This Philly favorite is joining the Pineville Tavern to offer its pizzas in Bucks County

Michele Haddon, Bucks County Courier Times
·4 min read
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A popular Philly pizzeria is bringing its pies to the suburbs thanks to a local collaboration.

With its soft opening set for Thursday and a grand opening April 4, The Angelo Pizza — which was started in 2020 by owner, Angelo Pizza — will start selling its classic crispy thin crust pizza out of the Pineville Tavern’s takeout store in Wrightstown.

Angelo Pizza, left, the owner of The Angelo Pizza in Philadelphia, is partnering with Andrew Abruzzese, owner of the Pineville Tavern, to make and sell his pies out of the Pineville's takeout store in Wrightstown. The Pineville's Chef Matt Levin, center, is rolling out four specialty sandwiches to be offered at the store as well.
Angelo Pizza, left, the owner of The Angelo Pizza in Philadelphia, is partnering with Andrew Abruzzese, owner of the Pineville Tavern, to make and sell his pies out of the Pineville's takeout store in Wrightstown. The Pineville's Chef Matt Levin, center, is rolling out four specialty sandwiches to be offered at the store as well.

“Angelo is a third generation pizzaiolo and I am a third-generation ravioli maker,” said Andrew Abruzzese, who owns the Pineville with his wife, Mary Lou. “One thing we have in common: there are no compromises in the quality of our products — that’s what makes us different from everyone else.”

The April 4 grand opening in Wrightstown will include a free pizza giveaway to the first 35 customers.

The Angelo Pizza was born out of a Barstool Sports One Bite review

In case his name doesn’t say it all, slinging pies was only natural for Pizza, whose dad and two grandfathers on both sides of his family had each owned shops in Baltimore’s Little Italy section, dating back to the 1930s.

Pizza grew up working in his dad’s shop, Angelo’s, until 2013 when he came to Philadelphia for school.

“I’ve been making pizzas since I was walking pretty much,” said Pizza, who later went into mortgage lending and insurance.

Angelo Pizza, owner of The Angelo Pizza in Philadelphia, sits inside his Old City shop which opened in 2020.
Angelo Pizza, owner of The Angelo Pizza in Philadelphia, sits inside his Old City shop which opened in 2020.

But then the pandemic shutdowns hit, and he saw that David Portnoy of Barstool Sports was doing reviews of frozen pizza. On a whim, out of his Manayunk apartment, he made a pizza based on his family’s recipes, which he then froze, vacuum sealed, packed in dry ice and mailed off to Portnoy.

“I literally bought the vacuum sealer just to send it to him. I figured there was nothing to lose,” he said.

It turned out to be a chance worth taking.

“I’m going to eat this whole thing, that’s how you know it’s good,” said Portnoy in a May 2020 video, giving the pizza an 8.1 rating. Immediately following the One Bite review, Pizza started hearing from people who wanted to order a frozen pie for themselves.

So, on a leap of faith, he left his insurance job and started The Angelo Pizza out of his home.

It quickly took off and six months later, he opened his brick-and-mortar shop on Market Street in Old City Philadelphia, where he now sells fresh pies seven days a week.

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How did Pineville Tavern and The Angelo Pizza come together?

Abruzzese and Pizza’s relationship started two generations back, with family ties rooted in Baltimore’s Little Italy, where the two acquired their culinary skills.

The collaboration between the tavern and pizzeria originally came about in 2020 when Abruzzese reached out to Pizza offering the use of their prep kitchen to keep up with demand until he opened his Old City shop. So, when the time came to expand The Angelo Pizza into Bucks County, working with the Abruzzese family only made sense.

“Andrew’s been amazing for sure. I don’t think we could’ve continued to expand the frozen pizza operation without him. And then to be where we’re at today, it’s really come full circle. And I think there’s going to be a lot more to come after this one,” Pizza said.

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What’s on the menu at The Angelo Pizza’s at the Pineville Tavern?

The Angelo Pizza offers a variety of pies inspired by family recipes, including The Paulie, topped with fresh mozzarella and thin-sliced meatballs made with beef, pork, and veal using a recipe created by Pizza’s grandfather.
The Angelo Pizza offers a variety of pies inspired by family recipes, including The Paulie, topped with fresh mozzarella and thin-sliced meatballs made with beef, pork, and veal using a recipe created by Pizza’s grandfather.

The pizza menu will include red and white pies, including plain and specialty pizzas. The majority of what’s offered in The Angelo Pizza’s Old City location will be available at The Pineville, including:

  • The Paulie: Thin-sliced meatballs, topped with fresh mozzarella. The meatballs are made with beef, pork, and veal using a recipe created by Pizza’s grandfather.

  • The St. Antney’s: Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, and sweet Vidalia onions

  • The Aunt Rose: Mortadella and fresh mozzarella finished with a pesto drizzle.

Initially, the pizza will be available for takeout only, but eventually, it will be available for dine-in at the bar.

More: Barstool Sports' David Portnoy visits Doylestown, rates Lucatelli's Pizzeria for 'One Bite'

What else does Pineville Tavern’s takeout store sell?

The Pineville Tavern, in Wrightstown, includes a takeout store, where pizza and sauce by The Angelo Pizza can be purchased, plus other Pineville favorites, such as ravioli, sandwiches and wings.
The Pineville Tavern, in Wrightstown, includes a takeout store, where pizza and sauce by The Angelo Pizza can be purchased, plus other Pineville favorites, such as ravioli, sandwiches and wings.

The Pineville Tavern’s takeout store will feature an Italian Market section, which includes Angelo’s jarred pizza sauces and homemade Pineville Tavern’s favorites like ravioli, sandwiches, cheesesteaks, wings and egg rolls.

In addition, the store will roll out four new sandwiches by Chef Matthew Levin: a Meatball Parmigiana; Mortadella and Fresh Mozzarella; Breaded Chicken Cutlet with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise; and The Famous Roasted Veggie.

The takeout store is open seven days a week from 4-10 p.m.

Go: 1098 Durham Road, Wrightstown; 215-598-3890; pinevilletavern.com

Reporter Michele Haddon covers small business, economic development, community revitalization, art and culture for The Intelligencer and Bucks County Courier Times at PhillyBurbs.com. Please considering supporting local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: The Angelo Pizza partners with Pineville Tavern to offer takeout pies