North Carolina-based restaurant to occupy site of Tanner's Big Orange, what we know so far

An upcoming "pizza bakery" will open at the former site of Tanner's Big Orange as North Carolina-based Cugino Forno plans to open by February 2025 at 322 S. Pleasantburg Drive.

Translating to "Cousins' Oven" in Italian, Cugino Forno originated in Greensboro in 2017 by three cousins, Yilmaz Guver, Adam Aksoy, and Joseph Ozbey. They are of Turkish descent but have culinary experience in Naples, Italy.

Their interest in Greenville came from visitors' feedback to their North Carolina pie shops asking if there would ever be any future locations in South Carolina. After multiple visits to the area to try pizza at more than 10 different local establishments, the trio noticed an opportunity to bring their Neapolitan-style dough and crusts to the Upstate.

"We follow our customers from social media and pay attention to our comments," Ozbey said. "We have had so many people in Greenville and Spartanburg who wanted us to come to this area, and with the history of the location in Greenville and the taste of Italy we plan to bring, I think that this will be a great addition to Greenville's food scene."

Greenville will mark the pizza restaurant's seventh location, joining five in North Carolina and one in Maryland.

More on Tanner's Legacy:People are saying final goodbyes during the last days of Tanner's Big Orange in Greenville

Why does Cugino Forno consider itself a 'pizza bakery,' and what makes their pizza different?

Cugino Forno plans to keep a simple menu comprising around 10 different Neapolitan-style pizzas, traditionally made with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes.

Their plan is to import all of their products from Italy, including mozzarella, tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, and even pizza ovens, to ensure quality. According to Ozbey, he estimates nearly 80 percent of their products will be imported to avoid preservatives. He added that Cugino Forno would only have a freezer to support the gelato they sell but not to refrigerate or store any of their products.

"When you bring in the products from Italy, and you do it in an authentic way, without machines, and in an open kitchen, you will be able to taste the difference," Ozbey said. "All we have is pizza, but you're getting the best pizza you can get in the United States because we're flying in nearly everything."

The "pizza bakery" theme at Cugino Forno comes from its open floor and kitchen concept, where guests can see the chefs, the ovens, and all of the ingredients that go into making a pizza in a matter of minutes from a 1,000-degree wood-fired pizza oven.

"I consider ourselves a bakery more than a restaurant," he said. "We want to try to focus on one thing so we can be sure we can do it right."

How will Tanner's Big Orange transform into Cugino Forno, and what will happen to the big orange sign?

The plan is to reupholster the remaining patio section of Tanner's with upgraded seating. Italian music will play softly in the background, and an upgraded dining space will attempt to imitate an authentic Naples experience.

According to Ozbey, as of June 2024, Cugino Forno will work with city architects to keep the property as original as possible with respect to Tanner's Big Orange.

He also confirmed that the landmark "Tanner's Big Orange" sign on Pleasantburg Drive will eventually come down because of city of Greenville regulations. A new sign will be installed, but not as high above ground level.

For more information, visit https://cuginoforno.com.

– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at ajackson@gannett.com, and follow him on X (formally Twitter) @ajhappened. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.Sign up today for a digital subscription.