Ask restaurateur Jeff Joyce to describe a typical day, and he'll tell you he hasn't any.

"The operation of the three restaurants, coupled with construction management of a new restaurant, means my busy schedule has to be flexible and open to change. I go where I have to go," Mr. Joyce said.

The good news for his wife, Barbara, and daughter, Kelly, is he spends most of that time at his new StonePepper's Grill, 1614 Washington Road, Upper St. Clair, a five-minute drive from his family's home.

The casual, 140-seat restaurant, featuring wood-fired brick oven pizza, gourmet burgers, pasta bar and salads, is located on the former Chi-Chi's site at a confluence of Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair.

"Being from Upper St. Clair, I always knew the value of the retail space on Route 19. This is a location that might come around once in 30 years," said Mr. Joyce, who also owns the 1902 Tavern in Market Square, Downtown, and Firewaters on the North Shore.

Another, larger StonePepper's Grill is under construction for a mid-November opening in the Shoppes at Adams Ridge on Route 228 in Adams.

The restaurants' name comes from the stone ovens of Italy, with peppers tossed in "to let people know it was a restaurant and not a fireplace store or concrete contractor," said Mr. Joyce.

He crafted StonePepper's main dining area, pasta and wine bar, full bar and outside patio. He also helped design the menu.

Among its amenities is The Pittsburgher, his own creation of sauteed onions, provolone cheese and sauce on an Angus burger, served with fries. At $8.99, it falls in the $8 to $12 range of most offerings.

For sports fans, the restaurant offers 13 flat-screen, high-definition televisions to show Big Ten Network games on Saturdays, and NFL games on Sundays.

A graduate of Upper St. Clair High School, Mr. Joyce was graduated from the University of North Carolina and returned home to earn a master's degree in education from Duquesne University.

In 1982, he and Norman Teklinski -- friends from coaching Little League baseball -- decided to go into business together and opened the 1902 Tavern. After eight years, Mr. Joyce bought out his friend.

Today, with StonePepper's, he continues to enjoy "the vibrancy" of working with a predominantly young staff of 53 employees and meeting daily challenges of competing against national chain restaurants. Four months after opening, he said he's winning that battle, with business exceeding projections.

"I'm very appreciative of the way the people of the South Hills have welcomed our restaurant," said Mr. Joyce.

For more information, visit www.stonepeppers.com.