Servin’ Up a Slice of History
by Cate Murway

It’s GiGi’s Pizza Restaurant now.
The owner Dolores M. Nowicki and her son, John Anthony take pride in what they do, continuing to serve high quality food. The great reputation speaks for itself.

































The location at 388 Bristol Pike has long been serving slices of the right pie at the right place.
Luigi and Giovannina [Scattolini] Ciccanti emigrated from Italy and it was their son, Armando Ciccanti [1919- 1989] who opened Chic’s Pizza on his birthday, October 19th in 1957.
Pizza is “sole nel piatto”—sun on the plate!
Sheet cake and coffee was shared with his customers, as they celebrated each year.

Chic and his wife, Doris M. [Iorio] raised their three children, Louis Charles, Marianne Bourke and Joanne in historic Bristol on the Delaware, and at one time, resided on Pine Grove Street.
The youngest, Joanne Ciccanti Venturino, named for her paternal grandmother, Giovannina, fondly recalls helping to prepare pizza boxes when she was just 4 years old. She remembers that their neighbors, the Roarty family, often helped in their pizza shop.





























Chic was previously employed as a tow motor operator at Rohm & Haas, Bristol plant, before venturing into entrepreneurship. He originally started his business with a cousin Al “little Chic” who had already been making pizzas at the Bristol House. 

Chic would open at 6:00 a.m. Her mother, an accomplished seamstress, who loved to cook Italian meals for her family and friends, would go to their store in the afternoon while her dad rested. Chic would return and work until midnight. 
“My dad was strict and disciplined with a strong nature and morals. Very old school Italian and he taught me well. He was very family oriented.”
Meatballs simmered to perfection in the homemade sauce.
The proprietor of Bristol Blitz, Gary Paul reminisced, “I loved the meatball sandwiches.”























Chic’s had pinball machines and jukeboxes, “just like 'Happy Days' ”, per Joanne. She competed with all the boys as the “pinball queen”.
Gary Paul was hired as a kid to grate the cheese.
Chic made him whistle while he worked. “So he knew I wasn’t eating the cheese!”
The medium pie sold for $ .85 and the large pie set you back $1.10.
Crowds packed in to eat their meals served on heavy, white, green rimmed platter dishes at the counter, or they sat around the Formica topped metal edged pedestal tables. 
Many of them met their spouses there. 
Joanne worked at Chic’s Pizza for about ten years before the Ciccanti’s sold their family business in 1995.

GiGi’s Pizza Restaurant is now a mother and son operation.
Dolores Nowicki attended Dental School to become an expanded functions dental assistant and earned her RE license before entering the food industry. 
“It was my son’s idea to open a pizza place.”
John worked in several restaurants and learned how to make pizza as well as preparing fine dining cuisine at numerous exclusive establishments. 
“I always made pizza pie at home for his birthday parties.”

Their specialties include marinated fresh chicken breast cheese steaks; chicken, veal or eggplant parmigiana, vodka penne, stuffed shells, cheese ravioli and an assortment of fried seafoods.
Pizza dough is made fresh daily and the pre-ordered catering trays have proven very popular with a selection of salads, mixed hoagies, cold wraps, and breakfast sandwiches.
Per continued loyal customer Gary Paul, “The cheese steak hoagie pizza is excellent!”
They serve 8 oz. burgers and 10 oz. cheesteaks and keep the prices competitive.
“Our food is just better. It’s not arrogance. It’s confidence”, John firmly stated.
Give eggplant parm a twist. Call ahead for his absolutely awesome eggplant rollatini!

Dolores truly appreciates her Borough location. “The location is great; easily accessible.”
She is pleased with the community’s ongoing revitalization. 
Her plans include joining the Bristol Borough Business Association and GiGi’s Pizza helped with sponsorship for the BHS football team by purchasing an ad for their logoed t-shirts.

Pizza rules here at GiGi’s. Few other dishes offer the intense, primal satisfaction and gutsy homage of pizza with condimenti [toppings]. Delicious vegetables ensure a delectable touch of freshness. Pizza flourishes globally not just as its own food group but as something more of an edible life force. Everything tastes better on pizza!
Grab a slice. Pizza satisfies our collective craving for exemplary doughy crunch, char, and goo, with the bright kick of tomato.

Mention this “Spotlight” and receive 10% discount on your purchase.
Veterans are always entitled to a 10% discount. 
Taxes are already included in the prices.

BYOB
Lunch and dinner menus and a great selection of refreshing salads are available. Don’t forget to leave some room for dessert.
Choose among selections including rum or coffee flavored Italian tiramisù, homemade pumpkin roll, Sicilian pastry cannolis, deep-fried zeppolis, classic cheesecake and Italian water ices.
WI-FI network connection is available.
Open 7 days a week for your convenience and GiGi’s offers DINE IN, PICK UP & DELIVERY.

Monday- Wednesday  11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Thursday & Friday  11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Saturday  noon- 11:00 p.m.
Sunday  noon- 10:00 p.m.

GiGi’s Pizza Restaurant
388 Bristol Pike
Bristol, PA  19007
215.788.5750

Chic with his daughter, Joanne [Ciccanti] Venturino
CLOSED JANUARY 2014
Chic [21] April 7, 1940