Torterelli’s Spins Artistic Pizzas

February 21, 2010
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Torterelli's, home of the big dough and bigger smiles.

Torterelli's, home of the big dough and bigger smiles.

While Jeff Tortorelli is a liturgical artist, nationally known for creating beautiful furnishings for churches and cathedrals, his son Nick is fast becoming a well-known local pizza artisan as owner of Tortorelliā€™s pizzeria on Foothill in San Dimas.

Opened last April, Tortorelliā€™s offers delicious, hand-tossed pizzas, using locally produced deli meats and vegetables.

ā€œOur pizza is the best in the west because we use the freshest ingredients,ā€ says Nick, also a local product who graduated from San Dimas High School in 1999.

Although Nick grew up around a kitchen table filled with popular Italian fare, such as spaghetti, ravioli, linguini, lasagna and antipasti salad — all items on his menu — he didnā€™t think heā€™d be making his living in the kitchen. At Cal State Monterey Bay, he majored in social and behavioral science. After graduation, he gravitated toward his fatherā€™s business, specializing in wrought iron work. Business was good until the real estate market sank faster than a yeastlessĀ pizza, and clients were more worried about making their next mortgage payment than enhancing their homes with the beauty of wrought iron.

After a short stint in sales, he and his finance, Sara Blackwell, decided to take the money they had set aside for their wedding and invest in starting a pizzeria. The former Matteoā€™s at the southeast corner of Foothill and San Dimas Canyon was up for sale, and Nick successfully negotiated to buy the equipment and furnishings and take over the lease.

After hanging up his new sign, building a new bar and re-painting the place, Tortorelliā€™s has been winning over customers one pizza, pasta dish or sandwich at a time.

Local Realtor Chris MacAulay is a frequent customer. ā€œIā€™m from Boston, so I really appreciate a local pizzeria, where the food is delicious, authenticĀ and the menu is reasonably priced.ā€

Doing business in the community, Nick is reconnecting with many friends and acquaintances. ā€œThatā€™s the best part,ā€ says Nick. ā€œIā€™ve met so many incredible people over the last year. Thatā€™s what I love most about the restaurant business ā€“ meeting great people and developing new friendships.”

Great food, great people, great prices.

Tortorelliā€™s, open Tuesday through Sunday, is located at 714 E. Foothill in San Dimas in the Chozen Karate shopping plaza. For take-out or dine information, call (909) 599-8428. Also, click on LaVerneOnlineā€™s front-page Coupon Button for money-saving coupons.

Nick prepares to flip an extra large pizza one more time.

Nick prepares to flip an extra large pizza one more time.

2 Responses to “Torterelli’s Spins Artistic Pizzas”

  1. Family live in Fox Glenn, Matteo’s was convenient but honestly I would rather drive to LVPC or Red Devil, if not Warehouse. Personally I like this place in Upland called San Biagio’s. However the point of my comment is that whatever Nick has done with the pizza, change the recipe, not sure. He has provided an actual choice that is competitive with the other Pizza Parlor’s in the area. And on a rainy day, you can bet a lot of folks from Fox Glenn will make the call to order a pizza.

  2. great pizza and food,nice place worth a visit!

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