Hand Fire Pizza
About Hand Fire Pizza
Hand Fire Pizza occupies the old Teton Theatre at 120 N. Cache St., a building with real history in downtown Jackson. The theater opened in 1941 as a 300-seat single-screen cinema, built from stone quarried at a now-defunct site in Idaho, and it ran for 71 years before closing in September 2012. Rather than let the building come down — demolition would have been "easier and cheaper," by the restaurant's own account — Hand Fire Pizza partnered with the property owner to gut and rebuild it to modern code while keeping its bones intact. The restored marquee is back up, the ticket booth sits in its original spot, and artwork from the theater's 1941 opening still hangs on the walls alongside the building's exposed wooden trusses. The result has what the restaurant calls a "wild west feel," with an open kitchen where a wood-fired oven does the cooking in view of the dining room.
The pizzas run on organic, locally sourced ingredients — the stated philosophy is "we believe you are what you eat," with meats and vegetables described as hormone-free and sustainably raised. Every pie gets brushed with garlic oil and finished with organic herbs and parmesan. The lineup runs from a Classic Cheese and a Margherita to house creations with names like Prosciutts Brah, The Chew-Baca, Extra Peppy Funghi, Truffle Shuffle, Bison of a Gun, and a vegan Tomato Tomato pie, plus a Classic Calzone. A 12-inch gluten-free crust is available for an extra $4. Starters include an Organic Mixed Salad, a Caesar called All Hail Caesar, a Hummus Platter, and a Whole Burrata dish, alongside wine and dessert.
On Tuesday nights, the restaurant runs "Pizza for a Purpose," giving a portion of sales to a rotating local nonprofit. It's open daily, though lunch hours shift seasonally between winter and summer, so calling ahead — (307) 733-7199 — is the way to confirm a given day's schedule. Reservations are only taken for parties of 20 or more; smaller groups use an online waitlist or call 30 to 40 minutes before arriving. The space can also be booked for private buyouts of up to 250 guests.