Pizzeria Owner Finds Success Through Family Attitude

When it comes to authenticity, Roberto Bommarito of on Gravois takes the cake, or should I say pie? After nearly five years owning his business, Bommarito knows the secret to success.

“It’s the people. Affton is a small community, and we draw from the surrounding areas. We have very loyal and regular clientele,” he said. And after speaking with Bommarito, it is easy to see why people keep coming back.

Born in Sicily in 1967, Bommarito grew up making all sorts of Italian dishes the old-fashioned way with his father and brother, from scratch and without measurements. In 1972, at the age of five, Bommarito moved to Illinois with his family, and then to St. Louis, where his father opened Giuseppe’s Pizza in Brentwood in 1976. Years later, the family opened up Bommarito’s Restaurant on the Hill, which ran successfully for 18.5 years.

Bommarito’s experience of working closely with his family throughout his childhood, along with the time he spent studying books to learn the art of cooking, helped develop his keen eye for ingredients and knowledge of food. It also enabled him to become head chef of Bommarito’s in 1986.

In 1999, Bommarito’s father passed, and he decided to get out of the restaurant business. After six years of working in sales, his passion for pizza propelled him back into the industry. In 2006, he opened Bommarito’s Pizzeria, showcasing delicious and authentic Italian cuisine for the community.

“My father always used the best line of products in his cooking. Not a lot has changed here,” Bommarito said.

In fact, several of the recipes used are family recipes passed down from father to son.

“You start with something good, you stay with it,” Bommarito said. "This restaurant is a reflection of me, so I take it very seriously."

A husband and father of three, Bommarito takes great pride in his roots and treats his employees and customers like family. He spends a great deal of time at the restaurant to ensure customers are receiving quality food.

Bommarito has pictures lined up of past employees from throughout the last five years. He stressed that his restaurant employees create a family-like environment. Quite a few of his past employees have gone on to join the military, and many of them still stop by on leave, before even making it home, to say hello to him.

“I get very emotional when talking about it. But we are like a family here,” Bommarito said. “To think these kids come here before heading home because they miss me.”