Stripped and Sliced

Ask anyone – pizza is the most delicious, addictive and convenient food you can get. It’s also among the most fattening and processed ... until now.

 

Naked Pizza, 135 Breckenridge Lane, is breaking the mold with pizza that’s actually good for you.

 

So, what’s so naked about Naked Pizza? “Naked means all natural ingredients,” says David Lawyer, who co-owns the St. Matthews franchise with his brother Larry. “It means pared down to what is natural and good, the way our bodies were designed to eat – no added chemicals, sugar, butter, preservatives – and hormone-free meat.” It’s not only the top, but the foundation that promotes goodness from the inside out: “The secret is really in the crust, which is made with over 10 seeds and grains and roots.” With a heat-resistant probiotic base, the dough – with ingredients derived from the agave plant – promotes healthy bacteria needed for digestion. “That’s the thing,” David says. “It’s going to turn fast food on its ear.”

 

With high-calories and low-nutrients being the hallmark of most pizzas, Naked Pizza’s star characteristic is an attribute that most would-be indulgers can understand. “It’s actually 40 percent fewer calories,” David explains. He favors the Greenhouse veggie pie, which has 30 grams of fiber and 30 grams of protein. “Your body will be very grateful and you will notice the way you feel in a very positive way. And it’s absolutely delicious. We’ve proven you can take fast food and make something good and absolutely delicious. You don’t have to mess with what’s natural already.”

 

David knows a bit about nature, too. As a certified arborist, he also runs The Tree Man service in Lexington, while Larry, who has “a lifetime” of restaurant and kitchen management under his belt, is chiefly responsible for the day-to-day operations in Louisville. “I like to greet the customers and tell them all about it,” says David. “I love plants and trees. They’re regenerative and sustainable, and the fact that I can sell a fast food pizza that’s actually good for people and doesn’t harm people seems kind of sympathetic with the tree business.”

 

And it’s not just the crunchy clientele who like to “go Naked.” With options as basic as a single-topping selection to a pizza called the Omnivore (pepperoni, hamburger, ham, bell pepper, mushroom and black olive), Naked Pizza has something for everyone. “We have a gluten-free option that’s gotten really popular,” he says.

 

The Lawyer brothers currently have two Naked Pizza franchises in Kentucky – one in Louisville and the other in Lexington. The parent company, based in New Orleans, projects a nationwide count of 75 by the end of the year – not only in the U.S., but in Dubai and India (where they already have franchises) and also in Australia. Locally, the Lawyers have their sights set on Louisville’s Bardstown Road/Baxter Avenue corridor, Hurstbourne Lane and Middletown.

 

The store’s saucy name hasn’t hurt business, either. “A lot of younger people, 10, 12 ... I thought they’d be all silly and giddy about the word ‘naked,’ but they take it right in stride,” says David. “It’s fascinating that people are more aware and ready for something like this. Most people get it immediately.”

 

Naked Pizza offers carryout and delivery. For a menu and nutritional information, visit www.nakedpizza.biz. To order, call (502) 410-2211.