen, STL Food Service Equipment can help you find the right new or used equipment for your menu and budget.
This guide is general information, not professional, legal or code advice. Always confirm requirements with your health department, building and fire officials, and licensed trades.
Leave a Reply