Since September 2000, three things have been certain in the life of a Clemson student: loads of schoolwork, drunken nights and Todaro Pizza being open to offer you a slice after a late night out.
When Chris Todaro arrived on campus in 1995, he was disappointed to find that the food options were much more limited than those of his native New Jersey, where his parents owned a pizza place.
“In that corridor… you have… where you get your bagels, where you get your Chinese food and where you get your pizza. I just didn’t think there was a where to get your pizza around here,” Todaro told The Tiger in an interview.
For a university with many New Jersey natives, students understand that pizza is one of the most crucial aspects of the food scheme. Up north, you go down the boardwalk to grab one of the best slices in town, and ultimately, Clemson was missing that. Until Todaro’s was opened.
There was a gap in the market because “at Clemson there was… no independent, good pizza place… that you can go to consistently,” Todaro said.
Todaro and his business partner visited his parents in New Jersey for the Fourth of July in 2000 and realized that a pizza place was exactly what Clemson needed.
Sept. 19 will mark 26 years of their being in business together. Not only does Todaro offer a thin crust pie that many Northern students yearn for, but they also have incredible deals. Customers often form a line snaking around the corner.
Monday night, customers can get $5 off a large pizza. Wednesday is Dollar Slice Night. Each slice is only $1 from 6-9 p.m. Thursdays, and they offer 50% off garlic knots from 8 p.m.-midnight.
Most nights of the week, they are open past midnight. These hours make them easily accessible to students out past 10 p.m., when other options close.
Their small storefront on Sloan Street, right off College Avenue, puts them in close proximity to many of the bars that make up Clemson’s nightlife scene. While it is small, it is always jam-packed throughout the night.
“Todaros is the best drunk food for its convenient location downtown between several bars,” Dominic Henriquez, a senior sociology major, told The Tiger in an interview.
Henriquez explained that on late nights out, he goes to Todaro’s right before he heads to the Red Route for a good bite to eat before going to bed. He also noted that while Todaro’s does have great pizza, the secret goodies are the garlic knots.
Good pizza and the late-night crowd go hand in hand, Todaro noted. There is nothing a college student craves more than greasy food after having a few — or a few too many.
New York-style pizza is the perfect option. It’s casual, inexpensive and covered with a layer of grease you might just have to take a napkin to. The slices are so large that you’ll need to fold them in half.
If that’s not exactly what you’re craving, Todaro has an extensive menu. They offer a variety of pizza styles, including stuffed pizzas packed with mozzarella.
Although there is nothing like a good old plain slice, their menu is creative. Specialty pizzas include: chicken and broccoli fra diavolo (of the devil), the Greek, pizza bandera and BBQ chicken pizza.
Like any good neighborhood pizza place, they have delicious calzones and stromboli. Customers can order a regular-sized calzone, a small one called a “zonie,” or a “MONSTER” version of the original calzone called a “SUPER calzone.” Stromboli are stuffed with mozzarella and offer multiple meat and vegetable options.
If you’re looking for something a bit greener, they have a variety of salads such as garden salad, grilled chicken salad and a Caesar salad.
For bread lovers, Todaro offers garlic knots and breadsticks. There is nothing like garlic butter oozing out of a cardboard box full of goodies that you can share with friends. In the past few years, they have expanded their menu to include gluten-free pizza and breadsticks for those with allergies and dietary restrictions.
Todaro Pizza has become Clemson’s local pizza joint, and no one is complaining about it. Especially not the dozens of college students who visit every night.
Hours:
Mon: 11 a.m.-Midnight
Tue: 11 a.m.-1 a.m.
Wed-Sat: 11 a.m.-3 a.m.
Sun: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Address:
105 Sloan St.
Clemson, SC 29631
Phone: (864) 654-3001
www.todaropizza.com // @todaropizza (Instagram) // @todaropizza (Facebook)
