This Brecksville Pizzeria Lives Up To The Cerino Family Name

It would be easy to overlook Ciao! Pizzeria Cerino’s small shop just off the square in downtown Brecksville. But its menu, comprised of recipes created by Carrie Cerino’s grandson Eddie, provides fresh takes on Italian classics that make this a welcome culinary detour. No dining room means you’ll need to plan ahead for carryout. The menu offers more than a dozen pasta dishes, sandwiches and entrees that touch on Italian classics such as baked ravioli ($11 small, $14 large) and chicken parmigiana ($14), while the pizzas span more than a dozen specialty creations ($12.50-$22.50). You’ll find that the small Pancetta & Pomodoro ($12.50) hits a certain sweet spot with the perfect balance of Italian pancetta, tomatoes, caramelized onions, mozzarella, Asiago cheese and fresh basil alongside standout appetizers such as zucchini planks ($8.50) that are perfectly breaded and fried and served with marinara and lemon aioli. Once you hit the half-pound of Italian lemon cookies ($7.50), you’ll be glad you put in the effort to make the trek to this Italian outpost.