Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
King Dough pizza is a coming attraction at Kan-Kan Cinema, which is abandoning its full-service restaurant concept after four years of operation.
Kan-Kan co-founder Ed Battista told IBJ that attempts to pair a full-scale restaurant with the independent movie house haven’t connected with enough diners.
“It’s been a challenge,” Battista said.
Initially, a gastropub menu included items such as scallops accented by crab, mascarpone, and focaccia breadcrumbs as well as brined half chicken accented by French green beans, wild rice and hard boiled eggs. More recently, a Japanese-themed menu was offered.
Moving forward, Kan-Kan, which opened as a nonprofit theater in 2021 in the Windsor Park neighborhood on the near-east side of Indianapolis, will continue to show films and serve customers at the building’s bar. The new culinary plan is focused on King Dough and a “slice shop” format.
Reed Owens, King Dough’s managing partner, said his company’s top pizzas and salads will be available via window service inside Kan-Kan, 1258 Windsor St.
Battista and Owens said an affordable price point for pizza slices will be emphasized, although it’s too early to reveal specific prices.
“We’re trying to keep it something reasonable that’s approachable to everybody in all walks of life,” Owens said. “This could be a really fun thing for everybody in the community.”
Owens said he’s hopeful that King Dough will open at Kan-Kan within four to six weeks.
The pizzeria presently operates locations in the Holy Cross neighborhood, Carmel and Lapel. King Dough founders Alicia Sweet and Adam Sweet left the company last year and relocated to Arkansas.
Owens said “there’s probably a good chance” that former Kan-Kan restaurant employees will be hired for the King Dough kitchen.
Battista, co-founder of Bluebeard restaurant and Amelia’s Bread, initially connected Owens with the Sweets when King Dough opened its Indianapolis location in 2019.
“That’s the guy who got me into the restaurant business,” Owens said of Battista. “For me, he’s the golden standard of how to be a positive change in Indianapolis. He’s always had that vision and experience to really create unique and amazing projects with pretty much everything he touches.”
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
I just don’t get how a movie, in a theater, is enjoyable surrounding by people eating a meal. If I am in a theater, I want 100% focus on the movie. It’s bad enough being next to someone stuffing an X-large popcorn in their face and slurping an XL soda. But hey, to each their own.
Their setup isn’t like you might have seen somewhere else. You don’t eat your meal in front of the movie screen, as there’s an actual dining section next to the lobby. It’s a fantastic theater. You should go see a film there.
It sounds like you would love Kan Kan then.
Love King Doug. This makes sense, although I loved the bistro! I hope the craft cocktails stay???
+1
It sounds like the bar will continue to provide service, but I hope they don’t nerf their cocktail menu. It was always really thoughtful and worth going out of your way for with bottles and cocktails you couldn’t get anywhere else.