The Pizza Bandit’s evolution: From cicada wings as a pie topping to a crowd-funded kitchen to meet demand

The Pizza Bandit celebrates anniversary with new musical.

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

The Pizza Bandit celebrates anniversary with new musical.

Five years ago this month, a very special concept was born in Dayton serving up 18″ New York style pies and slices out of a 1993 converted food truck.

The business I am referring to came to life thanks to another very special concept: Yellow Cab Tavern.

Dayton’s 3rd annual Spooky Silent Disco was held at Yellow Cab Tavern on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. This month’s silent disco was a Halloween costume party which also featured a costume contest. Attendees were loaned headphones with the capability to change between the green, blue & red stations and adjust the volume. The following DJs were featured: KimL on the green station with EDM, Sexbox on the blue station with '70s, '80s, and '90s and John Chapel on the red station with modern Hip Hop. Did we spot you there? TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

The Oregon District’s Yellow Cab began hosting special events in 2011. The vision was to create an inclusive art and music space with some of the best live music around. In 2017 it transitioned to a full-time bar and began operating every weekend with great music playing every Friday and Saturday night.

It has become the place to be delighted with community events, art shows, trivia, showcases and quirky offbeat surprises thrown in for good measure.

As with any popular gathering space, food is an important component. And just as distinctive and special as Yellow Cab Tavern is, the food that it attracted and brought to serve was also delightfully curious, unusual and pleasing.

The Yellow Cab Food Truck Rally is announcing its 11th season of food truck rallies with eight specialty food festivals starting in April and running through September (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO).

Credit: Submitted Photo

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Credit: Submitted Photo

One of the things it became known for was hosting popular food truck rallies packing people into the large open lot outside its doors for brunch events and different themed evenings. But there were many shows and events that food wasn’t available. Out of necessity and inspiration, the food that Yellow Cab Tavern is best known for today — The Pizza Bandit — was born.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit four months into the new “in house” pizza business opening the doors on its food truck.

Brian Johnson, James Burton and Mike Jeffers, the innovative, creative business partners did what they do best and went with the tide, deciding to begin offering and promoting delivery and carryout.

Shortly after the changes to accommodate the pandemic, they suddenly found themselves very, very busy. So busy, in fact, they were regularly selling out and turning away people who didn’t pre-order their pies.

It became clear rapidly that their new found popularity was going to be a problem, and just as innovative as the trio had been with pizza, they quickly got creative about how to build out a kitchen that could keep up with demand and settled on a solution: Kickstarter.

In April 2021 they launched a Kickstarter campaign to expand to a full kitchen inside The Yellow Cab Tavern, and in quick order 244 backers pledged $57,333 to bring the project to life.

The campaign promised a world where you could get one of their popular crab Rangoon and Cincinnati chili pies everyday. In a 30-inch size no less.

They began working on kitchen plans, and in the meantime also made regular headlines for their pizza creations that pushed the bounds of pizza toppings with creations that fell right outside of the box for some, and so far away from the box on others that you forgot there was a box to begin with.

The Pizza Bandit, located at Yellow Cab Tavern at 700 E. 4th St. in downtown Dayton, made national news this weekend when CNN published an article about the pizza truck’s “Cicada Pizza

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

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Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Most notably, in June 2021 the fun-loving trifecta of Pizza Bandit ownership made international news for a Spicy Thai Cicada Pie made with miso hoisin sriracha sauce, mozzarella, provolone, mushrooms, cabbage, green onion, mango, cilantro, a spicy Thai sauce topped with blanched and sautéed locally foraged Brood X cicadas and baked cicada wings into the crust. The pizza was not for sale because the restaurant wasn’t sure it could legally sell it. That didn’t stop willing participants from taste testing it on a Facebook livestream which went viral.

If you are going to have a natural phenomenon every 17 years, you might as well make the most of it. Genius.

The Pizza Bandit, located at Yellow Cab Tavern at 700 E. 4th St. in downtown Dayton, made national news this weekend when CNN published an article about the pizza truck’s “Cicada Pizza

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

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Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Even the reward levels for the Kickstarter that funded their new kitchen were inspired. I pledged $75 and was rewarded with a five stop local pizza crawl stopping at Wheat Penny, Oregon Express, South Park Tavern, Old Scratch and Flying Pizza all on the Pedal Wagon enjoying some cocktails along the way. It was worth every penny.

Brian Johnson, who toured us, was such a terrific host making the evening just as memorable as the activity.

Warped Wing Brewing Company and The Pizza Bandit celebrated the launch of their Acapulco Gold Session IPA collaboration at the brewery’s downtown Dayton taproom on Thursday, April 20, 2023. Attendees also went on a bar crawl that featured stops at The Oregon Express, Blind Bob’s, Dublin Pub, Troll Pub & Yellow Cab Tavern who are also featuring the new beer on tap. Musical entertainment was provided during the crawl by saxophonist Mike Bisig and trumpeter Doug Lane. Did we spot you there? TOM GILLIAM/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

Other rewards included designing a pizza ($100), a professional photo session with pizza (free pizza included, $200), river time with the pizza bandits ($500) on inflatable pizza slices on the Great Miami River, a Pizza Bandit kiosk in your house ($1,100) with no minimum order size, and the deal of the century — one free pizza per week for life ($2,500) which pays for itself in just two years.

Last week another dream was realized with the new Kickstarter kitchen opening for business on Sept. 25 tripling their space and allowing them the ability to get even more creative with an expanded menu.

Yellow Cab Tavern celebrated New Year’s Eve with Last Call for 2020. This intimate socially distanced event featured acoustic performances by Amber Hargett and Seth Gilliam. Attendees enjoyed champagne from the bar and pizza from resident food truck The Pizza Bandit. Due to the coronavirus pandemic and statewide curfew, the ceremonial ball drop happened at 9:30 p.m. instead of the usual midnight since the start of curfew was 10 p.m. A cardboard cutout of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine was attached to the ball to remind everyone that the Governor is watching. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

At the start of the Kickstarter campaign they challenged fans to, “Just imagine a world where you can get Crab Rangoon and Cincinnati Bandit Pie everyday.”

Pizza Bandits Cincinnati Chili Pie by Chef James Burton

Credit: Contributed

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Credit: Contributed

And this week they shared: “It’s here! Crab Rangoon pizza is now on the menu... everyday...forever! You’ll never have to wait again for your delicious Crab Rangoon pizza!”

There’s a reason this is a fan favorite with a hand tossed pizza topped with a cream cheese, green onion, and sesame spread, mozzarella and provolone blend, and real crab meat with crispy wonton and sweet n’ sour added after the bake ($36).

The crab rangoon dream has been realized. And to make the occasion even more special, they are celebrating their five year anniversary in business.

A lot has happened in five years and it’s been great to watch because you can see how much fun Johnson, Burton and Jeffers have had in getting there. The most exciting part to me is there will only be more creativity and excitement and amusements to come.

The Pizza Bandit celebrates its three-year anniversary Sept. 6-11.

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

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Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Some of the changes we’ll see right away — an expanded menu with more of the pizzas fans have long loved as well as calzones, salads, desserts and more added to the mix. There will also be expanded hours, including breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 8 a.m.

The Pizza Bandit food truck will be making its debut next week at the Yellow Cab Tavern.

Credit: Contributed

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Credit: Contributed

The owners wrote in a post detailing information on the opening event: “Thank you to everyone who supported our Kickstarter and to everyone who we’ve met and has supported us since then. It has been a long journey, as we’re also celebrating our 5 year anniversary, and we could not have done it without each and every one of you! Your friendship means the world to us and we cannot wait to share all of this with you very soon and for a very long time!”

These guys are true creatives and innovators in all things including the kitchen. I genuinely can’t wait to see what the next five years bring. Whatever it is it’s sure to be big fun.


HOW TO GO

What: The Pizza Bandit

Where: at 700 E. Fourth St., Dayton

Menu highlights: Besides crab Rangoon pizza there are more dishes worth seeking out. The Cincinnati Bandit, an 18″ hand-tossed dough with Cincinnati Chili sauce, onions, and hot dogs, with mustard, fine shredded cheddar and oyster crackers after the bake ($33); The Intimidator pizza, an 18″ hand-tossed pie with red sauce, mozzarella and provolone, sausage, bacon, ground beef and potato with Budweiser beer cheese drizzle ($33).

Pro-tip: Just like in the early days online ordering was key, I’m guessing it will be key going forward. Visit https://iamthepizzabandit.square.site to get your order in and be sure you don’t miss out.

More information: iampizzabandit.com

DAYTON EATS

This weekly column looks at the regional food stories and restaurant news that make mouths water. Share info about your menu updates, special dinners and events, new chefs, interesting new dishes and culinary adventures. Do you know of new exciting format changes, specials, happy hours, restaurant updates or any other tasty news you think is worth a closer look at? E-mail Alexis Larsen at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com with the information and we will work to include it in future coverage.

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