Jeffrey Parrott is humble when it comes to talking about Farotto’s (9525 Manchester Road Rock Hill; 314-9622-0048) He co-owns the restaurant with his sisters Lindsay Parrott and Lisa LaRuffa. Although the Rock Hill establishment is undoubtedly a pioneer in St. Louis-style pizza, he quickly points out that at least three other pizzerias came before him, and each one was great. If there’s one piece of Provel-inflected lore that he’ll be honest about, it’s the fact that the square slice that has come to define the Gateway City’s pie began more than a decade before Imo’s.
Parrott said, “Everyone knows that Ed Imo was a tile-layer. So when he started Imo’s, he decided to cut the pizza into small squares.” “I can tell you that this is not true. Imo’s was established in 1964. Since 1956, we’ve been doing this same thing since then. Melrose and Cusanelli were also doing it. It’s an urban legend that people believe, but it’s not. It’s a myth. We have proven it false.
Farotto’s, or Imo’s, cannot claim to be the original St. Louis-style pizza. However, it is hard not to acknowledge the impact of the long-standing Italian restaurant on the local food scene. Lou Farotto, Parrott’s uncle, founded the Rock Hill restaurant. It was established 66 years ago and has enjoyed a loyal following for its ability to transform Sunday dinner at an Italian grandma’s home into a dining room. Farotto’s is a staple of the St. Louis Italian subgenre, thanks to its signature salad dressing and red sauce, as well as pizza.
Uncle Lou had a humble vision when he founded the restaurant. He wanted to help his family after a serious injury ended his promising baseball career. Lou Farotto was a talented baseball player who played in the minors alongside Joe Garagiola and Stan Musial. His career ended when he injured his knees and couldn’t play. He drew on his Northern Italian heritage, his parents being from the Old Country. He decided to join the city’s emerging pizzeria scene and infuse his menu with family recipes.
Farotto discovered Rock Hill while out on a day trip. The building was originally intended to be a doughnut shop. However, it was put up for rent after its owner fell ill. Farotto was quick to take over and made it a successful restaurant with delivery and carhops. Farotto decided to stop providing these services after two years and focus his attention on the wildly popular dining room.
Parrott states, “It was an immediate success.” “People came to see him, which was a testament to the quality of what he was producing.”
After his sister’s marriage to Farotto, Parrott’s father became involved in the business. He was ten years old when he started riding his bicycle from Dogtown to help his mother. Over the years, he earned his stripes in the restaurant and eventually joined a partnership with Farotto to buy him out in the late 1970s. His leadership saw the restaurant grow in size and even tried to open a Phoenix franchise in 1985, but it was unsuccessful.
