A New Chapter for Varsity Pizza

Iconic Syracuse pizzeria, Varsity, changes ownership after 100 years.

If you’ve spent time at Syracuse, you probably have a memory at Varsity. Maybe it’s grabbing a slice between classes, meeting friends after a football game or stopping in when you’re back on campus. That’s why the news about the restaurant feels bigger than a typical business handoff.

After 100 years with the Dellas family, Brian and Renee Bruno are set to take over Varsity’s operations on Dec. 1. The Brunos, who own Brian’s Landing, say they plan to keep the staff, recipes and traditions people know.

The Start

Long before Varsity was known for pizza, Jerry Dellas sold popcorn and peanuts on Marshall Street. He had come to the United States from Greece. In 1926, he bought a house nearby and turned it into the Varsity Coffee Shop and Deli.

Here’s something I didn’t realize: pizza wasn’t added until 1971. By then, Jerry’s sons had carried on the business. His grandsons, cousins Jerry and John Dellas, later became the third generation to run it.

Varsity has been a staple for students and the greater Syracuse community for a century.

What now?

Over the years, Varsity became tied to Syracuse sports as well as campus life. After an Orange football win, the opposing team’s pennant gets flipped upside down. It has become so iconic that Alumni make it a point to come back decades later and still recognize the place. It is a place filled with nostalgia and unforgettable memories.

That’s what makes this change interesting. The Brunos say they want to preserve what makes Varsity feel like Varsity. We’ll see what the handoff looks like after Dec. 1, but the family’s century on the Hill deserves a moment of appreciation.