With a few changes, Ciro's Pizza in Verona reopens under new management

VERONA — Ciro's in Verona opened in 1985 and, through the end of last year, it was owned and operated by one family, the Dimeos.

The Dimeos retired in December and sold the business to Juan Marquez, Carlos Jurado and Marvin Raymundo, who reopened the restaurant under the old name, Ciro's Pizza, in February. The three also operate Staunton Flying Pizza on North Augusta Street and Mount Sidney Flying Pizza on Route 11. It's a family business, Marquez said.

Mid-afternoon Friday, Marquez and his wife, Ruth Jurado, were behind the counter. The restaurant looks mostly the same from the outside, but there are some changes when you walk through the doors, including new counters. There's also a wall with a pass through window that connects the kitchen to the front counter.

The menu has changed quite a bit from what the previous owners served. There's still, obviously, pizza, although Ciro's now offers some speciality pizzas, including Buffalo chicken and shrimp. There are additional pasta dishes now also, including baked ziti, chicken marsala, penne alla vodka, fettuccine Alfredo and ravioli parmigiana.

There are a variety of salads on the menu, including grilled chicken, salad Italiana, Greek, caprese, tuna and antipasto. Ciro's now offers fried calamari, bruschetta, quesadillas, nacho supreme and jalapeno poppers as appetizers. There's also a gyro on the menu.

Some of the old favorites are still there, including spaghetti, lasagna, calzone, and stromboli. And Ciro's still has a variety of hot and cold subs, including cheesesteak, turkey and ham.

The hours have also changed. Ciro's is now open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon-9 p.m. Sundays.

Marquez arrived in the United States from El Salvador in 2008, spending 10 years working at a restaurant in Richmond.

Last Friday it was fairly busy for 2 p.m., with customers at several of the booths and tables, and a steady stream of people arriving to pick up their orders. Marquez said Ciro's has applied for an ABC license and he thinks that will increase business some in the near future.

He likes the location in Verona.

"It's nice," Marquez said. "The community here, the people are very nice."

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— Patrick Hite is The News Leader's education reporter. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite . Subscribe to us at newsleader.com .

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: With a few changes, Ciro's Pizza in Verona reopens under new management