A flavorful farewell for an Omaha pizza place

Johnny Sortino's closed last month after 60 years in business

Let’s have a moment of silence for the passing of one of Omaha’s premier pizza houses, Johnny Sortino’s.

The family-owned restaurant opened in 1965 and closed its doors in May. With the owners retiring, the next generation didn’t want to take over the business. (I’m always hopeful that when a restaurant closes, a new owner will take over with the same recipes and cooking methods.)

I visited Omaha last month to get a tasty sample of this legendary pizza before it was shuttered.

The Johnny Sortino’s sign and chef image outside the Omaha restaurant. (Photo by John Naughton.)

I expected a decent crowd, but the place had perhaps 50 people waiting at lunchtime to order pizza, pasta and onion rings. Wow!

I hadn’t seen so many Italian mourners in a line since Pope Francis died.

But when I tasted the pizza, I understood. The Hockey Player pizza (Italian sausage, mushrooms and extra cheese), presumably named for the slang name of a turnover in that sport, was my choice.

A small was a substantial pie! Served so hot out of the oven that I had to let it cool before eating. The crust was crispy on the bottom and sturdy enough that it didn’t wilt under the toppings. The sausage was well seasoned and flavorful. The mushrooms added a contrasting texture and the cheese was a layer of melty, stretchy paradise.

The pizza was sliced in squares, a popular method of cutting — Tavern style.

The Hockey Player pizza, a small (!) pie with Italian sausage, mushrooms and extra cheese. (Photo by John Naughton.)

I didn’t try the pasta, but I saw people ordering spaghetti with huge meatballs. The onion rings appeared large and crispy.