A Slice of Charleston

For a quarter of a century Andolini’s Pizza has been more than a part of the local food scene, it has been a slice of the fabric of Charleston. Offering oversized, hand-tossed New York-style pies topped with fresh grated cheese and its signature homemade sauce, Andolini’s has been serving folks throughout Charleston and beyond since 1992.
Also known for it’s eclectic decor, Queens, New York native Michael Rabin opened the first Andolini’s on Wentworth Street in downtown Charleston and it quickly became a Charleston institution. His wife Edie is the detail person while his brother and Brooklyn native Dr. Neil Rabin has been a chiropractor for 28 years ,uses his hands to keep more than folk’s backs straight, he makes all the dough for the pizzeria.
In 2004 local businessman and West Ashley resident David Odle was considering opening a pizza restaurant in the soon-to-be completed Freshfields Village on Kiawah. During his planning for that Rabin offered Odle to buy Andolini’s. Instead, Odle and his wife Mindy decided they should all become partners and grow the brand. “Our corporate structure has evolved over the years but currently Mindy and I operate the North Charleston (Rivers Avenue) and West Ashley restaurants and Michael and Edie operate the Mt Pleasant location (Coleman Boulevard).”
The iconic Wentworth Street Andolini’s, which served hungry college kids, locals, and tourists for two decades, closed at the end of 2013. After losing their lease on their Savannah Highway when yet another Starbucks’s took over the space, it looked like another slice of the Andolini’s pie was being devoured. But the Rabins and Odles began looking for another location in the growing West Ashley area.
“Not only have my wife and I raised our family in West Ashley, and still live there, but Andolini’s Pizza and West Ashley go together like peanut butter and jelly,” says Odle. “We love West Ashley and this area and are excited to be part of its revitalization. Last month Andolini’s celebrated it’s grand opening at 1940 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. when Charleston mayor John Tecklenburg helped cut the ribbon for the new West Ashley location. “We really didn’t ‘come back’ as much as we ‘relocated,’ even though we did have an interruption of service for a few months,” says Odle.
With the large red brick building that was formerly occupied by Tenichi Buffet & Grill, the partners saw an opportunity to be more than a pizzeria. The new location offers a separate area for parties and events. The attached 2,000-square-foot event space at Andolini’s is called The Ashley and can be rented out for any occasion for groups from 30-100. Sharing the building and nearly 100 parking spaces, The Ashley does offer Andolini’s catering.
Also, the new West Ashley location is the only Andolini’s to have a full bar, offering a large selection of wines by the glass and bottle as well as specialty cocktails. There is also a 20-tap draft system with rotating beers. “In keeping with our commitment to support local business, we dedicate half of those taps to local and regional breweries,” says Odle, who says they always try and give back to the community by supporting local businesses and participating in charitable events. “We offer employment opportunities to those who live in and around Charleston. In fact, over the years I estimate that we have employed nearly 10,000 folks. If that’s not being part of the community, I don’t know what is!”
 
Andolini’s Pizza is located at 1940 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. For more information call (843) 225-4743 or visit www.andolinis.com.