Brooklyn Pizzeria Totonno’s Up for Sale After 100 Years

The reality is a tough one. The third-generation owners of the century-old Brooklyn pizzeria, Totonno’s, have decided to put the business up for sale, citing a lack of successors to carry on the family tradition.

Located in Coney Island, Totonno’s claims to be among the first to introduce pizza to the United States. It’s been a hub for visitors from around the world, including celebrities like Joe DiMaggio and Robert De Niro, according to co-owner Antoinette Balzano.

However, the James Beard Award-winning pizzeria can only continue under new ownership. Balzano and her sibling, Louise “Cookie” Ciminieri, have no younger family members ready to take on the business.

“At our age and health, we cannot do this ourselves,” Balzano, 74, said, adding that she’s been a bookkeeper there and worked as a public school teacher. Her sister, Ciminieri, who is 81, noted that the decision to sell was made this summer.

“I’m old, very old; how much more can I do?” Ciminieri remarked. Their younger brother, Frank Balzano, who is 85, is also a co-owner.

Anthony “Totonno” Perro, the owner’s grandfather, arrived in Manhattan from Naples and worked at Lombardi’s, regarded as the first licensed pizzeria in the U.S. “He brought pizza to America, and without him, there would be no pizza,” Balzano stated, noting it was his grandfather’s idea to serve pizza at Lombardi’s, which initially operated as a grocery store. In 1924, Perro opened his own establishment, Totonno’s, on Neptune Avenue.

Plans for the future changed when Ciminieri’s son, Lawrence, was set to run the business but fell ill during the pandemic, resulting in him needing a wheelchair.

As a result of management changes and a smaller staff, Totonno’s has shifted primarily to delivery and pickup and is open on weekends only.

“I never thought about closing it,” Balzano expressed, becoming emotional. “I think this is the year. Whether it’s a sale or partnership, something has to be done.” She continued, “Totonno has always been my child, my baby. It’s so hard to let him go.”

Balzano, who lives in Staten Island, has received over 200 inquiries from potential buyers. One lead seems particularly promising, being linked to an anonymous investor who recently opened a restaurant in Manhattan.

“I have someone I really want to love,” she shared, emphasizing the importance of finding the right fit for the pizzeria’s future.

Above all, Balzano hopes that new owners will appreciate the effort that has gone into the business. “They should understand the blood, sweat, and tears that have gone into this,” she stated. “Someone who is passionate about history and wants to bring everything as close as possible to the meaning of Totonno.”

“Our lives were nine tables in that store,” she concluded.