The History of Don Campiti’s Pizzeria!
Don Campiti’s was one of the first pizza shops in the South Hills area and has since become a permanent feature of Dormont and surrounding communities. Originally located at the notorious intersection of Capital and West Liberty avenues in Brookline, the business was relocated to its present address on Potomac Avenue in the year 1959.
At that time Dominic Campiti (“Tulo”) and his wife, Josephine (“Scrubby”), set up shop in a narrow storefront with room for little more than a couple scorching ovens, a sit-in counter, and a captivating painting of the beautiful Rialto Bridge set in a lovely Venetian twilight. Perhaps the charming maiden on that canvas, with her alluring smile and dreamy pose, has drawn generations of patrons through our front doors. More than likely, though, this devotion was spurred by the visionary spirit and gifted industry of Dom.
His vision was as simple as it was ingenious: a straightforward menu marked by a less-is-more approach. Two classic types of hoagies, Italian and Steak, paired with a basic thin crust pie that has truly stood the test of time, surpassing its competitors in its rich flavor and pleasant aftertaste. These core menu items combined with an old school business mindset unmoved by the gimmicks of mainstream pizza companies or the showy displays of commercial restaurants allowed Dom to establish the roots of his shop deep into the soil of the South Hills. In essence, he gave the people what they wanted: exceptional food priced fairly, prepared with an artist’s eye for perfection, and which offers an eating experience that looks, tastes, and feels the same every time.
In 1991, the Campitis’ son, Donny (“Mouse”), took over full time as sole owner and proprietor. Always the loyal owner who valued his employees as much as his business, Donny kept true to his parents’ original vision of a neighborhood pizzeria. Under his reign and blessed by his charismatic personality, Campiti’s continued to thrive into the new millennium.
Not only has it remained changeless amid a shape-shifting restaurant industry, the Campiti’s tradition of thin crunchy crust pizza and crisp oven-baked hoagies has garnered a widespread, increasingly diverse band of dedicated customers. For over fifty years our pizzeria has appealed to both the young and the old. The blue-collars and white-collars sit side-by-side telling tales and sharing memories. One after the other, the solitary and the socialite sit in the same stool at the counter. And all the while multiple generations of families raise their children on our flavorful pizza and the lip smacking taste of Cherikee Red pop.
This unique, eclectic, and longstanding tradition could hardly have been realized, let alone sustained, without a professional and ardent devotion to a pair of values that have remained at the core of Don Campiti’s since its creation….
Quality and consistency are the mainstays of our operation and the reason why “Our Pies have been worth the drive since 1955”!!!
