LONG BEACH, CA — When Domenico’s first opened on June 28, 1954, founder Domenico Spano had to include instructions on how to eat pizza on the restaurant’s menu.
“Pick it up in your hands to eat it. Your waitress will be glad to show you the proper way,” the original menu read. “Not only does this make it easier to handle, it adds to the flavor.”
Seventy years later, Domenico’s Italian Restaurant is still serving the Long Beach community as the oldest restaurant in the city and one of the first to serve pizza in California. Current owner Mike Rhodes said the secret to the restaurant’s success lies in tradition and loyalty.
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Rhodes told Patch he has seen generations of families come in yearly to celebrate holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. The restaurant’s dedication to keeping the recipe and menu the same as it was at the start has helped Domenico’s stand the test of time, Rhodes said.
“The tradition is kind of passed on from generation to generation, which is very cool.,”Rhodes said. ” it’s nice to know that we’re we have that place in families, traditions.”
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To celebrate the milestone, Domenico’s is offering one-day-only anniversary pricing and pizza giveaways on Friday. The first 100 guests after 5 p.m. will receive a free pizza certificate and select menu items will be priced at $19.54, a nod to Dominico’s inception year.
City officials and the Belmont Shore Business Association will also be honoring the restaurant’s history by naming the alleyway behind the restaurant Domenico’s Drive, Rhodes said. The sign will be unveiled on Friday.
“I don’t know if they’ve ever done that before, but it’s pretty special that they would do that,” Rhodes said.
Just three years ago, Domenico’s opened a sister restaurant on Lake Mission Viejo in Orange County. Dominico’s on the Lake was created to meet the needs of the growing supporter base which had spread to wider communities.
Rhodes said customers tell him they still drive to eat at Domenico’s Long Beach to get a taste of the uniquely crafted pizzas. Domenico’s puts the cheese on the crust before the sauce, a departure from a typical slice in California.
The restaurant is also known for using ground versions of pepperoni and other meats rather than slices. Since the beginning, Domenico’s has been going to the same company to source the meats that has pledged to keep all the recipes the same.
“We are committed to our recipes, and keeping the experience the same, day in and day out, has been our hallmark,” Rhodes said. “We thank our patrons from Long Beach and beyond for immortalizing our decades-long relationship with our guests.”
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