Jackson's Very First Pizza Place Goes Back to 1955

If you love pizza, you’ve probably tried most – if not all – the pizza places that Jackson has to offer. Many came and left, some just mysteriously disappeared, and others have hung in there for years.

But what was Jackson’s very first pizza place?

The very first establishment that treated Jacksonians to pizza was located at 1923 West Michigan Avenue and lasted 26 years. When it opened for business in 1955, it became one of Jackson’s favorite places to eat - for both teens and adults. It was Dragonetti’s Restaurant and Cocktails that featured true homemade Italian foods.

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Vincent and Beulah Dragonetti were the proprietors, and once they introduced pizza to Jackson, everyone wanted to go see what all the raves were about...and there were plenty of raves.

According to an Mlive article, it was “a hangout for teenagers after high school sports events, and where people went when they wanted a nice dinner of authentic, made-from-scratch Italian food.”

Dragonetti and son John built the restaurant next to their home; Beulah had nixed the idea of having the restaurant in their house so a new building was necessary. Although they had a varied menu with many authentic Italian dishes (love those meatballs!), Dragonetti’s became known for their pizzas. Jacksonians who remember Dragonetti’s still mention how they had the best pizzas in town.

Over the years their menu and restaurant made additions, including music and dancing in the late 1960s.

Dragonetti’s saw the writing on the wall when competition from national chain restaurants started to seep in, killing business for the ones who were locally-owned. After a few years of feeling the pinch, Dragonetti’s closed for good in 1981. Vincent passed away in 1993 and Beulah in 2011.

Next time you’re driving on W. Michigan Avenue, take a good look at the Los Tres Amigos location across from the Westwood Mall: that’s where Dragonetti’s used to be.