New owner thrilled to make the foray into the pizza business
The pizza ovens at Padrone’s Pizza of Bellefontaine are humming to life once again inside the freshly renovated storefront at 408 S. Main St., which re-opened at the end of June under new ownership.
Amber Weaver is excited to lend her restaurant expertise to the pizza business, and said Padrone’s freshly-made pizzas from handmade dough and house-made sauces have been well-received by regular customers and new customers alike since the soft opening.
She also is the longtime owner of the Wing Bar in Urbana, which celebrated its 10th year in business just one day before Padrone’s of Bellefontaine opened back up June 27. It had been closed since September.
Weaver has enjoyed enhancing her culinary skills with the pizza ovens and learning how to make pizza dough and a number of other Padrone’s style creations, with helpful assistance and guidance from former owner Jodi Brenneman during this transition.
Now almost two months since the re-opening, Weaver said she and her newly hired staff are “getting into a good rhythm” and she wants the Bellefontaine, Logan County and surrounding community to know they’re open for business, via pickup, delivery with their own local drivers and soon-to-come DoorDash.
“We’ve kept the same Padrone’s recipes that everyone knows and loves and have also added a few new things, including French bread pizza,” Weaver said. “I’m impressed with the sauces here and all of the other handmade ingredients. It makes for delicious pizza, breadsticks, salads, subs and other foods I can really get behind.
“I’m so grateful to my family for all of their help and coming alongside me to get it opened. My husband Aaron and our two kids, Anya and Ares, have been my biggest supporters. Aaron helped me get the building in tip-top shape before we opened and I’m so excited to welcome everyone back here.”
The Urbana resident related that she learned about Padrone’s going up for sale from her parents, Mike and Kim Fraley, who own Oasis Drive-Thru next door. They also own Varsity Drive-Thru in Bellefontaine.
When Weaver learned more about Padrone’s dedication to quality ingredients and freshly-made pizzas and other fare, she became excited about the opportunity and her husband was on board as well to purchase the business.
Among Padrone’s specialty pizzas, Weaver said the taco pizza with the made-in-house taco meat and Cholula Hot Sauce is one of her favorites, along with the Hawaiian Luau pizza.
Other specialty pizzas include barbecue chicken, buffalo chicken, chicken club, Philly steak, white pizza, super deluxe, pepperoni lovers and veggie pizza.
Each of the pizzas also can be made gluten-free by selecting either a 10-inch gluten-free crust or a pizza bowl, the owner noted.
The company’s fresh salads are another favorite of Weaver’s, and she said the chef salad is very popular, and the homemade ranch dressing really sets their salads apart. Other salad options include antipasto, breaded chicken, buffalo chicken, grilled chicken, ham salad and turkey salad.
The homemade ranch makes the popular chicken, bacon and ranch sub extra savory as well. Among the other sub options are Italian, club, BLT, pizza sub, veggie, barbecue chicken, Philly steak and many more.
Padrone’s handmade breadsticks are created from their fresh pizza dough, Weaver said. Other tasty appetizers on the menu include garlic knots, pepperoni cheese breadsticks, potato skins, loaded fries, fried ravioli bites, cream cheese jalapeños and pretzel with beer cheese.
For those craving a sweet treat to complete their meal, Padrone’s offers cinnamon sticks with icing, along with Buckeye pie, cookie pizza, brownie pizza and chocolate chip pizza.
Beginning Sept. 1, Padrone’s will bring back their chicken wings. As the Wing Bar owner as well, Weaver is especially passionate about utilizing high-quality and fresh, never frozen chicken for their chicken wings.
Employees Cole Lenhart and Kathy Swonguer were among the opening staff Friday morning, Aug. 15, and they both said they’re enjoying their new positions at the restaurant.
“I’ve worked at many restaurants, but I love it here. It’s like a family,” Bellefontaine resident Lenhart said while prepping customer orders of pizzas, calzones and cinnamon sticks and loading them into the oven.
“It’s a great job for me, as I’m partially retired, and it’s fun to get out of the house and meet new people,” Swonguer said, after taking several telephone orders.
The restaurant also will soon be offering lunch specials and other daily specials, which they’ll feature on their Facebook page for “Padrone’s Oasis Bellefontaine.”
Online ordering is available at https://padronesbellefontaine408.com/, or you can reach the restaurant by calling (937) 592-1020.
Hours are 3 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 3 to 10 p.m. Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
