The Brief History Of The Panzerotto Pizza Shop

Pizzas are items that are made of flat oven cooked dough that is loaded with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheeses, and a wide array of meat and veggies. Though the meal originated in ancient Greece, pizza quickly became popular in other countries and is currently the most devoured foods on the planet. In the United States, several different kinds of pizza can be eaten based on the exact location you’re in. For generations, east coast and west coast residents have been arguing over who’s dish is made better. However for our friends up north, the family managed Panzerotto Pizza is the clear winner. And after learning the history of the Panzerotto Pizza chain, it is simple to see why this little franchise is so cherished.

Panzerotto styled pizza is sometimes referred to as a smaller doughier calzone. Mozzarella cheeses and tomatoes are the most popular ingredients but the dishes can also be stuffed with pepperoni, onions, and other items. The dish originated in Italy in the 40’s but has become extremely popular in several Canadian cities.

The franchise began in late seventies with only one location in urban Toronto. The small restaurant, found at 501 Yonge Street, was owned and ran by a cook called Alex Schiavone. The man’s chef training began in the early 1950’s when he served as a gourmet cook.

In 1969, he opened up a small Italian restaurant in Ontario and spent the next few years honing his skills. It was during this time that Alex began offering Panzerotto style pizzas to his customers. The Panzerotto recipe is a calzone type dish that is native to a small village in Italy.

The new meal quickly became a hit with the Canadian customers who soon started to demand the snack in large amounts. It was so beloved, in fact, that Alex Schiavone decided to to leave his Italian cafe and start up one that would exclusively sell the new pizza in downtown Toronto.

Sales of the new dishes were incredibly slow at first because of the fact that the new style was basically unknown at that time. But slowly, its fans were able to pass the news of the delicious new pizza and won over any detractors. In 1980, Alex decided to play his business’s newfound success to his advantage. He brought in a number of investors and grew his business with franchising opportunities.

The Panzerotto Pizza company has been going strong ever since and Alex and his immediate family have remained very involved in its operations. There are currently thirty five Panzerottos operating across Canada and the Northern United States. And Alex and his sons Frank, Joe, and Vito have over seventy five years of combined experience between them and are integral parts of the day to day operations of both the Head Office and the various store locations.

The company, as of mid 1995, was the very first to provide its customers with city wide delivery over the internet. Users, for the first time ever, were able to visit a website and order their favorite Panzerotto meals. By using high tech and modern technologies for the time, the orders were routed to a call center before being processed for delivery. The pizza chain is even still upgrading and evaluating their top notch customer service.

Home to the original Panzerotto pizza since 1976, Canada’s most trusted Restaurant Franchise offers wings and Pizza Delivery Toronto service to location such as Etobicoke, North York, and Toronto.