| Pizza arrived in the USA, not surprisingly, | | | | back home in Italy. This led to him opening |
| with the Italian immigrants who came to the | | | | his pizzeria in 1925 and he was soon |
| country in the late 19th Century. From that | | | | competing against his own nephew, Sal |
| day pizza was sold throughout the Italian | | | | Consiglio, who opened a rival pizzeria right |
| areas of the major cities from stands in the | | | | across the street from his uncle. Remarkably |
| street. The original way pizza was sold in | | | | both shops are still operating in 2007! |
| the street in Naples would have been in large | | | | |
| cylindrical drums with false bottoms | | | | No Longer Just An Italian Dish |
| containing hot coals to keep it warm. | | | | |
| | | | Whilst the origins already described show |
| Officially The First Pizzeria?... | | | | that the pizza was prevalent in the Italian |
| | | | neighbourhoods, it became a big hit with |
| Gennaro Lombardi was an immigrant who arrived | | | | American soldiers who were serving in Italy |
| in New York and settled in Little Italy in | | | | during World War II. It made a tasty change |
| Manhattan. A grocer by trade, he opened a | | | | to their rations and when they returned in |
| grocery store in 1897 and it is believed he | | | | 1945 the pizzeria became a place for all, not |
| opened the first pizzeria in 1905 having been | | | | just Italians. |
| granted a license. This came about when his | | | | |
| assistant Antonio Totonnio Pero started | | | | The Growth Of The Pizzeria |
| making the pizzas for sale in the store. | | | | |
| Being a poor area people would come in and | | | | America now had a new and exciting type of |
| ask how much they could have for whatever | | | | food to try, and new pizza companies were set |
| money they had, and would duly receive a | | | | up in the 1940's and 1950's that are now very |
| slice relative to their funds. Totonnio later | | | | much household names. Domino's Pizza and |
| went his own way and set up his own pizzeria | | | | Pizza Hut were two such firms founded in the |
| down in Coney Island. | | | | 1950's and still going strong. Today the |
| | | | market has changed and leans much more |
| Yet Another Claim To Being The First | | | | towards home delivery. Just about every home |
| | | | in the USA must at some time tried pizza, |
| One Frank Pepe claims he opened up his | | | | probably delivered to the door too. |
| Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven Connecticut | | | | |
| before Lombardi started to sell his wares. | | | | Discover the pizza recipe secrets to making |
| Many of Frank's staff were Italian immigrants | | | | restaurant quality pizzas every time.. |
| with the knowledge of years of making pizzas | | | | |