After 84 years, Bexley pizzeria closes its doors

BEXLEY, Ohio (WCMH) –  A restaurant that has been a staple of Columbus and the Bexley community for over 80 years has abruptly shut down.

Anthony’s Pizzeria, known as a fixture in the Bexley neighborhood for its New York-style pizza, shuttered its doors effective April 17. The pizza and sub shop, nestled in the 600 block of Pleasant Ridge Avenue, across from Capital University, announced its closure with a note taped to its door.

“We are permanently closed from today (04/17) – so sorry (frown emoji),” the note read.

On its website, a graphic over the main page reads, “We are permanently closed. Thank you everyone for long years!”

The iconic restaurant opened in 1940 and was well known for its handmade New York pizza. For over eight decades, Anthony’s used its original stone oven to make pies and slices with daily homemade dough and local ingredients, including sausage and pepperoni sourced from Ezzo Sausage Company, a Bexley family-owned business.

Neither the Franklin County Auditor nor court records shed light on what led to the owner’s decision to close the establishment. The property remained under the same ownership it's had since 1985 -- Giannopoulis Properties -- as of Thursday. A call to Anthony's Pizzeria went unanswered.