Belleview Pizza Bites the Crust, Community Left in Mourning 

By Bryce Abshier – Contact Bryce@VoiceofSouthMarion.com

The South Marion community was heartbroken by the sudden closure of Belleview Pizza, a beloved eatery that had served the area for over 50 years. The news spread quickly after a large banner reading “CLOSED PERMANENTLY” appeared on the building Monday. 

The community was stunned. For over 50 years, Belleview Pizza had been a local landmark, with patrons often waiting in long lines for a taste of their famous Italian dishes. Now, it was gone forever. Multiple attempts to reach the Manserra family, the operators of the restaurant, for comment were unsuccessful. 

A kitchen employee of nine years recounted his last day at Belleview Pizza. on Sunday, June 2. ”I finished my shift, clocked out, and my day off was on Monday,” he explained. As Belleview Pizza enthusiasts well know, the restaurant was always closed on Mondays. “I got a phone call at about 10:00 AM on Monday,” the employee explained. It was Dave Manserra, the restaurant operator calling him, who explained that he had bad news – the  restaurant was closing. 

While no explicit reason was given for the sudden closure, the employee speculated on several contributing factors. “The business wasn’t the same after COVID,” he said. The restaurant, once having regular 45-minute wait times for indoor dining, never fully bounced back. 

The employee also believed many repairs to the building were needed, including a costly new roof, which only exacerbated the problems.

That wasn’t all, though. “The oven was quite old, and we needed a new one,” he explained. Reportedly, Dave Manserra did purchase a new oven for his business, which was quite an expense, only to learn that it would not fit inside the building. They would need to cut into a wall to make it fit, but it never happened, as it was a load-bearing wall. 

Perhaps the final nail in the coffin were rising supply costs. While prices would fluctuate, the employee outlined how some ingredients, like anchovy toppings, increased at times by 300%. With all of this headache, according to this one longtime employee, the ownership probably decided it was best to throw in the towel. His only complaint was the lack of notice given to employees, who were laid off immediately.

Unfortunately, despite several attempts to reach members of the Manserra family via phone and social media, no comment was available to corroborate these speculations.

The people of South Marion County now lament the loss of another cherished sit-down restaurant. Belleview Pizza was founded by the Leo family in the mid-1970s, with owners John and Sylvia, as well as their daughter Gina. The Leo family continued their ownership until 1995, when John and Sylvia retired. The restaurant was then acquired by the Manserra family, who have operated the restaurant for nearly 30 years. Belleview Pizza will be deeply missed, but its legacy will continue to live on in the memories of all who dined there.