Cirillo’s was born from Robert (Bob) Mersereau Jr. love for his family and his passion for cooking. His father, Robert Mersereau Sr., was born in 1942 and grew up in Philadelphia Catholic orphanages. At the age of 12 he was adopted by the Mersereau Family. Always wondering about who his real mother was and her story, he searched for her aimlessly, only to discover she had sadly passed away just six months prior to his discovery. Her name was Josephine Cirillo.
To honor Josephine Cirillo and Robert Mersereau Sr., Bob Merserau. Jr. opened Cirillo’s Artisan Pizza restaurant where family is celebrated daily! Cirillo’s sits on the corner of West Market and New Street in the Borough of West Chester. There you can catch Josephine’s great grandsons and Bob waiting on folks with a smile.
Zukin Realty is proud to call Cirillo’s a Commercial Partner. We recently interviewed Bob Mersereau Jr. and here’s what he had to share.
Cirillo’s Artisan Pizza – A Family Legacy
Note: All Images Property of Cirillo’s Pizza
What brought you to West Chester PA?
I grew up in West Chester. Started in the Borough when I was younger, I lived in West Goshen. Attend St Agnes for grade school (class of 84), and then Bishop Shanahan when it was in the borough. Class of 88. It feels like coming home to me.
In the past 10 years, West Chester, PA has truly become a destination city for food and nightlife, and some of it’s best eateries have amazing pizza.
What makes Cirillo’s Artisan Pizza unique?
No one has our layers of flavor so we feel that sets us apart. We have some pretty unique pizza toppings too! From the pickle to the pear… it’s all a flavor party in your mouth.
If you had to choose one pizza off your menu that you believe is absolutely “lights out…a must try,” which one would you choose and why?
My favorite is the Cubano which is why we added it to the menu. We took the flavors of our awesome Cuban sandwich and made it into a pizza. Swiss cheese, our homemade citrus marinated pork, ham, pickles, our mozzarella white cheddar blend and a spicy mustard swirl on top. It’s the ultimate Cubano pizza and it’s been a big hit!
In these challenging times, there have been so many amazing stories of the community rallying around small businesses. How has the West Chester community responded to supporting Cirillo’s Artisan Pizza?
The response to our change of concept has been overwhelming from the West Chester community. We could have never anticipated the outpouring of new customers and ended up selling out by 5-6pm on our first few Fridays. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
What excites you about the future of West Chester in the next 5 to 10 years?
I’ve watched this town grow by leaps and bounds for the last half century of my life. It’s growth is amazing. I can only imagine where it will be in the next 5-10 years. Hopefully Covid free and many growing thriving businesses!
Any closing thoughts you’d like to share?
For as long as I remember I loved making pizza, especially for my family. This passion has led me to change direction at this location and return to my roots making Artisan pizzas by hand. Creating layers of flavor that comes from a mix of unique fresh ingredients is my passion and I am excited to share it with you! So stop in, there is always something cooking and we’re here waiting for you and your family!
Picutred here is Josephine Cirillo, mother of Robert Mersereau Sr. Josphine passed just 6 months before Robert Mersereau Sr. had the chance to meet her. This post is dedicated to her.
