Is St. Clairsville Pizza City USA?
The final days for
Halloran’s Home Pizza in St. Clairsville were tough times for city residents
and pizza enthusiasts alike.
It was a decades-long
downtown fixture that had become an institution for current and former
residents. It was as much a part of town as Memorial Park or Red Devil Stadium.
A slice or two, or better yet, a tray of Home Pizza was a must when swinging
through town.
But while its closure left
a gaping hole in the hearts and minds of city residents, it certainly hasn’t
dampened their appetite for pizza. That hole was filled right quick.
St. Clairsville may
annually earn the Tree City USA designation, but what it should be known for is
Pizza City USA, or at minimum, for the Ohio Valley.
That’s because St.
Clairsville functions as the pizza hub of the Ohio Valley.
Sure, other local
communities have their own signature shops. Wheeling has ‘The Grove’ DiCarlos,
now known as Patsy’s Pizza. Steubenville has the original Original DiCarlo’s
Pizza, Martins Ferry has Zontini’s, and Carlini’s can be found in Shadyside,
along with the original DeFelice Brothers Pizza.
After all, this is the
valley, where the signature square slices with cold toppings is a style all its
own.
But it is the city of St.
Clairsville, per capita, that possesses the most diverse and extensive offerings
of local shops and national chains with variations both in style and speciality.
There are currently nine
pizza shops in St. Clairsville when you include the mall, plaza and outlying
areas outside of city limits but still considered part of the greater St.
Clairsville community.
That number will increase
back to 10 when Pizza Express finishes its expansion into this highly
competitive market … and at the site of the former Home Pizza, no less.
Once open, it will be one
of five pizza shops within a three block radius in downtown St. Clairsville,
joining Pizza Shack, Papa D’s, Pizza Milano and DiCarlo’s.
Further down the road,
you’ll find Domino’s to the west and Pizza Hut and DeFelice Brothers to the east
along U.S. 40. A quick turn down to the Ohio Valley Plaza will find a Little
Caesar’s, and rounding out the offerings is Fabio’s inside the Ohio Valley
Mall.
The options are endless.
LEDENews.com took an informal straw poll on the St. Clairsville, Ohio Facebook page, asking participants to select their favorite pizza shop of the 10. While Pizza Express isn’t in town yet, it was included as a choice as an anticipatory vote. The seven local shops will be detailed in the order of the votes they received while national chains Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Little Caesar’s took up the final three spots in the poll.
Pizza Shack
Pizza Shack corners the
lunchtime market in St. Clairsville. Being positioned directly across from the
high school and open during school lunch hours tends to help. But proximity
aside, Pizza Shack has positioned itself to be the top offering in town according
to voters of our poll.
The pizza and breadsticks
are both popular offerings, but ask customers what keeps them coming back to
Pizza Shack and the answer is generally the same: the French bread pizza.’
Subs and salads are also
offered.
Address: 111 E. Woodrow
Avenue
Hours: 11 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. (when school is in session); 2-9 p.m.
Phone: (740) 695-4244
Poll Position: 1st (123 votes, 24.4%)
DeFelice Brothers
When Dom DeFelice opened a
shop in St. Clairsville, he knew he was entering a crowded and competitive
market, but he also believed there were enough customers to go around as each
pizza shop offered their own unique take on the product. DeFelice Brothers
Pizza is no different.
Winners of multiple
awards, including the “Best in the USA” title at the World Pizza Championship
in Sallsomaggiore, Italy, along with recent winner, the Mighty Meat pizza.
What makes this DeFelice
location unique is its lunch and dinner buffet. It’s also the only DeFelice
with a full-sized dining room for customer seating. DeFelice also touts his staff’s attention to detail and
the customer service they provide as being second to none.
The restaurant also offers
a full catering line, including a uniquely flavored garlic crusted chicken
that’s only available on the catering menu. While the chicken isn’t on the
restaurant menu, wings can be ordered with the same flavoring.
Address: 50890 National
Road East
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(lunch buffet); 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Sun-Thurs), 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. (Fri-Sat)
Phone: 740-695-5090
Website: eatdefelice.com
Poll Position: 2nd (102, 20.2%)
Fabio’s
For more the 25 years,
Ohio Valley Mall customers have been treated to the pizza stylings of Tom
Cracolici and his staff at Fabio’s Pizza. Offering
Sicilian, Napolitano and Chicago style pizzas, as well as the famous meat pie,
Fabio’s has large, scrumptious slices which is a stark contrast to the square
slices found at many other Ohio Valley shops.
The shop offers seating
for upwards of 80 and customers can pick out which slice(s) look best from a
large and varied assortment. Pizza is far from
the only thing Fabio’s offers, however. With menu offerings akin to an Italian
eatery, numerous pasta options are available, along with calzones, Stromboli,
pepperoni rolls, hoagies and even
cannolis.
Cracolici has a lot of
long-time staff members who keep the packed lines moving quickly.
Address: 67800 Mall Ring
Road, Unit 660
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Phone: (740) 695-9196
Poll Position: 3rd (94, 18.7%)
Pizza Milano
According to
Cleveland.com’s 2019 rankings, Pizza Milano has the best pizza in Belmont
County. While it came in fourth in our online straw poll, the shop owned and
operated by Engin Guler certainly has staying power.
Like many of the other
shops on this list, Pizza Milano not only survives but thrives in a town with
numerous pizza options.
It recently moved spots
from next to Swan’s Sport Shop to a few blocks East on Main Street. Pizza Milano offers a large assortment or traditional
and white pizzas, including numerous gourmet options with toppings to tantalize
even the pickiest of eaters.
The shop also offers
wings, appetizers, calzones, pasta, salads and hoagies. Pizza Milano is also
one of the few shops in St. Clairsville that offers a full catering menu.
Address: 147 E. Main
Street
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Phone: (740) 695-2088
Website: ohpizzamilano.com
Poll Position: 4th (61, 12.1%)
DiCarlo’s
DiCarlo’s is the name and
the brand you know. It sells itself. Owner Dave King realizes this, which is
why he didn’t hesitate to open a store in an already saturated market. He also
knows that he can’t live on the DiCarlo’s name alone and prides himself on
offering up exceptional quality products to keep his customers coming back.
The signature DiCarlo’s
square slices are a big hit, as are the pepperoni rolls that he makes primarily
in his Morristown shop, but also in St. Clairsville. You can find them at fundraisers
throughout the area and also in gas stations and convenience stores as
DiCarlo’s pepperoni rolls sell wherever they are carried.
Address: 117 W. Main
Street
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Phone: (740) 449-2195
Website:
dicarlosopizza.com
Poll Position: 5th (47, 9.3%)
Papa D’s
Papa D’s Pizza has been in
business in St. Clairsville for nearly 10 years, first in the current home of
Low Lock Tattoo Studio and then at its present home at East Main Street.
But David Crosby has been
in the pizza business long before, at one point owning the DiCarlo’s franchise
in town. When he set out on his
own, he decided to put his own twist on the an old recipe and make it
definitively a Papa D’s creation.
Papa D’s offers your
typical Ohio Valley square pizza faire in various combinations of toppings,
along with pasta, subs, calzones, bread sticks and pepperoni rolls. One thing
that Papa D’s offers that is unique in the city limits is beer. Customers can
come in and have a beer with their pizza, or, have it delivered as part of
their pizza order.
Address: 165 E. Main
Street
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Phone: (740) 695-3595
Website:
papadspizzamenu.com
Poll Position: 6th (26, 5.1%)
Pizza Express
Pizza Express has been
delivering its brand of pizza to Ohio Valley customers for more than 20 years
in the Warwood section of Wheeling and across the river near Bridgeport High
School in Brookside.
Express offers both round
and traditional Ohio Valley square-shaped pizza and boasts the largest sizes
available. The party pizza is a
30-inch round mouthful, while the Belly Buster (40 square slices) or Jr. Belly
Buster (20 square slices) are perfect for large gatherings or when proving your
pizza-eating mettle to your friends.
Bread sticks, subs, pasta,
salads and wings also line the menu.
Address: 114 E. Main
Street
Hours: TBA
Phone: TBA
Website:
yourpizzaexpress.com
Poll Position: 7th (23,
4.6%)
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The Shack Special: Handtossed dough with made in house marinara sauce then topped with Canadian bacon, black olives, pepperoni, green bell pepper, hamburger, Italian Sausage, garlic and extra mozzarella cheese. #yourreflectionphotography #pizzashackmontgomery #pizzashack #thefluffyfoodieguy #montgomerytx #eatlocal (at Pizza Shack in Montgomery, TX) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6RnzYtp8xT/?igshid=29m5r00u3ey2
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The #pizza on this sign is nearly as great as the long lost #pizzashack #billboard in #lanse...#eveningwalk #washingtondc #sidewalkscenes #signsdept #handpaintedsigns http://ift.tt/2mWBUXF
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The Pizza Shack Special. Hand tossed and made from scratch dough with homemade sauce, hamburger, Italian sausage, black olives, onions, green peppers, pepperoni and garlic with fresh mozzarella cheese. #yourreflectionphotography #professionalfoodphotographer #PizzaShackMontgomery #PizzaShack #ProdessionalFoodie (at Pizza Shack in Montgomery, TX)
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The Pizza Shack Special. Hand tossed and made from scratch dough with homemade sauce, hamburger, Italian sausage, black olives, onions, green peppers, pepperoni and garlic with fresh mozzarella cheese. #yourreflectionphotography #professionalfoodphotographer #PizzaShackMontgomery #PizzaShack #Food (at Pizza Shack in Montgomery, TX)
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