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Not even a pandemic could hinder Andrea “Tony” Coppola’s passion for his restaurant.
Coppola owns Tony’s Pizza Cafe in Buffalo Township. The restaurant offers an assortment of homemade gourmet pizzas, including Hawaiian, Greek, buffalo chicken and Philly cheese steak.
“We are a very gourmet pizza style,” Coppola said.
Coppola said the fan favorite, dubbed the “Grandmom” is a homemade pizza topped with basil, mozzarella, garlic, and olive oil.
“It’s like an art,” Coppola said. “The pizza has to look good, look alive.”
It’s ok to play with your food at Tony’s Pizza Cafè in Buffalo Township.
They have new homemade menu items and a fresh renovation. pic.twitter.com/bypgzrm7sG— Julia Felton (@JuliaFelton16) September 18, 2020
When the widespread shutdowns in response to the coronavirus pandemic forced restaurants to close their dining rooms, Coppola saw an opportunity to renovate the space and expand his menu. He said he wanted the upgrades “just to bring some life back again” after the pandemic.
The restaurant reopened for dine-in service about a month ago, he said.
The space has been updated with booths, new lights and a new counter display to better showcase the pizzas. They also installed new air filters as a covid-19 precaution.
Plus, Coppola’s menu got some fresh additions — like the Mona Lisa, a square, thin-crust pizza with glazed balsamic, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Other new options include the Reuben pizza, Jalapeno poppers and the Coppola Burger.
Tony’s Pizza Cafe recently added gelato — a treat Coppola said has already generated a lot of excitement from guests.
“People love it,” Coppola said. “I think gelato makes ice cream look bad.”
Their flavors include vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and banana.
Though Coppola said take-out business was strong throughout the pandemic, he’s hoping the new additions will bring people back to the restaurant for dine-in service, too.
“That’s why I challenged myself to renovate, bring new stuff, new ideas,” he said.
Niki Pearson of Sarver was enjoying a slice of spaghetti pizza in the newly renovated space on Friday.
“They have great pizza, great variety,” she said, adding that she visits the restaurant often.
Many of Coppola’s recipes are family traditions from his grandmother. Coppola — who now lives in South Buffalo, but was born in Naples, Italy — is keeping the family traditions alive. Two of his children work in the restaurant now.
Natalie Nee, a baker and waitress, said people are drawn to the restaurant’s family-friendly atmosphere. They also appreciate Coppola’s love for his food.
“His passion speaks through the food,” Nee said.
Coppola has been involved in the restaurant business his whole life. He began working at a restaurant at the age of 10. Before opening his current location, Coppola owned three restaurants in Delaware. He brought the name and recipes with him when he opened Tony’s Pizza Cafe six years ago.
Coppola takes pride in the fact that his restaurant is different from a standard pizza joint. He said he enjoys creating unique pizzas and often offers specials not listed on the menu.
“We’re a different kind of pizza shop,” he said. “We have everything. When they come here, they don’t find a regular pizza.”
Tony’s Pizza Cafe also offers catering services and small parties. When Vice President Mike Pence visited nearby Oberg Industries this summer, Coppola catered the event.
He also offers discounts for veterans and first responders.
The restaurant is open 11 a.m. till 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. till 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
And at Tony’s Pizza Cafe, Nee said, “Don’t count the calories. Count the memories.”
Julia Felton is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Julia at 724-226-7724, jfelton@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Categories: Food & Drink | Local | Valley News Dispatch
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