If anyone is on the fast track in Poway, it’s Coney Island Pizzeria owner Stephen Bell.

The restaurant—which is the winner of the Poway Premium Partners poll for Favorite Poway Restaurant—opened its doors on Nov. 1.

Though the pizzeria is still new in Poway, Bell has a rich history in the restaurant industry, especially in pizza. He was the general manager of Ciro’s Pizzeria in San Diego and also assisted in the operations of the popular downtown bar Sidebar.

When it came to opening his own business, he said it was easy to choose Poway.

“The reason why I picked Poway as my first pizzeria is because of the great, tightknit community,” he said. “Growing up in upstate New York I lived in a similar type of community, and that’s what set Poway apart from other locations that I was looking at to open a pizzeria.”

With 10 years under his belt, the New York native said he’s ready to implement all of his “creative ideas and marketing plans” to ensure that Coney Island continues to be a success.