about

Est. 1954

As World War II soldiers returned home from Italy telling tales of their favorite food, the popularity of pizza in the U.S. grew. Sam Perrella, a former miner who owned a small café in Keewatin, picked up on this growing trend. Having connections in Chicago, Sam visited with some pizza makers and returned home with an idea that sparked and gave birth to what is now Sammy’s Pizza.

In October 1954, armed with enthusiasm and their own secret recipes, Sam and wife, Louise, opened the doors of the first Sammy's Pizza restaurant in Hibbing, MN.

As their business flourished, they helped their family and a close friend open their own pizza restaurants. Today, some 69 years, 15 locations and more than 25 million pizzas later, Sammy's is now in it's fourth generation of pizza makers, who all still use Sam’s original recipes.

Our father, Sam Jr., brought Sammy's to Duluth in 1956 with a simple ideology: Be an innovator, not a follower. Take the proper time to prepare something right. Strive for a home-cooked, quality product, a fair price, and personal service. Go through the extra effort and expense to be the best. And, only serve a meal that you would be proud to serve guests in your own home. That's what our "family tradition" means.

In 2015, PMQ Pizza Magazine, the pizza industry’s No. 1 publication, inducted Sammy’s into its Pizza Hall of Fame — which pays tribute to popular pizzerias in business for 50 years or longer. In 2018, Sammy's was also voted 'Best Pizza in Minnesota' in Minnesota Monthly Magazine's Pizza Bracket Challenge.

Our Location

Opened in March 2019, Sammy's Pizza in Hermantown is locally-owned and operated by the Perrella family – who also own Sammy's locations in Downtown Duluth and Woodland (Duluth).

We're so excited to once again open our doors to the Hermantown community and serve up healthy portions of family traditions for generations to come.

We look forward to your next visit!

Sammy's Pizza Gives Back

sammys pizza maker creating dough