GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — It’s a name that has become synonymous with West Michigan — Fricano.
13 Eats producers asked viewers what their favorite pizza place in the area is. After sifting through over 1,000 comments, our hungry reporter Riley Mack made it her mission to visit the top three.
Her first stop may not be much of a surprise.
History
"Fricano's opened August 29, 1949," said the owner of the Grand Haven pizza tavern.
Giving a behind-the-scenes look at the West Michigan classic is a woman with a last name you may find familiar.
Jeanne Fricano owns and operates the historic inaugural Fricano's location. She came to the job with a good resume — she grew up in this very restaurant.
“My dad started Fricano’s. He came back from the army and he knew he wanted to be self-employed," said Jeanne. "So, he went into business here. He started out as a bar, and he needed something to boost the business."
While Grandma Fricano said steak was what Americans wanted for dinner, Jeanne's father, Cosimo ‘Gus’ Fricano, was insistent on an Italian favorite. And thank goodness he was.
He was the one to first introduce pizza to West Michigan.
"And that is how the pizza became established here at Fricano's Pizza Tavern," smiled Jeanne.
The Vibe
In this city that’s always growing, you can count on Fricano’s as a place where time stands still.
Dim, warm lighting lines the walls in antique fixtures. Red checkered table clothes coat each table. A menu that doubles as a placemat is front and center at every polished wood seat. All pizza is served with a stack of paper plates and napkins.
“Nothing has changed. We don't substitute. Prices go up, we still continue with the same five toppings and the same cheese and crust," said Jeanne.
“Some staff have been here 40 plus years. So, it's not just the pizza. I think it's the atmosphere. It's the tradition, the building where people feel at home and comfortable," she said.
What may make Fricano’s so beloved after all these years — nostalgia.
"It's amazing how this restaurant just continues to flourish. Very, very fortunate to have our local following. They keep us going every year, year after year," Jeanne said.
And nostalgia is that more potent thanks to that tried-and-true pizza.
“Our pizza is special because it is unique. Our crust is homemade. Our sausage is our own seasoning mix. We have our cheese, which is very secretive. It's still made using the same five ingredients that this pizza was founded on."
A relaxed atmosphere is enhanced by a relaxed menu.
“We only have the one size, we only have 12 inch, we only have a thin crust. That's what we've always had and that's what we always will have," said Jeanne.
Their most popular pizza choice? An Everything but the Anchovy Pizza ($16.11). That's their classic thin crust with a secret sauce, their famous cheese, pepperoni, mushroom, green pepper and a sausage mix you can't find anywhere else in the world.
“The only other thing you could put on a pizza here at Fricano’s is an anchovy and we sell a lot of anchovies," laughed Jeanne.
Review
Opening a Fricano's pizza box containing their most popular pizza, you first see a colorful array of toppings and a toasty brown crust lifting from the cardboard unevenly around the edges. Grease pools in the oven-baked pepperoni slices and the smell of fresh-baked cheese and Italian seasoning overwhelms you.
As a pizza fiend, I have to tell you, it's quite the sight.
The crust is as thin as I could imagine, but somehow withstands the smattering of delicious toppings. The cheese is baked to perfect and pulls in delectable strings from the slice to your mouth. The blend is creamy and light with a sweet tomato sauce.
Their sausage is exactly what they advertise it as — unique. The heavy meat with a touch of spice makes for a perfect bite with the light, crunchy green onions and the small smattering of sweet marinara.
Getting to the end of the slice drives it all home — the magnificent crunch of the paper-thin crust with the tangy sauce and crusty edge of the baked cheese. That'll make you want to come back for more.
Fricano's pizza tastes special. I love the personal-size and how they are confident in what works for them. The biggest draw for me is not so much the taste, though it is fantastic, it's that there's a bit of history in every bite. That's what makes me take pride in the West Michigan institution, and what would make me return again and again.
Final thoughts
While every slice makes you feel like part of the Fricano family, they don’t feel a need for all the frills.
“We are always, always honored by being voted top pizza in Michigan. We're not trying to win anyone over. We just want to continue putting out the best product, the best pizza, and the pizza. And the name for itself really is just a winning combination," said Jeanne.
It helps to have that secret ingredient — tradition.
"I have a strong passion to maintain my father's legacy. And I strive every day and every night to make sure that that legacy continues on just as he and my uncle would want it to be."
The same recipe as 70 years ago served to a full dining room — this is what it looks like when pizza runs in the family.
“People like consistency, and that's what we're about," smiled Jeanne.
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