Since 1978, when brothers Tony and Victor Sr. Contini took over the pizzeria from the original Giorgio family, they’ve been slinging Italian-style pizzas and comfort food with all the heart—and recipes—of the old country. The not-so-secret secret? The sauce. Still Giorgio Anastasio’s original recipe, still sacred, and still (allegedly) locked in a vault.

By the ’80s, the family crew grew—siblings Victor, Pamela, and Bobby joined the mix, and longtime friend Tony M. eventually came on board.

“We still make pizza the old-school way,” says Bobby, “but we’re not afraid to throw in a modern twist or two. What hasn’t changed? Our obsession with flavor—and treating every customer like famiglia.”