Photograph: Gillian Glover for Time OutA turtle-y awesome new tenant has arrived at the Third Street Promenade. Anyone who knows anything about turtles (at least the teenage mutant variety) knows that the reptiles have one main food source: pizza. So it’s only fitting that there’s finally goin g to be an official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria. And this isn’t just a temporary pop-up; it’s a permanent space that hopes to further the revitalization of Santa Monica’s pedestrian shopping stretch. File this under things we can’t believe no one has thought of until now. In fact, Lunchbox Group’s Andy Nguyen has been dreaming of making a TMNT pizzeria for a long time. After the success of the company’s fan-driven dining experiences, including One Piece and Hello Kitty cafes, he got Paramount and Nickelodeon’s attention, and they teamed up to collaborate on the officially licensed restaurant. Photograph: Gillian Glover for Time OutMerch at the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria. And while a TMNT pizzeria is a playful concept, the restaurant is serious about its pizza. The menu of New York–style pies was designed by Brooklyn pizzaiolo Angelo Womack, who’s also behind the pizza programs at Roberta’s and Scarr’s. The team is even adjusting the water’s PH levels for the most authentic NYC dough possible. Standouts on the menu of eight pies include the spicy Shredder’s Revenge with jalapeños and Mike’s Hot Honey, and the TCRI, with stracciatella drizzled with basil-oil ooze, but everything I tried was delicious. I’m not even a fan of mushrooms, but the Mutagen Mushroom, with ricotta, garlic, parsley and lemon cream, topped with a lemon wedge, was a sleeper hit. The team is still putting the finishing touches on the extra cheesy pizza though—you know, the kind with the epic cheese pull typically only possible in cartoons. And come nighttime, you can pair your pizza with themed cocktails from the bar in the back—one for each turtle—under a neon sign that reads “Taking on pies and bad guys since 1984.” The average price for a slice is $8.50, and the cost of a full pie ranges from $39 for the Cowabunga Cheese to an admittedly pricey $54 for Splinter’s Supreme or Rocksteady’s Meat Smash. Photograph: Gillian Glover for Time OutThe dining room at the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria. And now for the decor, which is just as fun as you’d hope it’d be. The logo itself features the 1987 Turtles, which you’ll find emblazoned on pizza boxes, cups and takeout boxes. As soon as you walk in, you’ll be tempted with custom-designed and exclusive merch—think graphic tees and custom skate decks—alongside relics from the ’90s. A wall of TVs plays the original cartoon, and a purple infinity mirror lets you pose with Shredder. There are huge test tubes of ooze, a mural of the Turtles spanning the length of the dining room and lots of fun neon along the ceiling—the station where you pick up your order is even fashioned after the Turtle Van. And in a true blast from the past, the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game and its sequel are available to play for free. Even the bathrooms are on theme, with half-shell-shaped mirrors and manhole covers in the ceiling. A soundtrack of ’90s rock provides fittingly nostalgic vibes. The fever pitch of TMNT fandom may not be quite at the level it was in the 1990s, but nostalgia for the classic cartoon and its characters is certainly alive and thriving. On the first evening of the soft opening, there were people lining up long before the doors opened—and several people stopped to ask me about the massive pizza box I was carrying to my car—so there’s definitely excitement around the concept. The pizzeria is opening right in time for Father’s Day—I can’t think of a better spot for a father-son pizza lunch, kids’ birthday party or boys’ night out. On June 20 itself, the doors officially open at 11am, and there will be giveaways for the first 100 people in line. And Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo and Donatello themselves will be there to mark the occasion. Turtle power! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria is located at 1444 3rd Street Promenade. Its hours will be 11am-10pm Sun–Thu and 11am–11pm Fri and Sat. ...read more read less