Virgil’s Plate, a beloved pizza shop in Erie, has closed after nearly 12 years of operation. The restaurant was known for its unique approach to pizza, allowing customers to customize each slice. Located at 1001 W. Sixth St., Virgil’s announced its permanent closure on its Facebook page.
In a post earlier this week, the owners expressed their gratitude to customers: “Sorry for not posting this sooner but to all our great Customers, Virgil’s is Closed permanently. We have enjoyed serving You these past many years and wish You all the Best.” Owners Gary and Erin Fleming were not available for comment.
Originally opened on East 26th Street, Virgil’s moved to Sixth Street in 2014. It gained a strong following and was ranked as Erie’s top pizza shop by TripAdvisor users. It also received high ratings on Yelp, a popular business review site.
Virgil’s Plate stood out by allowing customers to choose specific toppings for each slice of its square or rectangular pizzas. This approach gained global attention in 2015 when a food blogger shared a comment from a reader who praised the shop for its unique customization options.
The post sparked interest from a reader in New Jersey and attracted comments from pizza lovers in California, Germany, Estonia, Japan, and England. Gary and Erin Fleming welcomed the attention. “That’s pretty cool. We’re excited,” Gary said at the time. The business adopted the motto “Share the squares.”
In a 2019 interview with the Erie Times-News, Gary highlighted the uniqueness of their pizza. “Nobody does pizza like this,” he said. “A large tray can have 24 cuts of pizza, and each slice can have different toppings. We basically make four-inch pizzas. It ends the arguing over what toppings to choose. We put the ‘peace’ back in pizza.”
Related Topics
- Mozza Pizza Expands with New Location in South Huntsville
- Anto’s Pizza Romana Celebrates Grand Opening with Free Tasting Event
- Domino’s Pizza Reports Q3 Earnings, Misses Sales Estimates
