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After much anticipation — and months of renovations — Charred Apizza opens its standalone brick-and-mortar restaurant Wednesday in Springfield. We attended the soft opening this past weekend for a sneak peak (and bite). Patrons can expect more than a dozen Detroit-style pizza options, take-and-bake dishes, fizzy house-made drinks and a nod to 1950s Main Street.
Five minutes into the soft opening for Charred Apizza, a beloved Detroit-style pizza joint in Springfield, co-owner Dave Lucht had one thing to say:
“I’m ready to cook again.”
One year after launching in a shared kitchen space at The Washburne Cafe, Charred Apizza officially opened its brick-and-mortar restaurant Wednesday, April 15, on Main Street.
Lucht is the chef, and co-owner Terry McKay is the baker. It’s an ideal partnership for a pizza joint slinging both round and square pies, focaccia and sub roll sandwiches — all doughs of varying thicknesses, crumbs, fermentation times and toppings.
The star, by popular demand, is Charred’s Detroit pie. The crust is a cross between focaccia and grandma-style pizza, with characteristic cheese-laced edges, a crispy bottom and airy crumb — as McKay says, “It looks like a brick but eats like a feather.” As I say, it’s the brownie-edge of pizza.
Fans of Charred Apizza can expect familiar favorites, including the Homer, showered with pepperoni and parmesan crisps and a drizzle of hot honey. Charred operates as a counter service eatery, so head to the register to place your order. And throw in a seasonal cheesecake slice while you’re at it.
At Charred’s soft opening April 11, I tried another popular pie, the Jen Jen ($38 for a whole pie). They don’t skimp on pepperoni slices, which curl and crisp up deliciously around the pie’s edges. Dollops of whipped ricotta provide a cooling, milky contrast to the salty meat. To finish, they make it rain with basil and hot honey.
You don’t need to order a whole pie to enjoy Detroit-style: Square slices start at $8. One or two will fill you up, especially when accompanied by the pizza rangoons. Lucht likened the piping-hot cheese and meat-stuffed wontons to a “gourmet Totino’s pizza roll.”
He’s not wrong. The rangoons (six to an order) are served with Charred’s herbaceous and chunky marinara, which achieves the red sauce trifecta of tangy, sweet and savory. I would drink a bowl of it if acid reflux wasn’t a thing.
If you like less sauce and a thinner crust, order a round pie. Choose from myriad toppings (mortadella, provolone, Castelvetrano olives, to name a few), or stick with plain or pepperoni if simple is your thing.
The starters are as hearty as the mains: bubbling cheese cauldrons, baked meatballs, eggplant parm. Slide up to the lunch counter-style bar for a craft cocktail (the elder spritz, with gin, elderflower liquor, grapefruit and a splash of sparkling wine was a crowd favorite at the soft opening).
Or get a taste of early 20th century Americana with Charred’s fruity and refreshing phosphate sodas. These vintage fountain sodas comprise house-made syrup, carbonated water and the acid phosphate that gives the drink its distinct tang. Make it a float with a scoop of olive oil ice cream, also house-made.
For Eugene residents Hank Fien and Nancy Nelson, Charred Apizza’s opening is a homecoming: The couple have been eating Lucht’s food for the past 10 years, back to his days of cheffing it up at Excelsior Inn, running Ciao Pizza Trattoria and slinging pies at the Washburne.
They called Charred’s Detroit-style pies a “standout.”
“The key is the crust but also the quality of ingredients,” Nelson said at the soft opening. “They’re not cutting corners.”
‘Showcase what the Willamette Valley can do’
Lucht and McKay’s eatery is a hub for other local businesses: They partnered with Pasta Plus to bring pesto and artisan pasta to the restaurant, from to-go bags of fettuccine to the pasta sheets in Charred’s 10-plus-layer lasagna. The Eugene-based maker is also creating a signature ravioli for the restaurant.
Another community nod: The salad bar features fresh produce from rotating local farms.
“We’re going to give each farm a chance to showcase what they’re really proud of,” Lucht said. “Let’s bring these local producers in here to showcase what the Willamette Valley can do.”
Little Wings Farm will be the first to stock the salad bar. Expect spring salad mix and other organic goods from the Eugene farm. Owners Rosie Sweetman and Adam Kern used to sell their produce to Lucht when he owned Ciao Pizza Trattoria. They lost touch after Lucht closed the Springfield eatery in 2021, but they ran into him last year while noshing on Charred’s pizza at the Washburne.
“Dave mentioned he was opening the brick-and-mortar and wanted to carry our stuff,” Sweetman said. “One of the greatest things for us is working with chefs because they really appreciate the quality of the produce.”
An epic renovation of a historic building
Charred Apizza is located two blocks from the Washburne, where the eatery got its start in 2025. The regular presence at the cafe helped Lucht and McKay establish Charred’s menu and fan base while readying their storefront for opening.
Lucht and McKay spent five months restoring the building after discovering issues beyond a simple paint job: They came across a collapsed ceiling, dramatically outdated plumbing, contaminated underlayment, faulty hoods and decades-old electric lines.
Once they fixed up the bones of the place, they got to decorating. You’ll find a spacious dining area, a kids’ corner with community resources and a retro feel throughout. The stained glass pizza window and painted pizza rocks are an especially fun touch. Lucht also worked with Springfield History Museum to acquire vintage photographs of Main Street: Packed lunch counters, drugstores and even the building itself in 1946 now dot the walls.
While stoked with the updated space, Charred’s owners are happy to put down the jackhammer and get back in the kitchen full-time. For Lucht, serving food is a “moment of instant gratification.”
“I could make that really beautiful dish and drop it right off to the customer and see their face light up,” he said. “Food can make the best day even brighter, and it can take the sting out of the worst day you’ve ever had.”
If you go
Charred Apizza is at 553 Main St., Springfield and is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. It will open two Sundays every month for cooking demonstrations and other food happenings.
Detroit-style pizzas range from $8 for a square to $38 for a full pie. Other offerings include round pies, fresh pasta, creative appetizers, frozen meals, phosphate sodas and desserts.
