♪ REPORTER: AT ERNESTO’S, PIZZA IS A FAMILY TRADITION. >> ERNESTO IS MY WIFE’S GRANDFATHER ON HER FATHER’S SIDE. HE WAS BORN HERE IN 1909, ONE OF NINE KIDS. SOMEBODY IN THE FAMILY OPENED THE FIRST PIZZA PLACE IN REVERE. MY FATHER-IN-LAW HAD OPENED ERNESTO’S. ERIKA: THAT SHOP IN BOSTON’S NORTH END HAS BEEN OPEN NOW FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES. IN 2018, ANTHONY TOOK OVER THE BUSINESS AND THEN OPENED A SECOND LOCATION IN SOMERVILLE’S ASSEMBLY ROW. >> IT LOOKED LIKE A REALLY GOOD SISTER LOCATION TO THE NOR END. WE ENDED UP IN PHASE ONE, CLOSE TO THE RIVER, GREAT LOCATION HERE. ERIKA: INSIDE, THEIR MENU STAYED TRUE TO THE ORIGINAL. >> IF IT’S NOT BROKE, DON’T FIX IT. ERIKA: IN NEED OF NO REPAIR, NEAPOLITAN STYLE CLASSICS LIKE CHEESE, PEPPERONI, AND THE MARGARITA ALL WITH THE SAME SIGNATURE CRUST COOKED ON THE RACK. IT IS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. CRUNCHY ON THE BOTTOM, BUT WITH THOSE POCKETS OF AIR. ERIKA: THERE ARE ALSO NEW CUSTOMER FAVORITES, THE CHICKEN RANCH, A WHITE PIZZA WITH BACON, ONIONS, AND TOMATOES. THE CHEESEBURGER WITH LETTUCE, TOMATOES, PICKLES AND THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING ON TOP. AND THE GARLIC MARINATED SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH MOZZARELLA AND SCALLIONS. THE FEATURE THAT HAS MADE ERNESTO’S SLICES FAMOUS BEYOND SOMERVILLE IN THE NORTH END -- THEIR ENORMOUS SIZE. EACH PIZZA IS CUT INTO FOUR AND THEY ARE 18 INCHES. THE SLICES ARE GIGANTIC. ONE SLICE TAKES UP THE EQUIVALENT OF A SMALL PIECE ABOUT -- PIZZA BOX. ERIK SOMETHING EXCLUSIVE TO THE SOMERVILLE SHOP IS THE GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA. >> I HAD -- I FOUND OUT I HAD CELIAC’S DISEASE. THAT WAS TOUGH. ERIKA: BUT HE TOOK HIS DIAGNOSIS IN STRIDE AND MADE IT HIS MISSION TO FIND THE PERFECT LUTON FREE COST -- GLUTEN-FREE CRUST. A BAKER FOUND OUT SHE HAD CELIAC DISEASE AND HAD TO CONVERT THE ENTIRE BAKERY. ERIKA: GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS HAVE COME ALONG WAY RECENTLY AND HE IS CERTAIN NO MATTER WHICH SLICE CUSTOMERS CHOOSE, THEY WILL LEAVE HAPPY. >> YOU CAN GET PRETTY MUCH ANY SLICE AND A DRINK FOR LESS THAN $10 AND I PROMISE YOU, YOU WILL NOT BE HUNGRY WHEN YOU LEAVE. ERIKA: AUSTIN IS KNOWN FOR ITS MUSICAL ROOTS, EARNING THE ROCK CITY NICKNAME DECADES AGO. WHEN JOSEPH CHARLES OPENED A PIZZA SHOP HERE IN 2013, HE COULDN’T THINK OF A BETTER NAME. >> IT’S A ROCK ’N’ ROLL PLACE. ERIKA: CHARLES MOVED TO THE U.S. FROM HAITI WHEN HE WAS SIX YEARS OLD AND GREW UP IN BOSTON, EVENTUALLY GOING TO WORK AT THE OLD WINDY CITY PIZZA IN DORCHESTER. >> I WORKED SEVEN DAYS AT A PIZZA SHOP, SAVED UP MY MONEY, I ATE AT THE PIZZA SHOP, I WOULD WALK TO WORK AND WALK BACK HOME. THAT’S HOW I SAVED EVERY PENNY TO OPEN MY OWN PLACE. ERIKA: WITH THAT PURCHASE, CHARLES MADE HIS DREAMS OF BOTH OWNING HIS OWN BUSINESS AND BECOMING PART OF THE COMMUNITY A REALITY. >> IT IS REAL COMMUNITY-BASED. THAT’S WHAT I FELL IN LOVE WITH. PEOPLE KNOWING YOU ON A FIRST NAME BASIS. ERIKA: THE NAMES OF THE PIZZA’S RANGE FROM THE FAMILIAR, BUFFALO CHICKEN THAT’S HAND BATTERED AND FRIED -- >> WE DON’T USE PIZZA SAUCE AT ALL. ERIKA: TO THE UNIQUE BLANCO HAWAII AND TOPPED WITH PINEAPPLE, BACON, AND BROWN SUGAR. THERE’S ALSO A ONE-OF-A-KIND HOUSE SPECIAL, THE ROCK CITY, WITH PEPPERONI, MUSHROOMS, RED ONION, OLIVES AND TOMATO. >> YOU HAVE SIX SLICES FOR A 20 INCH PIE. IT IS A HUGE SLICE. ERIKA: BUT THE BIGGEST REASON PEOPLE KEEP COMING BACK TO ROCK CITY IS NOT LISTED ON THE MENU. >> I’M A LONGTIME FRIEND HERE IN ROCK CIT CUSTOMERS CAME TO MY WEDDING. ERIKA: IT IS THE PASSION FOR PIZZA AND PEOPLE CHARLES FOUND YEARS AGO THAT STILL FUELS HIM TODAY. I LOVE THAT COMMUNITY INTERACTIO SHAYNA: AND I HOPE YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY, BECAUSE WE HAVE A HALF-HOUR OF PIZZA COMING AT YOU. JOSEPH CHARLES SAYS OWNING A PIZZA SHOP USUALLY MEANS WORKING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, BUT HE STILL FINDS TIME TO VOLUNTEER. WHEN SCHOOL IS IN SESSION, HE WORKS WITH MENTORING PROGRAMS AT BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL AND BOSTON GREEN ACADEMY, ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO FIND THEIR PASSION IN LIFE. AND BACK TO ERNESTO’S, PIZZA REALLY IS A FAMILY AFFAIR. ANTHONY OWNS ANOTHER PIZZA SHOP IN EVERETT CALLED NANA’S PIZZA, NAMED AFTER HIS 96-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER. COMING UP, THINGS ARE HEATING UP