Aficionadough: The Hunt for Authentic(ish) Pepperoni Rolls in Columbus

Migrations have added much to the flavor of Columbus. The first wave was German – bringing beer and an affinity for sausage. World War I and Prohibition obliterated much of that culture. The booming business of quarries at Marble Cliff brought in Italians at the turn of the 20th century who contributed Columbus Style Pizza to the world. A steadily growing Latino community brought us taco trucks and authentic Mexican eateries spicing up an often bland Columbus palate – and lighting the fire for a mobile food explosion. Somail, Nepalese, Indian and other immigrants have added a wealth of gems to the menus of our city. And let us not forget the refugees of Hamburg, who brought their ground meat sandwiches to the Midwest after successfully fending off the evil Hamburglers, laying the foundations for the empires we know as Wendy’s and White Castle today. (Reader, you may want to fact check that last reference…)

One exodus brought truck loads of people to Central Ohio but no enduring food traditions. Residents of West Virginia (my own family included) flocked to Columbus, especially the West Side, seeking jobs that did not involve sucking in coal dust 12 hours per day. These folks searched for a new life in the factories fueled by the military-industrial complex. The traditions of the mountain state did not stick in the growing metropolis of the capital city. However, over the last decade or so I have seen a less than meteoric rise of one food creep into town. Like a hobo jumping off a freight train, pepperoni rolls have been sporadically popping onto menus. Is this a case of nostalgia? A return to roots? Or are these too delicious to be ignored any longer?  It is up to you to decide after I fortify you with knowledge. 

What is a pepperoni roll? It is a small bun of bread with strips, sticks or slices of pepperoni baked in the middle. Some bakeries will add cheese, marinara sauce with peppers, or in one instance (my favorite), a meaty, coney-style sauce. As the pepperoni bakes inside the ball of bread, grease fights to escape, adding a red-orange glaze to the doughy parts of the roll. Pepperoni Rolls were designed as an easy-to-eat, on-the-go food for coal miners. Once the roll is cooked, it does not need to be reheated. It is typically eaten cold unless you want to be fancy. 

Its origin was at the Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, West Virginia in 1927 – or the 1940’s depending on whom you ask. Everyone agrees that the pepperoni roll (sometimes called a pepperoni bun) is the trademark food of north-central West Virginia (with strong supporters along the Ohio River in Appalachian parts of Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, especially Pittsburgh). For more information I suggest checking out Bob Heffner’s Pepperoni Roll Home Page.

When people see a pepperoni roll in Columbus, they are often stumped about the difference between a calzone, stromboli and a pepperoni roll. Let’s take the pepperoni roll out of the equation because the Columbus spin is different from the OG pepperoni roll. So to simplify the calzone vs. stromboli confusion just remember this handy visual aid. A calzone is folded like a taco and a stromboli is rolled like a burrito. Calzones originated in Italy.  Stromboli came into being in Philadelphia and pepperoni rolls were created to feed Italian coal miners in West Virginia. Unlike calzones and stromboli, pepperoni rolls stayed hidden in West Virginia while its cousins spread around the world. Pepperoni rolls mainly feature pepperoni, which is an American invention and in these parts, a passion, which is not as passionately embraced by the rest of humanity.  

Pepperoni Rolls are few and far between in Columbus, but they do exist. Compared to those I sampled in Fairmont, West Virginia, what I have found here are a more high-brow spin of the traditional grab-and-go snack of my kin. Hale’s Ales in Hilliard has pepperoni rolls on the menu, listed at $14, a traditional pepperoni roll eater would have an even earlier heart attack seeing this price for something that is often found for $2 or less in a south of 70 gas station. 

I have tried the interpretation at East Coast Pizzeria in the Graceland area. It was good, but fluffier and fancier than a traditional pepperoni roll. I really love the garlic knots and pinwheels which are alternatives on the menu, and I’d steer you in that direction if you are open to suggestion. 

DiCarlo’s Pizza, which hails from Steubenville, offers a pepperoni roll on their menu. DiCarlo’s dates back to 1945 but my guess is pepperoni rolls were added to the menu later to appeal to customers as they expanded east of the Ohio River. The interpretation I had was significantly average – which is not maligning the product because, by their nature, pepperoni rolls are designed to be average and affordable.  

At least one Great Harvest Bakery in Columbus (Upper Arlington) serves pepperoni rolls. It is well made but was not exciting to me. I tried one half as is and the other half baked in our oven. Next time, I am going to try a toaster oven to see if I can tweak the experience. 

Social media suggested that Sheetz, which is currently invading Central Ohio, might have pepperoni rolls. This may be true, but my initial investigation is inconclusive. My onsite sleuthing did not locate any grab-and-go pepperoni rolls, but I did see a new item that can be ordered at the cafe, called a Rolliez. It looked like a hot pocket and not a traditional pepperoni roll so I took a hard pass. If you have sampled one of these, please comment with your thoughts. 

Mama Mimi’s Take and Bake Pizza serves pepperoni rolls to take home to bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. These are heavy on the cheese and showcase large, mega-size pepperoni that try to fight their way out of the bread when you take your first bite or make a first slice. These are served with sauce on the side for dipping and I suggest you do dip liberally. 

Tyler’s Pizzeria and Bakery does have pepperoni rolls but I have never tried them. This makes me sad because Tyler is an exceptional baker and pizza pie maker. You will find these on their pastries menu, listed with the savory items. Here is the description: “8oz of our handmade pizza dough rolled flat then topped with 2 layers of mozzarella and a layer of pepperoni. We roll them up and bake until golden brown.” I am sure these are grand. Please share your experiences with this treat in the comments section. Even better, drop some off on my porch. 

Last, not least, and in my experience to date, the greasiest, hands-down best interpretation of the pepperoni roll in Columbus is from Omega Bakery at the North Market. I always get one of these when they are available. I’m not sure what type of pixie dust they sprinkle among the mix of ingredients but I have never regretted eating an Omega pepperoni roll, typically before I leave the parking lot. It does not resemble what I saw in the rolling mountains and hills of West Virginia, but the taste of these certainly do take me to a wild, wonderful place. The whole is greater than the parts of the roll at Omega. Their pepperoni roll always tastes fresh. There is some cheese melted on the exterior, which is the perfect blend of crunchy, chewy and cheesy. I’d like to have one of these right now. I’d be willing to heft a pick ax for a bit to score a bag full of these cardiac-crushing rolls.

A tour-de-roll for your dining pleasure: