Mid Rivers Newsmagazine Restaurant Spotlight

Dough gets his first hours of attention as he hand mixes mounds of it, preparing for a hundred or more pies that will sail out the door during the day’s business.

Then, it’s onto the fresh sauce, homemade of course, using 40 percent heavy whipping cream for the Alfredo and plenty of secret ingredients for the tomato sauce.

Brown’s life at Angelino’s Pizza is devoted to preparing the best of the best pizza, pasta and more, even if it means frying up bacon on the grill for toppings and cutting romaine lettuce and fresh red onions by hand to make salads more flavorful.

Brown and partner Greg Winchell bought the business in February—keeping the name penned by the previous owner—but changed the recipes to make it all better. You won’t find any bagged lettuce, canned sauces or frozen crusts coming out of Angelino’s kitchen anymore.

Angelino’s Pizza, 114 Triad Center West in O’Fallon, may have the usual discount specials and food offerings, but few will deny that their end products are more than a cut above the rest. The pizza crust is flaky and thin, the bacon crisp and the sauce brings just the right tang to the mix. Customers also have the option of ordering provel or mozzarella cheese.

Pizza, calzones, salads and even made-on-site pasta dishes like chicken fettuccini, pasta con broccoli and spaghetti and meatballs ($6.75 single orders/$19.95 for family size portions with garlic bread) can all be delivered to your door—provided you’re within a 9-mile radius of the store. (Call to find out if you are among the chosen ones, but if you’re not, it’s worth driving for carryout.)

“I think it’s the fresh ingredients that set us apart,” Brown said. “And, we just try to put together a nice pizza.”

For a small carry-out establishment, Angelino’s Pizza is big on menu options, including grilled chicken salad, buffalo chicken salad and chicken Caesar salad (each $6.50), and a lineup of 8-inch sub sandwiches ($5.95), including chicken parmesan and buffalo chicken.

Sure, there are the usual options, like cheese garlic bread ($2.79) and toasted ravioli ($5.25), but having such a variety for delivery at your beckoning call is a fabulous option for busy families who want more than just a Friday night pizza—no matter how wonderful it is.

Brown says their “Family Special” is by far the biggest seller featuring two large two-topping pizzas, a large house salad and garlic cheese bread at a reasonable price of $21.99. The “Special” is plenty for a family of five, and with two pizzas, the youngsters won’t be whining about toppings chosen by adults.

“I’ve worked in the restaurant industry for years, and have seen a lot of recipes,” Brown said. “We took the best ideas and put them into our own business.

“I love this business and take a lot of pride in what I do,” Brown said. “I get great satisfaction from the feedback of customers. It’s great to hear them say how much they love our food.”

Angelino’s Pizza

636-272-3339 • Carryout-Delivery

114 Triad Center West strip mall

(one mile east of Bryan Road on Mexico Road, to Triad Center West on left)

Mon.-Thurs.: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday-Sat.: 10 a.m. to midnight

Sunday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.