Zavarella’s Italian roots honor ‘Papa’

It’s hip to be square at Zavarella’s Pizza, the locally owned restaurant located on Clements Ferry.  When Zavarella’s opened a year ago, it quickly became a hit with locals. Customers especially crave their unique made-from-scratch square pizza.

 

Owner Nick Mead was inspired by his godfather Venanzio Zavarella’s family. To honor “Papa” Zavarella’s legacy, Mead named his establishment after him. The restaurant incorporates many of Papa Zavarella’s hearty homemade recipes into their menu. 

 

Zavarella’s Pizza is more than your average mom and pop pizza shop — they make everything from scratch with no preservatives. Zavarella’s expansive menu ranges from homemade lasagna to freshly baked bread. Specialities include handmade pasta, salads, and sandwiches. Zavarella’s grinds all their meats for fresh sausage and meatballs.

 

Tina Cingolani Vinson has lived in the area for 20 years. She was excited to finally get a real “Ohio-style” pie.  

 

“Zavarella’s is special because they serve ‘valley style’ pizza, which comes from the Ohio Valley in Steubenville, Ohio, area (home of Dean Martin). Valley style is when the pizza is baked and the fresh cheese and pepperoni are put on cold after the pizza comes out of the oven. It might sound weird, but you have to give it a try! The cheese doesn’t break down and get greasy. This keeps the crust crisp with every bite,” she explained. 

 

Zavarella’s valley style pizza keeps customers like Nic Stockman coming back. “The staff was super friendly and the pizza was delicious! I highly recommend the pepperoni rolls and the valley style pizza is unlike anything in town.”

 

Vinson also appreciates the family style dinners that include salad and garlic bread. 

 

“I highly recommend that you try their food! My grandparents immigrated from Italy so my husband affectionately calls me an ‘Italian food snob.’ Nick, the owner, really makes sure that you are a happy customer. Zavarella’s also has outdoor family movie nights which are great fun in this time of social distancing.”

 

Mead says the COVID-19 crisis has affected business.

 

 “We have seen a decrease in business as more people are cooking at home,” he said. “Our lunch based upon where we are located has slowed way down since all of the businesses are either working from home or furloughed staff.”

 

To stay open and serve the community, Zavarella’s has become creative during the crisis. They joined with neighbor Dog & Duck to open up more outdoor seating in front of both establishments.   

 

Zavarella’s also has an outdoor movie theater, setup for much needed social distancing entertainment. Check out their Facebook page to see what’s premiering next.

 

Zavarella’s staff is grateful for all the community support they’ve received throughout the pandemic. 

 

“We would like to thank everyone for your continued support and patience during these times. We are a small family owned business trying to survive,” Mead said.  

 

Visit zavarellaspizza.com for a complete menu and hours.

 

If there are any local merchants you’d like to see featured in an upcoming column, email marie@thedanielislandnews.com.