The Secret Behind This #1 Yelp Pizza Spot (And Why They Keep Selling Out!)

We're in Somerville, Massachusetts at Ciao Pizza, one of Boston’s most beloved pizzerias. Known for their Neapolitan-style pies and pasta, Ciao has built a cult following, and today, owner Marvin shares how it all started, how he scaled to two booming locations, and what lessons he learned building from scratch (literally). From using Facebook Marketplace to snag a second location to slinging 200 pizzas every Friday, this episode dives deep into the hustle behind Ciao’s rise. Follow Ciao: https://www.ciao-somerville.com/ 📍Location: 688 Broadway, Somerville MA | 📌 Chapters 00:00 – Why Everyone Loves Ciao Pizza 00:15 – Tour of the Somerville Location 00:32 – Episode Preview: Pizza, Pasta, and Growth 00:53 – Meet Marvin: The Founder of Ciao 01:08 – Ciao Chelsea: The Original Spot 01:43 – Rome Trip That Sparked the Idea 01:58 – Leaving a Secure Job to Chase the Pizza Dream 02:18 – Hustling Through Renovations & Uber Driving 02:59 – Day One: Running Out of Dough 03:48 – The Why Behind the Second Location 04:23 – Scoring a Spot via Facebook Marketplace 04:59 – Layout & Seating Strategy in Somerville 05:28 – Passion for Neapolitan Pizza 06:06 – Delivery & Takeout Model 06:25 – One Year Later: How It’s Going 06:47 – Pricing, Quality Ingredients & No Complaints 07:24 – Kitchen Layout, Pasta Station & Design 08:00 – Friday Night Staffing Strategy 08:26 – Pasta Favorites: Short Rib Ragu & More 09:08 – Storage, Dough Prep, and Equipment 10:30 – Yeast Science & 24-Hour Fermentation 11:43 – Kitchen Efficiency in 1000 sq ft 12:47 – Pizza Volume: 200-250 Every Friday 13:25 – Oven Specs & Production Limits 14:12 – Renovation Nightmares & Lessons Learned 15:09 – Lease Structure, Rent & Buying a Business 16:00 – Making a Margherita Pizza Start to Finish 16:49 – Most Popular Pizza #2: Sausage Calabrian 17:28 – Taste Test: What Makes Ciao’s Pizza Great 18:13 – Why You Don’t Feel Heavy After Eating Ciao 18:54 – Outro: Follow Pizza Insider & Visit Ciao Pizza More From The Slice Community: The Sauce: https://slice.com/community Facebook: https://fb.com/slicepizzaapp Owners Group:   / pizzashopownersforum   Follow Bruce:   / smartpizzamarketing   Slice believes that local pizzerias deserve all the advantages of big chains without compromising their independence. Slice puts technology, marketing, buying power, and support to work for these shops, empowering owners to build profitable businesses and remain at the heart of our communities. Learn more at slice.com.