The pizza community celebrates the inimitable founder of Di Fara Pizza—one of the original members of PMQ’s Pizza Hall of Fame. Years before Pizza Hall of Fame inductions hit every issue of PMQ Pizza Magazine, there were just a couple of handpicked members. One was the oldest still-operating pizzeria in the United States, Lombardi’s in…
Still operating a 24-hour bar in New Jersey’s gambling mecca, Tony’s Baltimore Grill has stood for nearly a century as a true Atlantic City original. When PMQ wanted to induct Tony’s Baltimore Grill in Atlantic City, New Jersey, into the Pizza Hall of Fame, the owners were game—but insisted they remain anonymous. “They are not…
Still family-owned while growing to 150 locations, this Toronto-based franchise success story has maintained its focus on people and premium products for nearly 60 years. In 1963, Italian immigrant Sam Primucci had a vision of opening a pizzeria in what was then the northern reaches of Toronto and enlisted his three brothers to bring a…
Now in its second generation of ownership—with a third in the works—this Maplewood, New Jersey, staple melds old-school work ethics with modern-day updates. When Italian immigrants Anthony and Giovanna Loffredo arrived in the United States in 1968, they didn’t have much, but they did have a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit. While working…
Serving up award-winning pizzas and heartwarming welcomes, customers from far and wide flock to this home away from home in Columbus, Ohio. Two cousins, Richie Dorn and Bobby Tiberi, didn’t have a bunch of restaurant experience when they opened up The Pizza House in 1961—but they did have a family pizza recipe they knew would…
Started by a natural promoter with big dreams, this still-burgeoning brand found its sweet spot by bringing deep-dish pizza to the northern suburbs of Chicago. When Lou Malnati decided to open the doors on his eponymous pizzeria in Lincolnwood, Illinois, in 1971, he had experience that most aspiring owners could only dream of. After 22…
Now encompassing 414 locations across eight states, Round Table Pizza spawned from humble, hand-drawn beginnings as the singular vision of one man with a big dream. Bill Larson, a Navy man in the 1950s, was first exposed to pizza overseas—in Japan, not Italy. Upon his U.S. return, he worked for companies like Coca-Cola and Safeway,…
Celebrating 50 years of service in 2021, this Massachusetts institution has joined four generations of family members under the guidance of pizza patriarch James Fauci. James Fauci’s father must have spotted a unique talent in his teenage son, who spent his high school years working in a pizzeria. After graduation, his father asked if he’d…
From modest strip-mall pizza shop to diversified, full-service restaurant with a boutique wedding venue, this business has surged ahead by light years since its 1970 launch. When merchant marine Antonio Schiano relocated his family from a small town outside Naples, Italy, to the United States, he was looking forward to a better life. His brother…
Balancing old-school charm with millennial-friendly updates, this still-expanding SoCal enterprise celebrated 65 years in 2020. La Bella Pizza Garden in Chula Vista, California, was the brainchild of Tony Raso, a Purple Heart-decorated war veteran and dairy farmer, and his wife, Kitty, who honed her service charms as a waitress in Manhattan. Escaping the harsher winters…
