Here at Mario’s Pizza, we use authentic Italian recipes to create delicious dishes, including our famous Brooklyn-style pizza. However, pizza is not your only option at our restaurants. We also serve a variety of other Italian dishes, including some of the best Stromboli near me (if we do say so ourselves!).

What is Stromboli?

While many of our family recipes have roots that go back to Italy, Stromboli was actually created in the 1950s in Philadelphia by an Italian-American restaurateur named Nazzareno Romano. The original Stromboli contained ham, cheese, and peppers, along with sauce, wrapped inside pizza dough. Today’s version can contain any ingredients you would typically find as pizza toppings.

Stromboli are similar to another type of Italian entree: calzones. There are three main differences between Stromboli and calzones:

  1. Where they developed
  2. The shape
  3. Where the sauce is served

Calzones are from southern Italy and grew in popularity as a street food to eat on the go. With a calzone, you have the ingredients within a half-moon piece of dough, and in America at least the sauce is served on the side for dipping (though in Italy the sauce could be baked inside). On the other hand, Stromboli are more rectangular or roll-shaped, with the sauce always baked inside. Often, calzones have ricotta cheese while Stromboli do not, but exact ingredients are up to you.

Of course, both Stromboli and calzones come in different sizes. However, in many cases, people buy a Stromboli to share with their family (like a pizza) in slices and buy a calzone to eat themselves. It really depends on your appetite, though! Along with this delightful dish, we also serve the best calzone near me in the Triad.

Is Stromboli Better Than Pizza?

We are, of course, a big fan of pizza! We wouldn’t be a top pizza restaurant here in North Carolina if we didn’t absolutely love our family recipe for delicious pies. However, there are a few reasons why you might want to order a Stromboli instead:

  • If you love crust, these tasty treats have a lot more of it. We stuff our Stromboli with your desired fillings, but there is still a bigger crust-to-fillings ratio than you get with pizza crust and toppings.
  • Stromboli will stay longer warmer, since all the ingredients are contained inside. If you are picking up from one of our restaurants and have a bit of a drive to get home, you don’t have to worry about it getting cold.
  • The sauce is baked inside, but you can also get sauce on the side for extra dipping. It is like a sandwich when sliced and easy to dip if you are a sauce lover.

We encourage you to try both to see which you like better. Both pizza and Stromboli can hit the spot depending on your mood that day.

Other Italian Entrees at Mario’s

Stromboli, calzone, and pizza are just three of the many Italian menu options here at Mario’s. In addition, we serve up pasta entrees, subs, salads, and more for dine in or takeout in Winston-Salem, High Point, Greensboro, Clemmons, and the surrounding areas. Here are just a few:

  • Baked Ziti or Cheese Ravioli
  • Eggplant or Chicken Parmigiana
  • Meat Lasagna
  • Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
  • Hot Subs (including steak and chicken cheesesteak subs, grilled chicken subs, and parmigiana subs)
  • Cold Subs (including Italian subs, turkey subs, and veggie subs)
  • Craisin Cranberry & Walnut Salad
  • Traditional Chef, Caesar, Greek, and Garden Salads
  • Italian Meatballs
  • Italian Sausage
  • Boneless and Bone-In Wings
  • Garlic Bread and Garlic Knots

We also have a selection of traditional Italian desserts, including tiramisu, cannoli, cheesecake, and limoncello mascarpone cake with white chocolate curls on top. So, if you need a sweet ending after trying the best Stromboli near me, we’ve got you covered!

FAQs About Ordering Food from Mario’s

If you’re thinking about ordering a Stromboli or other food from our restaurant, here are a few things you should know!

Is Mario’s Pizza really where I can get the best Stromboli near me?

In our humble option, yes. However, you don’t have to take our word for it! Click here to see what people are saying about our food.

Do you have any specials?

Yes! We have a different special every day. If you are specifically hungry for a Stromboli or calzone, check out our Tuesday special. We also have giveaways and other deals posted on our Facebook and Instagram regularly.

Are you open for lunch?

We are open for lunch at all our locations throughout the Triad region. We have daily lunch specials, which are available until 4 PM, or you can order lunch from our full menu of other delights such as pizzas, calzones, appetizers, subs, salads, or pasta entrees.

Can you deliver my food?

We do offer delivery in Winston-Salem, Clemmons, High Point, Greensboro, and the surrounding areas via food delivery apps. You can find us on UberEats, Slice, Doordash, and Grubhub.

Do you have a rewards program?

Yes, and signing up for our rewards program is very easy. Simply download the “Mario’s Tony’s” app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. If you don’t have a smart phone, you can also sign up with your phone number at any of our locations. Just give your server your number or log onto the app to earn points toward free food and other special prizes. You earn points every time you order, so we hope to see you at one of our locations soon!

Grab A Gift Card

Looking for a good gift for a loved one? Grab a Mario’s Pizza gift card. If you purchase one by December 23rd, 2022, you get a free 6-Piece of our tasty Garlic Knots for yourself!

At Mario’s Pizza, you can get a taste of authentic Italian food right here in the Triad. We have a full menu of Brooklyn-style pizza, pasta, and other favorites, including what we humbly believe is the best calzone near me. If you’ve never had a calzone before, we would love to make one for you, filled with your favorite toppings.

What is a Calzone?

Calzones are an Italian invention, and roughly translates to “pants legs.” Naples pizza-makers created calzones in the 1700s as an on-the-go pizza so you could eat it while walking around, hence the name. They were originally just normal pizzas folded in half, which gave them their traditional half-moon shape. However, over time calzones have become their own thing, rather than just being a version of pizza.

Today’s calzones still have the half-moon shape, as opposed to stromboli, which is a rectangle shape where the dough is rolled into a log. Calzones typically have a cheese blend inside, featuring ricotta and other cheese varieties. They can also be stuffed with a variety of other toppings. We serve the sauce on the outside, however. It’s perfect for dipping. With a stromboli, the sauce is baked into the center with the other ingredients, so the resulting texture is a bit different.

Calzones still make a great meal on the go. We even have a calzone lunch special on Tuesday if you stop by Mario’s for a quick bite. We have eight locations throughout the Triad, in Winston-Salem, Clemmons, High Point, and Greensboro. Our sister restaurant, Tony’s Pizza, also has locations in Mooresville, Charlotte, Hickory, and Huntersville to satisfy your calzone cravings.

Calzones: Are They Better Than Pizza?

Pizza will always be our first love, but there are a few reasons why you might choose a calzone instead. Here are the top five reasons why calzones are sometimes better than pizza:

  1. You get a bigger ratio of toppings to crust. Hey, we get it. Some people are just not “crust” people. We think our crust is the best in the Triad, but you might still like that a calzone gives you a huge pocket of delicious toppings to enjoy.
  2. Calzones are grab-and-go, as mentioned. While you can sit in our dining room to enjoy a calzone, they are perfect when you want Italian food but don’t have time to stop for a long meal.
  3. You get to determine the perfect amount of sauce for every bite. Because we serve the sauce on the side for dipping, you can pick if you want a little sauce or a lot. Just ask one of our servers if you need more!
  4. Calzones stay warmer longer. Who doesn’t like to catch up with old friends over pizza? The only problem is that sometimes you get so caught up talking, your pizza gets cold in the meantime. Because of the pocket shape, calzones stay warm a lot longer.
  5. Everyone in your family can choose their own toppings. Our pizzas easily serve the whole family, but that means you have to agree on toppings. Calzones are single-serve, so you can each pick your own.

Strombolis also have some of the same benefits over pizza, but with more crust and sauce on the inside. Our strombolis also have mozzarella cheese instead of a mozzarella/ricotta blend, so if you don’t like ricotta cheese, they might be the best option for you.

Delicious Calzone Toppings

Our calzones come with a delicious cheese blend and your choice of one topping. We have a huge range of toppings available here at Mario’s Pizza!

Toppings for meat lovers:

  • Pepperoni
  • Sausage
  • Sliced sausage
  • Beef
  • Ham
  • Chorizo
  • Salami
  • Beef roni
  • Meatball
  • Bacon
  • Canadian bacon
  • Grilled chicken (premium)
  • Crispy chicken (premium)
  • Steak (premium)

Vegetarian options:

  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Banana peppers
  • Bell peppers
  • Roasted peppers
  • Black olives
  • Fresh garlic
  • Spinach
  • Pineapple
  • Fresh tomatoes
  • Jalapenos
  • Green olives
  • Eggplant
  • Feta cheese (premium)
  • Artichoke hearts (premium)
  • Broccoli (premium)
  • Anchovies (premium)
  • Kalamata olives (premium)
  • Sun-dried tomatoes (premium)
  • Roasted red peppers (premium)

Some of our most popular topping options for calzones include spinach, pepperoni, and mushrooms, but you can choose the topping that sounds tastiest to you. The best calzone near me will be the one that fits your personal preferences.

FAQs About Ordering the Best Calzone Near Me

Our servers would be happy to answer any calzone questions you may have. Here are a few we get about ordering an authentic calzone you love:

Do you have any calzone specials?

Along with our weekly Tuesday calzone lunch special, we also have a rewards program. You can sign up online, via our app, or by giving your phone number to one of our staff members when dining in. You’ll earn points any time you order a calzone or any food at Mario’s Pizza!

What other entrees do you have available?

We are a top Italian restaurant in the Triad and offer a large selection of traditional Italian entrees, including not only the best calzone near me, but also the following other dishes:

  • New-York style pizza and strombolis
  • Appetizers such as Italian sausage, garlic knots, wings, garlic bread, toasted ravioli, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, Italian meatballs, garlic cheesy bread, french fries, and fried mushrooms
  • Hot and cold subs
  • Salads
  • Eggplant parmigiana and chicken parmigiana
  • Meat Lasagna
  • Baked Ziti
  • Baked Ricotta Cheese Ravioli
  • Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce

We also offer a selection of authentic Italian desserts, including tiramisu, cannoli, cheesecake, and limoncello mascarpone cake, as well as a kids menu with seven different options. You can see our full menu here!

Are you open for dine in?

Yes! Our dining rooms are open if you’d like to enjoy your calzone or other entrees at our restaurant. We also offer convenient online ordering if you would rather pick up or have your pizza delivered. Click here to learn more or stop into any dining room today for you next authentic Italian meal.