Castello's Pizza | Our Story

# The Story of Castello's Pizza Castello’s Pizza was born in 2009 from a simple but ambitious dream: to build a pizza brand that could grow without ever sacrificing quality. From the beginning, the mission was clear—serve real food made with care and challenge the idea that pizza has to be junk food. The concept originated in Iceland and was shaped by international experience and a passion for quality ingredients. Castello’s was created through the partnership of Einar and Fabio, two people with different backgrounds but the same vision. Einar brought the drive, vision, and menu direction, while Fabio contributed Italian-American experience, flavor balance, and hands-on execution. The original menu was developed by Italians and later adapted to the American palate, creating a unique blend of authenticity, tradition, and accessibility that still defines Castello’s today. The company began growing quickly: • 2009 – Castello’s Pizza was founded • 2012 – Second location opened in South Orlando • August 6, 2013 – Third location opened in Clermont • 2014 – Fourth location opened in East Orlando Across every location, the mission remained the same: use high-quality ingredients and give Floridians a better option. Pizza didn’t have to be fast food—it could be real food. Like many small businesses, Castello’s faced major challenges, including economic pressures, inflation, labor shortages, and eventually COVID-19. The East Orlando and South Orlando locations were permanently closed, but the Windermere and Clermont stores remained. As a family-owned business, Castello’s made the decision to stay open throughout the pandemic. We believed the best way to help the community was to continue serving quality food while doing everything possible to protect ourselves and our customers. There were days when Fabio operated the Windermere location entirely on his own, while his wife managed the Clermont location by herself. Employees were difficult to find, uncertainty was everywhere, and every day brought new challenges. Yet the doors stayed open. During those years, advertising stopped completely. The business survived because of loyal customers who continued to support us when we needed them most. Recovery has been a long process. The restaurant industry changed, and adapting to a new reality became essential. In 2025, Castello’s began investing in growth again—restarting advertising, rebuilding the team, and modernizing operations and branding. Now, in 2026, Castello’s is entering a new chapter. The brand is evolving while staying true to the values that built it: quality ingredients, hands-on ownership, respect for food, and dedication to the community. We may not be where we were before the pandemic, but our goal is no longer recovery. Our goal is to become better than ever. The story of Castello’s Pizza is still being written, and the best chapter is yet to come.