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Keeping with tradition: 29th Street Pizza serves up city’s unique take on perennial favorite

By Patt Keith 4 min read

Melted American cheese tops a thick, toasted crust and nestled in between is a layer of Italian sauce, a slice of green pepper and hard salami. Called Altoona Pizza, it's best eaten with a knife and fork at the Original 29th Street Pizza, Subs and More restaurant.

For husband and wife Allen and Cathy Glass of Duncansville, the cheddar-topped delight elicits a fond memory as well as it curbs hunger. They spent date nights at the Altoona Hotel where the pizza first gained a following over the decades before the eatery was destroyed by fire in 2013.

"It's a one-of-a-kind combination," Cathy Glass said, "It's unique."

A trio of Blackhawk High School basketball fans stopped in on their way to a playoff game upon the recommendation of a co-worker. Friends Ken Bentfeld and Sam Greene live in East Palestine, Ohio, and Bill Wiggins lives in nearby Beaver Falls. In addition to their meals, Bentfeld took several slices of Altoona pizza to go for lunch the next day -- 29th Street's owner Steve Cokrlic Sr. recommends heating it in an air fryer, oven or toaster oven.

"The bread is light and it's really cheesy," Greene said between bites. "I love American cheese."

Each time the door opens, Cokrlic Sr. calls out a greeting of welcome -- he knows his regular customers' names -- and what they'll order -- like the Caldwell family of Claysburg.

Chris and Heather Caldwell and their son, Darryn, eat in about once a week. Chris and Darryn share a New York-style pizza while Heather chooses a customized, grilled chicken salad with cheese and the house dressing.

"She loves their dressing," Chris said, laughing. "She'd drink it if she could -- it tastes so good."

Cokrlic Sr. hired a former Altoona Hotel worker who shared the recipe and Cokrlic made a few modifications. His son, Steve Jr., promotes the shop on various social media outlets and attracts customers. It's also attracting potential buyers, as the Cokrlics have decided it's time to sell. Running a restaurant involves long hours and sacrifices family time.

"I'm humble and I'm in awe," the elder Cokrlic said of how word has spread and prompted people to travel long distances for the unique pizza.

The pizza remains popular and brings diners from as far away as Wisconsin, New York, New Jersey and elsewhere -- attracted by social media posts and news articles written by columnists from the Philadelphia Inquirer and online foodies.

Located in a residential neighborhood at 2900 Fifth Ave., the eatery boasts six booths that complement a thriving carryout business. Altoonan Karen Consalvo eats there several times a week. A nurse's aide, she first tasted their subs when her department received food as part of a Nurse's Day celebration.

"I just fell in love with them," she said. When her sister from Florida visits, the special Sicilian is a must-eat treat.

"It just tastes so good. It's thick -- almost like a French bread," Consalvo said, adding her other favorites are stromboli, filled with meats like pepperoni and ham and sauce, steak subs and the pizza steak sub -- steak topped with peppers, onions, pepperoni and provolone cheese.

"They use such high quality meats -- the steak is real steak, not the thinly cut kind -- and they chop it up."

Opening a small restaurant was a longtime dream for Cokrlic, who praises his wife and co-owner, Rose, with establishing the business while he continued to work for a local convenience store chain until 10 years ago.

His inspiration for the shop was the neighborhood corner stores that dotted Altoona while he was growing up.

"Some of those store owners left a mark on me. A lot of them were very kind and personable," he said. "You had a connection with them. And, that's what left an impression in my head. So, I wanted to be in a neighborhood."

But it's time for it to be someone else's dream. The Cokrlics have several potential buyers who are interested in the property. He's open to selling the name and the iconic pizza recipe, provided the new owners pledge to carry on their dedication to high quality -- and the price is right.

Staff Writer Patt Keith can be reached at 814-949-7030.

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