CLOSURE: Pizza place closing after over 50 years of business in Ontario

After over 50 years in business, an Ontario pizza joint has announced they’re shutting their doors.

Dante’s Pizzeria has been around since 1976, and is named for Dante Paoletti, who originally immigrated from Italy to Canada with his brothers all the way back in 1959.

The restaurant serves pizza, pasta, huge sandwiches and other Italian classics like veal parm. Dante’s has been in business for 53 years, and has spent 11 years at their current location.

The original Dante just took to social media to announce that after all those years, the pizzeria will now be closing.

“With much consideration we make this announcement. All good things must come to an end,” reads the post signed by Dante himself.

“We have made the hard decision. This will be our final year in operation. We would like to thank everyone in advance for your patience during our journey to the end of this year.”

The post has received an outpouring of response, with around 200 reactions and comments on Facebook. Many people have commented sharing their memories of Dante’s, some of which stretch back decades.

“I’m almost 73 & grew up in Thornhill,” reads one comment. “Ordered your pizza many many times. It was without question, the best.”

A final date for Dante’s Pizzeria has yet to be announced.