TUJM dam you.
This place has a Huge place in my memories. I grew up near the original on St. Clair. It was small. Mostly take out and pizza. It was the meal for my 21st b-day. We ate it even though Mary dropped the box upside down when her and my sister arrived at college house. 5 second rule and rocks can be picked out.
The success is the care that the family puts into this business and the relationship they have with customers. Local products are used. People travel to get this food. Living in Akron briefly before moving out here. The college boys would make trips 35 minutes to get a pizza. I'm not sure they should have driven, but...
Growing up as a kid. Romito's pizza was our stop when not cooking. Dad coming home on a Friday night after work or just ordering up an 8 cut. We picked it up after 10pm if that says anything about a place that at one time was only big enough to have two tables. We watched Big Chuck and Houlighan/Little John. We always got the sausage. I have yet to find a place that has that style of sausage and cut. I tried once to even find out where they had it made. All i got was it was special made. That seemed to please the "kids." We always got the sheet pizza for parties. 15 or 30 depending on the size and/or other food being brought. The show Wings had "the big sandwich" but we have Romito's.
The menu is now more extensive. It still feels like going to someone's house and getting good old style food. Gnocci is on the menu and I would be hard pressed to find it at a restaurant of this size out here. The family was always asking about me and work after moving out of Cleveland. Dad still made stops and other friends that we got hooked would come down to the original. People travel for this. It has always been a stop when coming home. So now with the original closed. I'll have to make a detour. Hoping i can get some delivered, as on my next visi,t I'll be staying downtown. Romito's is comfort food for our family just as meatloaf etc.
Seriously TUJM thanks for sparking the memory. NOW have one shipped to me.