Pizzashop brings New York pizza to Oxford
Published 9:00 am Monday, June 2, 2025
By Ian Sparks
Eagle intern
When you think of authentic New York-style pizza, your mind probably drifts to the streets of Brooklyn or a corner store in Manhattan. But thanks to Josiah Urban and his wife Toni Cruthirds, that same iconic flavor and style has found a home in Oxford.
Their restaurant Pizzashop has been open in the Oxford Commons area for four years.
Cruthirds family has been in the pizza business for over 30 years. Her father, originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, opened Brooklyn Pizzeria in the area after learning the craft from a friend with deep roots in Brooklyn. The recipes come straight from 1950s-60s Bensonhurst Brooklyn and are preserved with care and passion.
Josiah and Toni met when they both lived in New York City. Their love sparked a mission not to reinvent New York-style pizza, but rather share it with people and areas of the country that had never truly tasted it.
The couple first started their pizza journey with a restaurant on the Jersey Shore which started out as a passion project. Both Josiah and Toni worked full-time jobs in Manhattan and began doing pizza full-time out of love for it. When the pandemic shut down New York, it presented them with an opportunity they may have not gotten otherwise.
“It was kind of like a reset moment for us,” Cruthirds said. “It was a dream opportunity for one of us to pursue doing pizza full-time and it was just such a big risk that we probably would have never taken if the world didn’t stop the way it did.”
Oxford, rich in food and culture, gave them that opportunity.
“We didn’t know we were launching something bigger at the time and we were just excited to come down to Mississippi because that’s where I grew up,” Cruthirds said. “Oxford is such a great town with so many great restaurants so we were so excited to open up in such a great market and then realized this could be the step to something bigger.”
Oxford isn’t just another location, but rather the first step in establishing a nationwide brand. In addition to their location in Oxford, the Urbans have another location in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with plans to add a third location in the Salt Lake City/Provo area in 2026.
Their growth model is centered around people. So much so that employees are being offered equity in future locations, ensuring the business expands with integrity and shared success.
“One of our managers in Sioux Falls was looking for a move to the SLC/Provo area so we looked for a place and we’re going to make it happen,” Urban said.
With that being said, it wasn’t always smooth sailing at the beginning. Staffing and consistency with previous employees made for a difficult start, but the Urbans doubled down and invested in their people.
“Now, we’re thriving.”
What Makes it “New York” Style?
The answer for this question is simple: it’s all about the oven.
Each of their pizzas are cooked on a gas-fired stone oven which gives the crust a signature char and crispy texture. Many major chains will use conveyor belt ovens which is efficient for speed, but not as much for quality.
“Each pizza is hand-stretched and made with care,” Urban said. “Training one of our pizza makers takes about three months.”
The result is a slice that is top quality and unmistakably authentic.
“If you go to any pizzeria in the city or in Brooklyn, people are making it by hand and cooking it on a brick or a stone. That takes a lot of skill and care which is what we’re trying to do,” Cruthirds said.
One of the standout features of Pizzashop is its flexibility and quality when it comes to their food. Customers can request their pizza to be cooked to a various degree whether it’s golden brown, crispy or well-done.
The quality of their food stems from the quality of people and care put forth. Their employees are very accommodating and provide great service. The store has a very neat, New York-based aesthetic with a chalk-drawn menu on the wall showing some of their specialty pizzas. The couple’s mission to invest and care about their employees is evident in every aspect of their restaurant.
Additionally, they offer some pretty good deals for their customers. The special running all-day everyday is for two slices and a drink.
- Two cheese slices + drink- $8
- Two pepperoni slices + drink- $9
- Two custom slices with up to three toppings + drink- $10
The couple’s dedication to providing their customers with quality pizza and a delightful dining experience knows no bounds and neither does their motivation to always improve. For them, it’s more than just serving pizza. It’s about tradition, family and a commitment to doing things the right way.
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