News broke earlier today that I’d been waiting for for quite some time. Well, me and about a thousand other people. People who love good pizza, that is. People who’ve been missing Zoli’s NY Pizza (cheeky little brother to pizza deity Jay Jerrier’s Cane Rosso) since it shuttered on Valentine’s Day, breaking hearts around the Metroplex and beyond. The good news is that it’s coming back, and it’s poised to be bigger and better than ever. The not as good, but still pretty good news is that it’s going to be located in Addison, the town known for having more restaurants of the chain variety per capita than, like, anywhere. And more plastic surgeons? Something like that. Anyway, it’s not Frisco or West Plano or Fairview, so I’ll take it.

Because Zoli’s, you’re my number one. And I like you straight up; just a New York cheese pie, with no toppings or fixins. Not even ranch dressing. I think you’re perfect just the way you are. Maybe I’ll take a swig of Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper if it’s a special night.

Time to settle down, because we have some waiting to do. The new spot, which will be located in an old Snuffer’s (they’ll need plenty of time to scrape the cheese fry outta that place), won’t be opening until November. That’s a hefty six months from now. (And at least three times that in pizza years). But at least we know it’s coming.

Here’s more about what you’ll be stuffing your face with at Zoli’s 2.0, according to my source. “Pizzas (NY style…though possibly a tweaked dough…grandma, sicilians). Fresh pasta dishes. Sandwiches on house-made bread (Italian combo, meatball sub, eggplant parm, maybe others). Salads, greatest hits appetizers (knots, zucchini fries), and probably some large format, family-style platters (porchetta, braciola, something like that), etc. That is where Cody comes in. We want him to make some really cool stuff. It’s definitely not going to just be “another Zoli’s.” Full service, full bar.”

So not just another Zoli’s. (Not that there’d be anything wrong with that). But they’re reaching for more. Better breads, sandwiches, pasta dishes that require a serious chef’s touch. Enter Cody Sharp, most recently of Filament. That’s big stuff. And I’ve been monitoring @pizzalee33 AKA Lee Hunzinger of Zoli’s pizza magic fame on Instagram for the past few months and he’s been doing some things in between shifts at Cane Rosso Fairview. Exhibits A-C: re-engineered BREAD for “ridiculous sandwiches” according to the Zoli’s Facebook page. Together, Lee and Cody are probably going to make a menu well worth driving for. Even to Addison.

AND NOW WE WAIT.