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Lost forefathers of pizza in America discovered by Peter Regas. New findings uncover an untold history of early New York City pizzerias. #pizzahistorybook uspizzamuseum.com/2019/02/05/los…
Lombardi’s and John’s on Bleecker Street likely share a previously unknown founder, Fillipo Milone. This image of Milone is from a 1903 advertisement in Il Telegrafo, an Italian language newspaper distributed in NYC. [Peter Regas’ scan/New York Public Library] #pizzahistorybook 
Regas explains, “Filippo Milone likely established pizzerias in at least six locations throughout New York City. Of these locations, three later became famous under different names: ‘Pop’s,’ ‘John’s,’ and ‘Lombardi’s.’… #pizzahistorybook
…Pop’s in Brooklyn closed decades ago, but the other two in Manhattan still exist. Milone, a pioneer in what has become a $45 billion industry, later died in 1924, without children to preserve his story buried in an unmarked grave in Queens.” #pizzahistorybook
Peter Regas discovered this Filippo Milone pizzeria advertisement in the May 9, 1903 issue of Il Telegrafo, an Italian language newspaper published in New York City. [Peter Regas’ scan/New York Public Library] #pizzahistorybook
The documents Regas discovered reveal a pattern of Milone establishing pizzerias—sometimes classified as delicatessens, groceries, or bakeries—and then handing them off to others while he moved on to other locations. #pizzahistorybook
Regas says, “Intentionally or not he planted seeds all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. Some of these pizzerias quickly died off. But three of his pizzerias became iconic lasting for decades. No one else can say that.” #pizzahistorybook
Peter Regas discovered this newspaper advertisement for Antica Pizzeria Napoletana at 53 ½ Spring Street, featuring proprietor Giovanni Santillo, in the March 25, 1905 issue of Il Telegrafo. [Peter Regas’ scan/New York Public Library] #pizzahistorybook
Regas, an independent researcher, was originally researching Chicago pizzerias when he discovered holes in New York’s origin story. His findings include the earliest known documents that mention pizza and pizzerias in America. #pizzahistorybook
While historians have speculated that businesses where the dough was made primarily for pizza, may have existed in America during this period, no record of these establishments, or their owners, has been brought to light until now. #pizzahistorybook
Regas’ book on the history of pizza in the U.S. will be released later in 2019. He has started sharing information that supports his claims including archival records, newspaper advertisements with translations, photographs, and family stories at pizzahistorybook.com
How this earlier generation of bakers started in Italy and how they came to America and struggled to set up tiny pizzerias, only to be forgotten and then rediscovered, will be the subject of Regas’ 2/23 lecture at the @uspizzamuseum eventbrite.com/e/forgotten-pi…
