Fantastic pizzas, old-school charm explain why Terita's has been around for 60 years
October has been deemed “National Pizza Month,” but couldn’t every month have that title? Anyway, the concocted occasion gave me an excuse to check in with one of those pizzerias operating as a beacon of local tradition for about six decades.
Typically, such relatively rare pizzerias are unassuming neighborhood shops that make their own sausage and dough and prepare house tomato sauce. The old-school joints use these ingredients — plus carefully sourced provolone and “Old World” pepperoni that pucker up in the oven — to create lovable thin-crust, rectangular-cut pizzas. Unsurprisingly, the establishments often boast a fiercely loyal customer base that can span generations. Terita's Pizza in North Linden is one such place.
Terita’s Pizza is observing its 60th anniversary at its present location, 3905 Cleveland Ave., but the family-run business was founded in 1959 on Mock Road by the late August “Gus” Iannarino. While humble, the busy little carryout-only eatery is not without charm, thanks to countless endearing depictions of Gus Iannarino.
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On a rug, a clock, wall decorations, Italian flags and pizza boxes stacked all over the shop — up to the drop ceiling in spots — Gus appears in cartoon form wearing a chef's hat bearing his nickname. Through a speech bubble, cartoon Gus exclaims, “Hi Neighbor!” The kicker: Rather than a human torso, Gus’s midsection is a humongous pizza emblazoned with “Pizza Man.”
Another draw inside the bare-bones pizzeria is John Koontz — counter facilitator, fount of information and self-described “do-all” — who personified that “Hi Neighbor!” tagline by greeting everyone like a friend during my visits. Koontz — a 43-year Terita’s veteran — fondly told me that he grew up next door to Gus, who promised to give Koontz the job he now has when Koontz was in kindergarten 54 years ago.
You won’t hear stories like that from newer pizzerias. And you’re unlikely to receive pies from new places such as the outstanding Terita’s flavor-bomb generously topped with sausage, pepperoni and banana peppers ($21 for a 14-inch large) that I greedily ripped into.
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The elements I crave in a classic Columbus pizza were deliciously conspicuous: oven-browned good provolone from the esteemed Grande Cheese Company; zesty, crisp pepperoni “cups” pooled with meat grease; hefty chunks of garlicky and addictive sausage boosted by chile flakes and fennel seed; tomato sauce that wasn’t overly sweet; a thin crust with an audibly crunchy “no ledge edge.”
Terita’s veggie pizza ($17.25 for a 12-inch medium) is one of the heartiest of its ilk. The characteristically abundant toppings — sizable chunks of peppers and onions that retained some fresh crunch plus sliced tomatoes and canned black olives and mushrooms — added up to a flavorful, not watery pie that even an inveterate meat eater like me would readily order again.
Terita’s white pizza ($13.50 for a medium) was a garlic-scented, oregano-kissed, multi-cheesed creation made with olive oil instead of tomato sauce. The pleasant pie arrived on a puffier, slightly thicker crust than the standard Terita’s chassis. Add “fajita” chicken ($2.75) to make it more substantial, and you’ll get thick and tender, if unremarkable, white-meat pieces.
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Order a double Italian sub ($9.50) and you’ll get an oven-baked champ: capicola, deli ham, salami and melted provolone stacked high in a nicely toasted good bun with Italian dressing, lettuce, tomato and banana peppers. Order a homemade sausage sub ($9.75) and you’ll get one of the best around — a seared, seriously thick patty of Terita’s killer signature sausage with the same accouterments.
I’m glad you can order a big, inexpensive pasta dinner that comes with sub-bun garlic toast ($10.75). Mine also came with nondescript meatballs, not fully drained pasta, a very acidic sauce and a salad that was mostly iceberg lettuce. So the next time I order from Terita’s — and it’ll be soon — I’ll be sticking with the terrific pizzas and subs and anything with sausage.
Terita's Pizza
Where: 3905 Cleveland Ave., North Linden
Contact: 614-475-2100; www.teritas.com
Hours: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Price range: $7.75 to $22
Ambience: a frequently busy, carryout-only, beloved little neighborhood pizza shop that, while humble, has amusing decorations, very friendly service and a long history
Children's menu: no
Reservations: no
Accessible: yes
Liquor license: no
Quick click: Classic Columbus-style thin-crust pizzas and boldly flavored, house-made sausage (available in recommended subs) are the stars at this venerable pizzeria that’s been around for more than 60 years.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Great pies, subs make Terita's Pizza a 60-year tradition in Columbus
