EAT LOCAL MEDIA
July 03
The signature large pepperoni pizza. (Courtesy of Eat Local Ohio)
In Columbus, few names are as closely tied to local food culture as Massey’s Pizza. What began as a single east side shop has grown into a beloved symbol of Columbus-style pizza: thin, crispy, and generously topped all the way to the edge.
We spoke with Richard Folk, Chief Marketing Officer of Massey’s Pizza and longtime Massey’s employee, about the history of this Columbus staple.
Massey’s story starts with founder Jim Massey. Massey’s Pizza is a concept that dates back to 1949, when Jim opened Columbus’ first pizzeria on East Main Street in Whitehall. At the time, there were Italian restaurants that served pizza, but Massey’s stood out as the only dedicated pizzeria focused on honing its craft.
The name, of course, came from Jim, who had been using an Americanized version of his last name, Massucci.
“Massey’s is such a strong brand. I’ve seen it persevere through recessions, elections, ups and downs of the economy… it’s just amazing to see what a strong brand can do,” says Folk.
Where most restaurants can recount fighting through COVID, Massey’s has seen the highs and lows of the past 77 years. When Folk was hired on, Massey’s hadn’t even claimed its own website domain and was taking orders from fax machines. Folk helped Massey’s digital shift, maintaining the old-school feel while keeping pace with contemporary convenience.
Convenience has become a powerful extension of Massey’s cult following, turning nostalgia into an ongoing habit for fans who’ve moved away from Columbus. Folk explains how their flagship pepperoni pizza anchors a nationwide shipping program, saying they “ship four large pepperoni pizzas all over the country, because people grew up with that Columbus style pizza… but then they moved to Florida or Georgia or Texas, and they can't find that kind of pizza down there… So, we do a lot of shipping.”
When you think about shipping pizzas, your mind may go to large pizza chains in Chicago that send you boxes of deep dish right to your porch. For a local Columbus chain to have such a cult following is truly impressive, but it isn’t surprising.
Massey’s Pizza prides themselves on fresh ingredients, the “Tavern Cut” on their pizzas, and the unique cook and flavor that comes from their ovens.
The Pizazz Behind the Pizza
One of the most distinctive parts of Massey's experience happens behind the scenes, in the ovens. While most pizza shops rely on conveyor-belt “set it and forget it” ovens, Massey’s uses steel deck ovens more commonly associated with bakeries.
“With us, we use steel deck ovens, like you would find in a bakery. The pizzas are cooked directly on the steel plates over a layer of cornmeal,” says Folk.
The cornmeal serves a pivotal purpose for the cooking process, acting as an aid for rotating and checking on pizzas, but also providing a buttery, savory taste to the dough.
The process of a steel deck oven is more hands-on than the typical conveyor-belt machines many pizza joints across the country use. With three gas burners below the decks, the cooking process requires a close eye to examine which parts of the pizza are cooking and at what rate. Getting an even cook is more difficult, but Massey’s has mastered it.
Maybe that’s why locals that move away can’t resist shipping it.
“Massey’s is very nostalgic and people get very passionate about Massey’s. They’ll tell you all about how the pepperoni’s curled up on the edges, like little cups of grease. Or, how they used to go there for football games on Friday nights in Gahanna or Whitehall.”
For first-time visitors or readers planning a visit, Folk recommends starting with the essentials.
“You have to order the large pepperoni.”
That classic thin-crust pepperoni is the flagship, but he suggests pairing it with the Sicilian Deep Dish pizza, developed by the Pallone brothers. Built from the same dough for a familiar flavor profile, the Sicilian Deep Dish adds a thicker, buttery crust and is typically topped with Italian sausage, pepperoni, and cheese.
To round out the table, he suggests a standard Italian sub, baked open-faced so the cheese melts and the bun crisps, plus a family-sized Italian salad with Italian dressing, a classic antipasto-style side that complements the richer dishes.
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