All great pizza shops have a heartfelt history. Carlo's Pizza is no different.
During summers in the '90s, a few blocks away from New Jersey's famous Wildwood Boardwalk, the Accardi brothers spent their days in the family pizza shop, Johnny's Pizza, alongside their three siblings, their mom and their dad, Carlo Accardi.
"We got to play in the giant arcade Dad made for the pizza shop," recalls John Accardi, one of the brothers behind Carlo's Pizza. "We also enjoyed watching Mom and Dad at work and occasionally helped out in small ways, like folding boxes or wiping tables."
But before there were brothers, and before there was Johnny's, there was Grandpop Accardi, who started the family's entrepreneurial legacy. He left his original Accardi property to his son, Carlo, who had an epiphany during his first date with his future wife. The pair went for pizza at a local joint, and the rest was history. They turned the property into an arcade and pizza shop and set up shop along the coast.
Ever since that fateful date, pizza has become synonymous with the Accardi name.
"Our love for pizza is deeply rooted in the happy memories our parents created for us during childhood," says John Accardi. "Pizza is a way for us to connect with our family's past, especially for me as I follow in my dad's footsteps."
When their father passed away, the four brothers and their mom decided to carry on his legacy the best way they knew: through pizza. But not just any pizza, Carlo Accardi's original pizza recipe.
They laid the foundations of Carlo's Pizza, a recreation of Johnny's, in Atlanta.
Staying true to their promise, the Accardi brothers haven't changed a thing about their dad's recipe since its inception in 1985. Their loyalty to the methods, components and even brands of the past has created the iconic "vintage taste" their customers rave about today. According to John, Carlo's has attracted more than a few original fans of Johnny's Pizza, who come to savor the taste that can't be replicated elsewhere.
Since moving to Atlanta, the Accardi family has gained more than a few new fans, generating a country-wide customer base by shipping frozen pizzas around the country during COVID-19. They even attracted the attention of Barstool Sports' Dave Portnoy, known for his blunt and honest One Bite Pizza Reviews, who rated their frozen pizza an 8.1, an unusually high rating. According to the brothers, it kept Carlo's alive during the pandemic.
There's only one place Atlantans can find Dave Portnoy-approved, "vintage tasting" pizza with an incredible backstory—and it's Carlo's. Try it at Marietta's Woodlawn Point Shopping Center or order online at carlospizzaatlanta.com.
