Ciro Pizza Café: Celebrating 25 Years of Chamber Membership
By Danielle Wiseman, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce
Ciro Pizza Cafe, also known as Ciro’s, is a family owned and operated restaurant committed to delivering quality food and exceptional service. At the corner of Huguenot Avenue and Hawley Avenue, Ciro’s is a staple of Staten Island, serving the south shore for 25 years and counting.
Ciro Pizza Cafe is the true embodiment of a local small business, at the heart of which is the family that runs it. The Pappalardo family has been in the restaurant business since 1960, when brothers Giuseppe and Pasquale Pappalardo moved from Naples, Italy to Staten Island and opened the now-famous Joe & Pat’s Pizzeria & Restaurant. In 1962, the remaining seven Pappalardo siblings immigrated to the United States. Many of the siblings, including Ciro Pappalardo, began working at Joe & Pat’s, slowly building what would become one of the most reputable pizzerias in New York.
The idea for Ciro’s came about in 1996 when John Piscopo, Ciro Pappalardo’s brother-in-law and good friend, approached him about opening another location. “From time to time, I would ask Ciro why his family never expanded the business; they already had a tremendous operation that everyone loved, so why not? Ciro would tell me that he wasn’t sure if his brothers wanted to expand but that he always did,” reminisced Piscopo. “We were probably sitting around, eating dinner and having a drink, when one day I told Ciro that I was interested in going into business with him, and that was all it took. Ciro went to work right away looking for a location.”
Finding a restaurant space on the south shore was crucial for Pappalardo and Piscopo, who were adamant about not wanting to compete with Joe & Pat’s. Piscopo, who at the time had been working on Wall Street for twelve years, also stressed the importance of owning their future property. These two factors led the brothers-in-law to 862 Huguenot Avenue.
“Ciro and I went out on a Saturday morning and had breakfast at the former Huguenot Diner,” says Piscopo. “We were introduced to the owners, the Markatos family, and had a conversation about selling the property. At the time, we couldn’t come to an agreement, but they came back to us about fifteen months later to ask if we were still interested. We had breakfast with them again, came to an agreement, and finally purchased 862 Huguenot Avenue.”
Following a vast renovation completed in just over a year, Ciro’s officially opened in July of 1998. “I was still working in financial services when we opened, so Ciro and his wife, Pauline, handled the majority of the build-out,” adds Piscopo. “We didn’t advertise at all. The Advance put out an article that Ciro’s was coming soon, and the day we opened, the customers welcomed Ciro’s with open arms. We immediately did well.”
With Pappalardo at the helm of the business, handling everything from baking the pies to running the register, and Piscopo operating as a silent partner, Ciro’s clientele grew steadily. As a result of their success and quickly growing business, Piscopo left his job on Wall Street in 2000 to co-operate Ciro’s full-time. With Pappalardo and Piscopo working together every day, Ciro’s flourished, establishing their reputation on Staten Island with fresh ingredients, delicious recipes, and a staff that treats you like family.
“I worked with businesses on Wall Street for a long time, but I’ve never met anyone who knew their business like Ciro did,” says Piscopo. “He knew the restaurant better than the back of his hand, and he poured his heart and soul into it every single day.”
In February of 2022, Ciro Pappalardo was tragically lost to an illness. Despite his passing, Pappalardo’s legacy lives on through the community that he built at Ciro’s and on Staten Island. “We have been very fortunate in developing a consistent customer base; some of our patrons are like an extended part of our family. We are grateful for the loyalty conveyed not only by those who frequent our business but also by our staff,” adds Pauline Pappalardo. “We are proud of the community that we have become a part of, and we will be honoring Ciro with a street naming ceremony on October 6th.”
Today, Ciro’s is run by Piscopo and Pappalardo’s son, Casey Pappalardo, who has taken on his father’s role in stride. Piscopo and Pappalardo are also co-owners of the Joe & Pat’s Pizzeria on First Avenue in Manhattan.
This year, Ciro’s is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. Joining the Staten Island Chamber was a no-brainer for Pappalardo and Piscopo, who were both eager to show their support for the community that they grew up in.
“We’re proud to be Chamber members for as long as we have,” emphasizes Piscopo. “The Chamber constantly sends out information that we take advantage of, and we know that the Chamber is always there if we need them.”
Congratulations to Ciro Pizza Cafe on 25 years of membership, and we look forward to supporting you in the future!
