Uptown DiCarlo’s will reopen under family management as soon as possible

By JOE MEYER –
As soon as the brick walkway outside its front door allows, the Uptown Westerville DiCarlo’s Pizza will reopen, under direct management of the DiCarlo family.

And that will be this spring, and could be as early as March 1, said David DiCarlo, citing a projected completion date from building owner John Brooks.

The walkway, officially a landscaped Uptown “via” passage between 20 S. State and the old Westerville Post Office next to it at 28 S. State St., is being renovated as part of the development of the old Post Office into a High Bank Distillery restaurant and speakeasy.

“We would like to be open as soon as possible,” but the walkway needs to open first, he said. “We need to be handicapped accessible, we need to get staff trained,” he said. DiCarlo’s is located in Unit K of the 20 S. State St. building, which also houses the Java Central Café in Unit B.

DiCarlo said he has retained much of the staff from the Uptown shop, which was opened in the spring 2022 by Mike and Sarah Carlson in a franchising venture.

The famous Ohio Valley DiCarlo’s Pizza was founded in Steubenville in 1945 by brothers Galdo and Primo DiCarlo. The family patriarch, Michael, started the family in business when he opened a bakery in Steubenville in 1906.

The unique pizza formula bakes a crispy crust with just a savory tomato sauce, then piles on cold provolone cheese and any other requested toppings. The cheese slowly melts as customers take the pizza home from the shops, famous for not offering much seating for on-site dining. DiCarlo’s also features delicious pepperoni rolls.

David DiCarlo, grandson of Galdo and son of the present day DiCarlo’s Pizza operation owner, Anna, will run the Westerville store with his mother and younger brother, Nicholas. They also run a second local DiCarlo’s Pizza in the Columbus Short North.

That shop at 91 E. 5th Ave., is moving to a larger location at 15 E. 2nd St., where it will have more parking, room (a little) for limited onsite dining, and a DiCarlo’s gift shop offering sauces, grilled peppers and other items.

The family will no longer franchise, David DiCarlo said. His cousin Primo runs the two locations in Steubenville, his aunt Toni DeCarlo runs three in the Wheeling, W. Va., area, and Anna retains control of the family business.

“We want to establish Westerville as a strong market” and may consider other locations in Central Ohio. But they will be family run, he said.

When the walkway is complete, the reopened Uptown DiCarlo’s Pizza hours will be: Open at 11 a.m. daily; closing at 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, at 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 8 p.m. Sunday. Its phone number remains the same: 614-800-6422.

CAPTION (Above): The Uptown Westerville DiCarlo’s Pizza, 20-K S. State St., will reopen when reconstruction of the brick walkway outside its front door is complete, The latest estimated completion date is March 1.