After months of determination and renovation following a damaging fire in December, Pepe Joe’s Brick Oven Pizza reopened its doors on Monday.  

The Bronx pizzeria has served as a staple in the community. Owner Silvestre Caamano says he thanks God, family and community support for giving him the courage to reopen the shop.  

The pizzeria went up in flames due to an e-bike that was parked outside of the storefront for over 24 hours – enough time to spark flames and leave the business in pieces. It took Pepe Joe’s three months and $70,000 to bounce back and get back to serving hungry Bronx residents.  

The reopening gave free slices of pizza to everyone that arrived before 2 p.m. on Monday, and the pizzeria that has lived on Cortlandt Avenue for over a quarter-century has Caamano ecstatic to see customers enjoying his slices and pies.  

 “The sauce was extremely creamy and the cheese was just like perfectly melted,” said community member and loyal Pepe Joe’s customer Matthew Hines. “The dough is just phenomenal… it was just amazing."