Written by Wheeling Park High School’s Ella Mae Wheeler. Ella is a contributing writer to The Park Press.
A Family Recipe Rooted in Tradition
While Wheeling continues to expand and rise with new businesses, a new restaurant rolls in bringing something fresh and exciting—literally. New to Wheeling, but not new to the taste buds of Ohio Valley locals, Fabio’s Pizza is the latest addition to downtown’s rapid surge of food options, serving up slices of “Almost Heaven” with a sprinkle of family tradition.
Fabio’s isn’t like any other pizzeria. After years of success in St. Clairsville, the family-owned and operated business made the leap to Wheeling. Following years of planning and construction, the store was finally ready to begin its next chapter.
Marianne Cracolici, family member and operator of the restaurant, shared the story behind the name and the evolution of the business.“Fabio’s is actually named after my little brother Fabio. Our family’s original restaurant, formally operated as Scotto’s when we were in the mall, was actually a small franchise that had unfortunately gone out of business. So our family decided to revamp what we had and put our own spin on things, and that’s how Fabio’s Pizza was established,” said Cracolici.
A Flavor Locals Already Love
Walking into Fabio’s, you’re greeted not just by the warm aroma of pizza, but by the warmth of community and a dash of nostalgia. Whether you grew up in Wheeling or St. Clairsville, one thing that connects both towns is the authenticity of Fabio’s Pizza.
“I like their stuff because there’s no other pizza place around here that tastes like that, and I feel like it’s homemade,”
— Adeline Schimnoski
Mr. Beltrondo, a history teacher at WPHS and longtime customer from his days working at the AT&T store in the mall, shared his take:
“I like that they have tons of different options, and the fact that you can buy it by the slice is pretty amazing,” said Beltrondo.
Fabio’s reputation isn’t the only thing that’s stayed constant—its menu has barely changed from its original glory.
“The restaurant industry is constantly changing, and there is always a new trend. We really try to keep things as old school as possible—if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. That doesn’t mean that we’re not adding things to our menu, but we won’t be drastically changing anything that made us great,” said Cracolici.
Growing Into Their New Home Downtown
Even though the Wheeling storefront is now open, Fabio’s still has big plans for the future.
“Even though the restaurant is open, the building itself is still under construction. In time, we plan to finish sometime next year with adding the upper floor windows, expanding our separate bar area with an additional menu, and a rentable event space upstairs for parties and gatherings,” said Cracolici.
Beltrondo added:
“I’ve already been two or three times. And you know, looking forward to going more.”
While Fabio’s may be family-owned and operated, their staff—no matter what family they come from—plays a huge role in what makes the restaurant shine.
“The staff we have at Fabio’s is absolutely phenomenal. And although we may not all be family by blood, we’re such a tight-knit group—we’re definitely all family. There are so many memories we’ve made together through the years, so it’s hard to narrow down just a few,” said Cracolici.
So the next time you’re driving through downtown Wheeling, make sure you take a pit stop and try a slice (or two) at Fabio’s Pizza!
