Twelve08, a new wood-fired pizza restaurant, is expected to open late this summer in the former Wyoming Wines location on Springfield Pike. Currently under construction, the restaurant will serve handcrafted pizzas prepared in a wood-fired oven, chicken wings, and salads, as well as a full bar.
Grant Hoffman and Ken Edelman purchased the building in 2021, planning to renovate the space for a new tenant. Over time they shifted focus, deciding to open a restaurant to provide another dining option for Wyoming residents.
“We are building the restaurant with busy Wyoming families in mind,” says owner Grant Hoffman. “Our customers are our neighbors. We commit to building a place that serves as one of many heartbeats of our community. This spirit of community is woven into Twelve08’s restaurant design, menu offerings, events, and how we will treat every person that walks through our doors.”
We asked Hoffman about the concept, the vision for the space, and of course, the food.
What motivated you to create Twelve08?
My wife Shelly and I have always enjoyed the way food brings people together—in the kitchen during prep, passing around plates at the table, and savoring time afterward over coffee and dessert. It has been a dream of ours to open our own place to create this experience for others.
Ken Edelman and I met on the Wyoming Economic Development Commission and became fast friends. We are both passionate about creating more business opportunities in the city and believe our community has space for another locally focused restaurant. This project gave us the opportunity to be personally involved in the economic development of Wyoming through the commercial building and the restaurant concept.
Why pizza?
Pizza is one of the most approachable foods you can eat. It can be casual or elevated, kid-friendly and allergy-friendly. Ultimately, pizza will be our foundation—simple classics, unique combinations, and fresh and seasonal options. A central feature to this experience will be our wood-fired oven. Not only will it impart increased flavor and texture to the pizzas themselves, but it also gives us the opportunity to grow the menu in new and flavorful ways over time. In addition to wood-fired pizzas, our menu will feature fresh salads and wood-fired wings.
Will you have any signature dishes?
Our menu will feature a collection of unique-to-us pizzas, wing brines and rubs, and salad mixes, but we are also excited about our signature feature. Each month, we will feature a recipe contributed by a community member to showcase both a new idea for a food item and the personal story on what that recipe means to them. We are looking forward to this as another way to share personal experiences over food!
Lastly, I’d be remiss if I don’t talk about our farm-to-table pizza offering. We will run a weekly special that showcases locally raised and farmed ingredients, eventually growing them in our own garden and City plot. Our intention is change this constantly to highlight the freshest ingredients for our friends and neighbors.
What kind of atmosphere will Twelve08 have?
Think natural light, warm woods, family-friendly—a casual neighborhood eatery on a warm, sunny day. We continue to refine the exact details of our design and will ensure Twelve08 feels bright and airy in our quaint little space on the Pike. We’ll have table and bar service, making Twelve08 a place where you’ll want to share a meal with the family, enjoy dinner for two, or watch our local Cincinnati sports teams.
You have an interesting design detail in your plan?
We were gifted lumber from a large ash tree (7,000 pounds!) that was taken down in the Village in 2021 due to ash borer damage. This 14-foot log has been cut into slabs, kiln-dried, and is now ready to be made into our bar and tabletops. A special thank you to Dave Shaw and the team at Riverside Logging and Sawmill!
What are you most excited about?
We are most excited to see the space filled and vibrant after local events in Wyoming and surrounding towns. Drop by Friday night during or after football games, for post-May Fete relaxation—anytime, you name it!
Follow Twelve08 on Instagram (@twelve08.wyoming) for the most current updates!
