Bianchi’s at the Sandbar holds grand opening on the beach

Last Thursday’s ribbon-cutting celebrated the grand opening of Bianchi’s at the Sandbar, but it also marked 70 years of pizza-making excellence on Revere Beach for the Bianchi Family.

Bobby Bianchi is continuing in his role of running the famous pizza shop at 381 Revere Beach Boulevard, while the bar is a separate entity.

“We started on Revere Beach in 1952,” proudly stated Bobby. “Before my time, we used to have three spots and we consolidated with a shop underneath the Wild Mouse (amusement ride). We moved in 1974 to the spot where there are now condominiums. We moved here [formerly Renzo’s] two years ago.”

Bobby credits his uncle, the late Anthony Bianchi, as the actual founder of Bianchi’s. “When Anthony retired about 30-40 years ago, my father, [Robert “Butch” Bianchi], took over, and we’ve been keeping the same tradition alive,” said Bobby.

One well-known tradition that customers are carrying on is ordering pizza at the Bianchi’s takeout window and walking across the boulevard to enjoy the pizza and the atmosphere while sitting on the beachwall.

“Our customers in particular love the beachwall,” reports Bobby.

Bobby Bianchi, 54, grew up in Revere and Lynn and graduated from Lynn Vocational Technical Institute in 1984. “I specialized in graphic arts, nothing to do with pizza – I wanted to be a cartoonist,” said Bobby.”

What has made Bianchi’s a year-round destination for the best in pizza?

“We’re very family oriented,” said Bobby. “We love the community. We love the people both in the city and people who visit the city. We have one simple product: we do pizza. We don’t do salads or subs or calzone. We do one thing, and we try to do it better than anybody. If there’s a secret, it’s to keep it simple.”

Cheese pizza remains No. 1 on the customers’ list of favorites, followed by pepperoni, according to Bobby.

At the grand opening ceremony, Mayor Brian Arrigo presented a Certificate of Commendation to Bobby Bianchi and his parents, Butch and Carolyn Bianchi, in recognition of Bianchi’s being an asset to Revere Beach and for bringing so much joy to Revere residents and their customers for the past 70 years.

Then and now, Bianchi’s holds a special place in the history of Revere Beach eateries.