Lower Queen Anne, late morning, these four pals are just hanging out. Big Mario Vellotti on the left, originally from Naples by way of Noo Yawk, where his extended family runs a string of pizza joints. Dave Meinert, one of Seattle's least pretentious and most savvy saloonkeepers. Joey Burgess, GM of the Comet and its Cap Hill neighbor Lost Lake. Jason Lajeunesse, Cap Hill Block Party.
Mario's got a day job, by the way, running Vellotti Foods, an importer and distributor of specialty products for the restaurant trade. He's in and out of every Italian restaurant in town several times a week. Good guy to know, even if he didn't have a couple of pizza places named for him.
The other gents are known collectively as the Seattle Guild. They put together the Ernest Loves Agnes spot on 19th Ave E. earlier this fall. They really know what they're doing.
On to the pizza. Noo Yawk style, as mentioned. Nothing too fancy. Big pies, but most people order slices, then move into the bar.
Big Mario's Queen Anne, 815 5th Ave. N.
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