Our History
Mineo’s history begins in 1954 when Giovanni Mineo came to Pittsburgh from Sicily where he
had worked as a baker. Riding a street car down Murray Avenue, he found a rental space for his pizzeria at the original
location of 2130 Murray Avenue. On September 13,1958, he introduced pizza to the primarily Jewish Squirrel Hill neighborhood.
Not until the 1970’s did he move next door to the current location of 2128 Murray Avenue and his teenage sons Dominic and Giovanni Jr (“John”) began working with their father. The menu expanded to include homemade pasta dishes, hoagies, and white pizza. Dominic & John expanded in 1994 to a second location at 713A Washington Road, Mt Lebanon. Teenage friend and longtime employee, Gary Robinson, carries on the pizza tradition in Mt Lebanon.
Although founder and father Giovanni passed away in 1996, sons Dominic, John, and manager Gary Robinson hold true to his traditions and recipes.
In 1999, Mineo’s decides to serve up a slice of Pittsburgh nationwide with prebaked frozen pizzas shipped overnight via Fed-Ex. Steeler season proves a busy Fed-Ex season, sending Mineo pies to “The Steeler Nation” fans across the country. In 2010, Mineo’s offers over 200 beers for dine in and take out.
Our bar in Squirrel Hill opened in March of 2014! We now have a full beer menu and adding specialty cocktails as well as a great wine list.
In keeping true to family tradition, 3rd generation grandchildren enter into the business. Dominic’s son, John, ("J.D.") has been passionate about the family business since a very young age. Now in his early twenties, J.D. is full time with Dad and Uncle, aspiring new visions for Mineo’s future.
You will see John’s daughter, Sara, a Penn State grad, working hard, too. As well as her brother, Giovanni III, making pies on his college breaks from Penn State. Dominic’s daughter, Elissa, serves up plenty of smiles working while she attends Pitt. Even nephew Mario gets behind the counter all summer during his college break.
Family extends to Mt Lebanon as well…Manager Gary Robinson works side by side with his son, Sean, and daughter, Courtney, and nephew, Brian. Dominic’s wife, Caryl, is often seen painting, filling in, and trying to keep family peace! Not to say running an Italian family business isn’t without everyone’s opinions - that can get pretty loud!
But never without good food and plenty of wine!
So, yes, Mineo’s Pizza House is truly a ”Pittsburgh Family Tradition”…where Giovanni Mineo was a man with pride, integrity, respect, great work ethic, and ….a dream.
