Westerville, Ohio, is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, and the newest location of a DiCarlo's Pizza.



I've written many times over the years how much I enjoy this unique pizza. It's a crunchy crusy with provolone cheese added at the end so it lightly melts overtop the pie.



"Michael and Caroline DiCarlo didn’t originally set out to helm a pizzeria that would thrive through the decades. In fact, pizza wasn’t even on their radar. The DiCarlo family had emigrated from Sora, Italy, in the late 19th century, eventually settling in a small steel town known as Steubenville, OH. The DiCarlo family bakery was a popular spot in the community. They handcrafted everything from Italian bread to cakes to cookies and donuts. when their son, Primo, returned home from serving in WWII, he raved to his family about the popular food he’d spotted everywhere in Italian cafes: pizza," according to their website.



"Primo saw pizza as a way to stay connected to the family tradition and pursue a business unlike anything else in the valley at the time. His brother Galdo followed him in this venture. The recipe was perfected on borrowed BAKING TRAYS from the bakery. The BAKING TRAYS are critical to the story. Those trays are responsible for both the CRISPY CRUST we enjoy and THE pizza with FRESH cheese and pepperoni TOPPED ON AFTER BAKING!"



"Primo launched the Steubenville location in 1945. At the time he applied for a license with the Ohio Department of Health, they wanted to classify his establishment as a bakery. The pizza was coined “poor mans cheesecake” as it was considered great value for the quality of the product. A few years later, Galdo grew the brand further and conquered “The Panhandle,” operating stores in PITTSBURGH, CLEVELAND, WEIRTON, Wellsburg, Wheeling, Glen Dale and Elm Grove AS WELL AS OPERATE A DICARLO'S WHOLESALE FACILITY IN DOWNTOWN STEUBENVILLE!"



I will say that the folks behind the scenes seem to have some work to do with their community relations. I've been a longtime supporter but have not always felt the reciprocal love. Moving on.



The pizza crust is crunchy. The sauce is bright and vibrant. And, the provolone melts gently on at the end so you can get a cheese-pull like no other. It's the perfect pizza bite, including at this location that is a hike away from the homeland.



Order a tray, play the arcade machine, and enjoy the tastiest pizza this side of Appalachia.



Grade: A