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Anthony’s on The Hill Set to Close

A short panic came over the Church Hill Neighborhood Facebook group when news that Anthony’s on The Hill was to close this weekend on the 29th. We spoke with owner Michael Calogerakis to confirm the news and, unfortunately, it is so, Anthony’s is closing for good.

However, it is not all bad news.

The plans are to close the space for the next one to two months while the owner works on a new concept. While they’re not ready to announce a new name for the restaurant, they did tell us that the offerings will include hot breakfast options, sandwiches, and more. CHPN is going to meet with Michael to discuss the concept more next week, so we’ll keep you in the loop.

Established in 2011, Anthony’s on the Hill has been a popular place in our neighborhood; providing homemade and delicious Italian-American comfort food. Many of us loved the pizza dough crust, the meatballs, the salads and the marinara sauce. Now with 8 1/2 as the closest Italian American food option, we will miss this place but we are also excited that a new and potentially delicious breakfast nook is coming to the hill.

Related articles on Anthony’s:

Now open: Anthony’s on the Hill
Good works for Anthony’s on the Hill
Anthony’s on the Hill among the best of 2012

51 comments

Liz 07/25/2018 at 1:47 PM

My day is now officially ruined!!!

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Michael Jones 07/25/2018 at 1:49 PM

Thank you Michael Calogerakis for all you’ve done for Church Hill. Anthony’s has beed a great addition to the neighborhood. Look forward to enjoying and supporting your next efforts! Gonna miss that food…

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HW 07/25/2018 at 1:57 PM

Commence the rumours of this now killing Buzzy’s.

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Katarina Sophia Pace 07/25/2018 at 1:58 PM

Hopefully this is not because of new competition opening up. Anthony’s is still the best pizza!

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Diana Palese 07/25/2018 at 1:59 PM

Love this spot !!!! Going to miss you

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Stokes McCune 07/25/2018 at 1:59 PM

Great place great food! Gonna miss em

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Marilyn Stroh 07/25/2018 at 2:01 PM

Church Hill needs a place for breakfast. I love the idea. Hope it comes to be. Eggs “your way”, French toast, lox and bagels, oatmeal, cream of wheat, Fresh OJ, Bloody Mary’s, I could go on…

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Robbie Summey 07/25/2018 at 2:02 PM

I liked their food. The staff was very courteous.

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Michael Grabow 07/25/2018 at 2:18 PM

I really hope they still make pizza when they open back up!

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Alexander Merrick-Tagore 07/25/2018 at 2:20 PM

This is the saddest day for Richmond Pizza lovers. Anthonies is my favorite and will be missed (even if the replacement is delish!!!) nothing like their red with black olive and pepperoni. ????

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Kathy Greenier 07/25/2018 at 3:37 PM

This is the darkest day

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Kate Stromberg 07/25/2018 at 2:34 PM

noooooooooooooo

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Alejandra Rodríguez 07/25/2018 at 8:09 PM

Nooooooooo

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Jared Nathan Crane 07/25/2018 at 3:00 PM

But will they still deliver???

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Evan Maxwell 07/25/2018 at 3:07 PM

NO

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Essy Schmucker 07/25/2018 at 3:09 PM

I love Anthony’s so much. This is heart and stomach-breaking.

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Beth 07/25/2018 at 3:11 PM

I am so sad about this, it is my neighborhood Italian food fix. Just like being home on Long Island. I don’t have time for fancy breakfast but I always have time for dinner pizza with morning leftovers.

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Liz Morton 07/25/2018 at 3:17 PM

Can’t go wrong with hot breakfast and sandwiches! We always wished there were more options for food like that when we lived there. Good luck Anthony’s team!! Can’t wait to try the new menu!

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Heather Horak 07/25/2018 at 3:23 PM

Mike is a rock solid baker, so looking forward to what he cooks up next.

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Liz 07/25/2018 at 3:26 PM

And let me add, this may be my new go-to for breakfast. The staff there are awesome!

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Kay Hudgins 07/25/2018 at 3:32 PM

But still pizza right? Just please don’t take our PIZZA!

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UH Neighb 07/25/2018 at 3:35 PM

Best of luck with the new venture. We could use a proper sit down-casual breakfast spot!

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Dania Jennison 07/25/2018 at 4:35 PM

My pizza. Oh my pizza needs in RVA will never be met again. My eggplant parm needs… My chicken parm needs… My cannoli needs… I’m so sad.

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SA Chaplin 07/25/2018 at 5:06 PM

Other than Donald Trump, there may not be as hot button an issue as “the best pizza in town.” That said, the pizza at Anthony’s was, IMHO, okay at best. It didn’t help that there were no craft beers to wash it down. My dream for Anthony’s: bring in Lefty Bletsos (formerly of Stratford Hills, now in @ “Lefty’s” in Amelia — my favorite pizza) to re-invent Anthony’s pizza, and add craft beers (and add a little more atmosphere).

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Heather Boylan Drew 07/25/2018 at 5:11 PM

Best pizza in Richmond. Hands down. My heart breaks and stomach mourns.

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Eric S. Huffstutler 07/25/2018 at 5:14 PM

I too hope they will keep pizza since I do not like the bland tasting, thick crust 8-1/2 ones.

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Holly 07/25/2018 at 5:16 PM

THE. BEST. PIZZA.

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Jim Altieri 07/25/2018 at 6:56 PM

So sorry to hear about Anthony’s. My grandchildren especially looked forward to Anthony’s when they came from NE to visit. Will look forward to the reopening.

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Ali Cross 07/25/2018 at 8:00 PM

Noooooooo

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Tricia Dunlap 07/25/2018 at 8:05 PM

Nutella calzone is required. Chicken saltimbocca. The meatballs. Arugula salad. And I’ve lived for and “Anthony’s special pizza + prosciutto”. We are regulars there and I’ll be so upset if our favorites disappear for good.

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Grateful 07/25/2018 at 8:29 PM

Michael is, without a doubt, the hardest working restaurant owner in town! Best Pizza & Meatballs to be found anywhere. You deserve a break-come back strong. Thanks You!!

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D 07/25/2018 at 9:27 PM

It is THE BEST pizza!!! Really, really going to miss it…

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M Perry 07/26/2018 at 9:33 AM

This is heartbreaking! We just moved to the neighborhood and this has by far been our favorite spot and one we couldn’t wait to take family and friends to. We loved the neighborhood feel and knew that in time it would become a place where everyone knew our name and our order. There are quite a few morning food options between WPA, Buzzy’s and LPH. Anthony’s filled an Italian food void on the Hill and their pizza vastly outdoes 8 1/2. Sad to see it close.

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Jackee Sadicario 07/26/2018 at 11:39 AM

We don’t need hot breakfast and sandwiches. We already have that. We need your pizza. Please keep the pizza.

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SueWho 07/26/2018 at 1:03 PM

Very sad news indeed. I wish I had time for leisurely breakfasts, but I don’t. My food preferences have always been lunch or supper items more than what’s offered for breakfast, though I’m sure there’ll be enough folks around here to support a breakfast and lunch service concept. I’ll certainly miss the tasty pizzas and pasta items.

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MP 07/26/2018 at 1:19 PM

Sad about this, too! But really excited about a hot breakfast option, plus sandwiches! Davinci pizza on the 1100 block of N 25th is really good (if you can get over the block it’s on).

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paul glancy 07/26/2018 at 2:20 PM

Look forward to the next iteration. Will certainly give it a try. For Italian, 8 1/2 is hard to beat. Excellent product – glad they are close.

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RWM 07/26/2018 at 5:31 PM

Breakfast Pizzas would be amazing!

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Melissa Brooks 07/26/2018 at 6:12 PM

My 7 year old legit cried. We all did. Great pizza, awesome meatballs, friendly staff.

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Liz 07/27/2018 at 6:45 AM

I do hope Michael, the owner, is reading all of these comments and seeing what a great thing he brought to our neighborhood!!! I also hope he knows he has great support and we are looking forward to his next venture!

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nicholas g armbrust 07/27/2018 at 11:02 AM

We were Michael’s first customers after receiving Anthony’s ABC license. Loved the food then, and grown to love it more with each visit. Chicken saltimbocca and three meat pizza are favorites. Clear that Michael’s know dough. Hopeful that his next is as satisfying for him as much as Anthony’s has been for his following. Awful to think of Anthony’s in the past tense.

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Eric S. Huffstutler 07/27/2018 at 7:02 PM

If we can get something like a “3rd Street Diner” concept with breakfast hours and home-cooked diner food, that would be great for our area.

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JessOfRVA 07/27/2018 at 7:29 PM

This is SO SAD!!!! I love this place. Best pizza in town, hands down.

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JMG 07/28/2018 at 2:16 PM

‘Sad’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. We will miss our weekly dinners there. We will miss the great food, kitchen crew, and excellent wait staff! Most of the time we didn’t even have to tell them our order, they already knew what we wanted. A true neighborhood spot – like a Church Hill Cheers. Such a loss for RVA. Pizza is the best around, hands down!

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MJR 07/28/2018 at 10:04 PM

I’m armchair QBing here and have no idea of the financials… but in a perfect world they’d just keep Anthony’s on the Hill and Michael could open a second spot for his breakfast concept at 32nd and Marshall…

I can honestly say I’ve never had a better meatball pizza anywhere else. They are the best.

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Randall Bowman 07/29/2018 at 4:10 PM

My favorite pizza in all of RVA.
Will miss them greatly.

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Sean Cassidy 07/31/2018 at 11:03 AM

Well, the food sucks. No big loss.

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Kate 08/01/2018 at 7:08 PM

I’m so upset by this. SUNDAY WILL NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT MY ARUGALA PIZZA. Like we had friends who would hang out with us late on Sunday evenings before heading out to nova or va beach just to get pizza with us.

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Bill 08/01/2018 at 8:24 PM

Eat at home

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dontmincewords 08/01/2018 at 10:14 PM

@47/Sean. FINALLY someone who I can related to. I have never had a saltier pizza than the arugala. And I like me some salt, but holy hell. I ordered the Pasta with Tuscan Bolognese Meat Sauce in July and it was brown meat and white pasta. No red sauce to be found. I told a friend in Varina about the closing. She loved their pizza and she said “they’ve gone down hill in the last year.” So, living in Richmond is like living in LA – no good pizza unless you know the good places in Brooklyn.

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Kay 08/02/2018 at 8:58 AM

Tarrant’s is hands down the BEST italian food and pizza in this area and they deliver to the hill. Awesome, quick service and the food is consistently fantastic.

Shame to see Anthony’s go but I don’t think the food was very good for the price charged.

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