In a small corner of Essington, Pennsylvania, sits a family-owned restaurant that changed American food history forever. Romano’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant is where Nazzereno Romano invented the stromboli in 1950, creating a sandwich that would become a beloved staple across the country.
What makes this place truly special is that the recipe remains exactly as it was over seven decades ago, prepared with the same techniques and ingredients that made it famous in the first place. Walking through the doors at 246 Wanamaker Avenue means stepping back in time to taste authentic culinary history that has been carefully preserved through three generations of the Romano family.
The Birth of an Icon in 1950
Picture post-war America in 1950, when Italian immigrants were introducing their culinary traditions to eager customers. Nazzereno Romano stood in his small pizza shop, experimenting with dough and fillings to create something entirely new.
He folded his signature pizza dough around meats, cheeses, and vegetables, sealing it tight before baking it to golden perfection.
The name “stromboli” came from the Italian volcanic island, symbolizing the hot, bubbling interior of this revolutionary sandwich. Unlike anything Americans had tasted before, it combined the best of Italian sandwiches with pizza-making techniques.
Romano’s creation caught on quickly, spreading throughout Philadelphia and eventually across the nation.
What started as one man’s culinary experiment became a cultural phenomenon. Today, strombolis appear on menus from coast to coast, but none match the original.
Romano’s still uses the exact same recipe, refusing to modernize or alter what perfection already achieved.
Walking into Romano’s means experiencing living history. The stromboli you order today tastes identical to what customers enjoyed 75 years ago.
That commitment to tradition makes every bite a connection to America’s immigrant food story.
Nazzereno Romano’s American Dream
He arrived in America without a single penny, carrying only recipes passed down through generations and an unshakeable determination. Nazzereno Romano left Italy in the 1930s, joining millions of immigrants seeking better opportunities.
His journey began humbly, selling tomato pies from a handcart on South Philadelphia streets.
Those early years tested his resolve. Romano pushed his cart through neighborhoods, introducing locals to authentic Italian pizza when most Americans had never tasted such food.
His pies were simple but delicious, with sauce on top and cheese underneath, made exactly as his ancestors had in Italy.
Success came gradually through quality and persistence. Eventually, he saved enough to open a small restaurant, where he could expand beyond just pizza.
His innovative spirit led to creating the stromboli, cementing his legacy as a culinary pioneer.
The Romano family still honors their grandfather’s memory by maintaining his standards. His grandson Pete Romano Senior still visits the restaurant, sharing stories with customers about those early handcart days.
Nazzereno’s story represents countless immigrant tales of hard work, creativity, and determination that built American food culture into what it is today.
The Legendary Marinara Sauce Recipe
Some customers joke they could bathe in Romano’s marinara sauce, and honestly, who could blame them? This thick, aromatic sauce has been simmering in Romano’s kitchen for nearly a century, made from a secret recipe that predates the stromboli itself.
Each batch follows the exact measurements and techniques Nazzereno Romano brought from Italy.
The sauce transforms every dish it touches. Whether you’re dipping your stromboli, drowning your pasta, or using it as pizza base, the flavor profile remains consistently incredible.
Customers repeatedly mention this sauce in reviews, calling it the restaurant’s secret weapon.
Fresh tomatoes, herbs, and spices blend together in proportions known only to the Romano family. The cooking process takes hours, allowing flavors to develop depth and complexity impossible to achieve quickly.
No shortcuts exist in this recipe, no modern conveniences that might compromise taste.
Many customers specifically request extra sauce for dipping at home. The restaurant obliges, knowing their marinara creates lifelong fans.
One reviewer claimed it could make a bumper taste good, which might be exaggeration but speaks to the sauce’s legendary status among loyal customers who return specifically for that taste.
Artisan Italian Bread That Makes the Difference
Bread makes or breaks a stromboli, and Romano’s understands this fundamental truth better than anyone. Their signature artisan Italian bread provides the perfect vessel for the famous filling, with a crust that’s crispy without being hard and an interior that’s soft without being doughy.
This bread recipe is as old as the stromboli itself.
Creating this bread requires skill and timing that comes from decades of practice. The dough must be mixed, kneaded, and proofed precisely to achieve the right texture.
Too much yeast makes it rise too quickly, too little leaves it dense and heavy.
When you bite into a Romano’s stromboli, notice how the bread holds together without falling apart. That structural integrity comes from proper gluten development and baking technique.
The bread must be strong enough to contain generous fillings yet tender enough to complement them.
Customers rave about the bread’s flavor and texture in countless reviews. Some mention how the crust has the perfect amount of char, adding smokiness to each bite.
Others appreciate how the bread doesn’t overwhelm the fillings but enhances them. After 75 years, Romano’s has perfected every aspect of their bread-making process, ensuring consistency that keeps customers coming back.
South Philly Tomato Pies – The Original Pizza
Before strombolis made them famous, Romano’s sold tomato pies from a handcart on Philadelphia streets. This traditional pizza style puts cheese on the bottom and sauce on top, opposite from what most Americans expect.
Nazzereno Romano brought this authentic Italian method from the old country, and it remains popular today.
The sauce-on-top technique serves a practical purpose beyond tradition. Cheese underneath prevents the crust from getting soggy, while sauce on top stays hot and vibrant.
Every bite delivers intense tomato flavor without the greasiness that sometimes comes with traditional pizza.
Romano’s square pies honor over 90 years of pizza-making tradition. The recipe hasn’t changed since those handcart days when Nazzereno first introduced South Philadelphia to authentic Italian pizza.
Customers who grew up with this style return decades later, bringing their own children and grandchildren to experience the same flavors.
These tomato pies represent Philadelphia pizza history at its finest. While modern pizza chains dominate the landscape, Romano’s keeps this regional tradition alive.
The combination of their sauce, their cheese blend, and that perfect crust creates something uniquely Philadelphian that you simply can’t find elsewhere in America.
The Cheesesteak Stromboli Fusion
Only in Philadelphia could two iconic foods merge into something even more spectacular. Romano’s cheesesteak stromboli combines the city’s most famous sandwich with their historic specialty, creating a fusion that shouldn’t work but absolutely does.
Chopped ribeye steak, sautéed onions, and melted cheese get wrapped in that signature artisan bread.
The genius lies in how flavors complement each other perfectly. A traditional cheesesteak can be messy, with grease dripping and cheese sliding out.
Wrapping these ingredients in stromboli dough solves that problem while adding another layer of texture and taste.
Customers consistently rate this variation among their favorites. One reviewer called it “the perfect combination of taste and mouth feel,” praising how the crust enhances rather than overwhelms the steak.
The marinara sauce provides acidity that cuts through the richness of cheese and meat.
This creative twist shows how Romano’s respects tradition while embracing innovation. They didn’t invent the cheesesteak, but wrapping it in their famous bread demonstrates culinary creativity.
Many customers order this when they can’t decide between a cheesesteak and stromboli, getting the best of both Philadelphia classics in one satisfying package that represents the city’s food culture perfectly.
Three Generations of Family Tradition
Family businesses rarely survive one generation, let alone three. Romano’s Pizzeria has been passed down from Nazzereno to his children and grandchildren, with Pete Romano Senior and Pete Romano Junior continuing the legacy today.
Each generation guards the original recipes while adapting to modern business challenges.
Pete Senior still visits the restaurant regularly, greeting customers and sharing his grandfather’s story. At his age, he could easily retire, but the restaurant represents more than business to him.
It’s living family history, a connection to his grandfather and the immigrant experience that shaped their lives.
Pete Junior manages daily operations, ensuring quality standards remain high. He balances tradition with innovation, recently opening a USDA facility for frozen take-home strombolis while keeping the restaurant menu unchanged.
This approach honors the past while securing the future.
Customers appreciate interacting with the Romano family directly. Reviews frequently mention conversations with Pete, who takes time to explain the restaurant’s history.
This personal touch creates loyalty that transcends typical customer relationships. When you eat at Romano’s, you’re not just buying food; you’re participating in a family story that spans nearly a century of American culinary history and immigrant success.
BYOB Italian Dining Experience
Romano’s operates as a BYOB establishment, allowing customers to bring their favorite wines to pair with Italian classics. This policy creates a relaxed, personal dining experience reminiscent of home gatherings.
You can select the perfect wine for your stromboli without paying restaurant markup prices.
The casual atmosphere makes everyone feel welcome. Tables with red checkered cloths fill the space, while memorabilia covering the walls tells Romano’s history through photographs and news clippings.
Families with children sit beside couples on date nights, everyone enjoying the same authentic food.
This isn’t fancy white-tablecloth dining with pretentious service. Instead, Romano’s offers genuine Italian-American hospitality where servers like Brea, Marissa, and Kelley treat customers like extended family.
The staff remembers regular customers, asks about your day, and ensures you’re satisfied without being intrusive.
Location near Philadelphia International Airport makes Romano’s perfect for visitors and locals alike. Many travelers stop here before or after flights, grabbing a taste of authentic Philadelphia food.
The BYOB policy, combined with affordable prices marked with a single dollar sign on Google, means you can enjoy a memorable meal without breaking your budget while experiencing true Philadelphia Italian-American dining culture.
Recognition and Awards – 2024 Herr’s Contest Victory
Winning Herr’s “Flavored by Philly” contest in 2024 brought Romano’s well-deserved recognition beyond their local community. This competition celebrates Philadelphia’s most iconic foods, and Romano’s stromboli beat out numerous worthy competitors.
The victory validated what customers have known for decades—this is truly special food worth celebrating.
Success led to exciting partnerships, including a deal with Subaru Park and the Philadelphia Union soccer team. Now fans can enjoy authentic Romano’s strombolis at games, introducing thousands of new customers to this legendary sandwich.
The exposure has been tremendous for a restaurant that once relied solely on word-of-mouth.
Television appearances have documented Romano’s story repeatedly. The restaurant keeps compilation videos showing various media features, from local news segments to national food programs.
Each appearance introduces new audiences to the stromboli birthplace and Nazzereno Romano’s immigrant success story.
These accolades haven’t changed the restaurant’s core values or recipes. The Romano family remains humble, viewing awards as recognition of their grandfather’s legacy rather than personal achievement.
They continue operating the same way they always have—making food exactly as Nazzereno taught them, treating every customer like family, and maintaining quality standards that earned them this recognition in the first place.
Take-Home Frozen Stromboli Program
Missing Romano’s strombolis when you’re not near Essington is no longer a problem. The family recently opened a USDA-certified facility in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, producing frozen take-home versions available at over 30 locations throughout the Philadelphia area.
This expansion allows fans to enjoy authentic Romano’s strombolis from their home ovens.
The frozen versions maintain the same quality as restaurant-prepared strombolis. Same recipe, same ingredients, same artisan bread—just frozen for convenience.
Customers simply bake them at home following provided instructions, and within minutes they’re eating strombolis that taste remarkably close to the restaurant experience.
One dedicated customer ships strombolis all the way to The Villages in Florida, ensuring fellow Eagles fans can enjoy authentic Philadelphia food during game days. This demonstrates the lengths people go to maintain their connection to Romano’s, even when living hundreds of miles away from Essington.
This frozen program represents smart business evolution. The Romano family recognized that demand exceeded their restaurant capacity, and customers wanted to bring strombolis home for parties and gatherings.
By creating a wholesale operation while maintaining their restaurant, they’ve ensured more people can experience Nazzereno’s creation without compromising the quality that made them famous over seven decades ago.