Adriatico’s, on the corner of West 10th and Neil avenues, has been a staple for the Ohio State community for years. Credit: Casey Smith | LTV Sports Producer
Adriatico’s New York Style Pizza has long served the Ohio State community and all who take a walk down Neil Avenue on any given day.
Located in the heart of South Campus at 1618 Neil Ave., Adriatico’s lively atmosphere, array of famous pizzas and other dishes have cemented it as a staple of Ohio State’s food scene, so it’s no wonder it was voted as the best pizza by The Lantern readers in 2022. Jameson Wagner, restaurant and social media manager at Adriatico’s, said consistency has been the key to success on campus.
“We have the exact same product we had 30 to 40 years ago. We have a lot of the same employees that have been here. I’ve been here 17 years, and I know guys who’ve been here 10 years longer than that,” Wagner said. “We have the same owner; he’s very hands-on in making sure that this place stays what we’ve built and can always improve in whatever ways we can find.”
Wagner said Adriatico’s has been off to a strong start this school year, particularly citing the increase of primetime home football games as a big help in attracting customers.
“The Notre Dame game this year, that was a big game and a super busy day for us,” Wagner said. “A couple of these home games already this year were huge sales days for us that we’ve never had before, so we’re really fortunate to be able to bounce back after the last few years of the pandemic.”
With its proximity to campus and popularity among the community, Ohio State students make up a large majority of Adriatico’s employees, and Wagner said the pipeline dates back to when he was a student at Ohio State.
“That’s a big pool of people that we get our employees from, a ton of our employees are students at Ohio State, just like it’s always been, just like I was when I was at Ohio State,” Wagner said. “We want to be able to provide people that are putting themselves through school with an opportunity to earn a good pay.”
Maya Beining, a fourth-year in marketing and server at Adriatico’s, said between the flexible schedule and tight-knit community, it was an easy decision to work at Adriatico’s, especially since she was introduced to the restaurant at a young age.
“My dad went to school here, and he always loved Adriatico’s at the old location,” Beining said. “I just love all of the people here. They’re really great about working around your school schedule. Every time you work, you get a free meal, so that’s really nice being a student, I don’t have to worry as much about trying to hurry up and make food.”
Previously located at 265 W. 11th Ave., and having been a campus favorite for over three decades, Wagner said meeting and serving alums and other members of the Ohio State community over the years continues to be a driving factor for Adriatico’s.
“It’s a good, mutually beneficial relationship we have with everyone and campus and people making sure we can still thrive as a business,” Wagner said. “You get these game days, we get a ton of people saying ‘Hey, I went to school here 20 years ago, it was my favorite place, and it’s just as good, still everything I remember.’ That, I think, is a huge part of what we do.”
It’s not just Adriatico’s reputation and a tight-knit staff that make it the campus treasure it’s become, as the New York-style pizza restaurant has famously served its “Zoni,” wings, pastas and countless other dishes. However, when it comes to slinging pies, Wagner said the sauce is what separates Adriatico’s from the rest, along with the use of fresh ingredients.
“Our sauce flavor is unique, I don’t think I’ve tasted it anywhere else. We really put an emphasis on freshness and just quality of ingredients,” Wagner said. “We shred our own cheese everyday, we make all our own dough everyday, and again, we make sure that’s consistent. We put a lot of time and effort in making sure we want to be a place that not only puts out a good product, but does it the right way.”
Wagner said Adriatico’s will continue to maintain its consistency, atmosphere and appreciation for Ohio State.
“This is the only Adriatico’s in Columbus,” Wagner said. “We’re the place you have to go to if you want to get our pizza, and if you come here, you know you’re gonna get the pizza you had years ago.”
