Papa Gino’s

This 81-unit chain honors its original founders, who fostered a sense of family and community, while surging ahead with tech-based advancements to spur lofty growth goals. In 1961, Italian immigrant Mike Valerio and his wife, Helen, took a chance on opening Piece o’ Pizza in East Boston, Massachusetts. But when it was renamed Papa Gino’s…

Nick’s Pizza of Newburyport

Despite opening for limited hours while juggling full-time jobs on the side, the LaBarba family has cemented this humble pizzeria’s legacy over three generations.  In 1948, Abruzzo, Italy, transplants Ester and Donato DePalma opened a small trattoria in Newburyport, Massachusetts, serving up rectangular pan pizzas and subs inspired by their homeland. After a 1953 move…

Mandee’s Pizza

This Salem, Massachusetts, pizzeria effortlessly balances the old- and new-school, remaining a first adopter of technologies without sacrificing customer face time. Emanuel Distefano went by the name of “Man Dee,” the moniker that inspired his pizzeria in Salem, Massachusetts, back in 1962. Around 1975, he passed the reins to a local college professor, Chuck Stasio,…