CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (WCMH) — After winning 25th-best cheese pizza at an international competition, a Chillicothe Italian restaurant is adjusting to accommodate increased demands.
Lievita placed top three in the Midwest and 25th in the world in cheese pizza of at the 2026 International Pizza Expo World Pizza Challenge. It was Lievita’s first entry in the competition, which draws hundreds of pizza makers from around the world. Since winning, owners Joe and Shai Casilla have seen huge demand for their from-scratch pizzas and are working to accommodate orders.
On Wednesday, the Casillas debuted an online ordering option, previously unavailable. The couple said Lievita had to turn off calls because too many people rang the restaurant and the voicemails began deleting themselves. The Casillas said to use the online system for orders and to email them with any other inquiries as they work to fix their phones.
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In early April, Lievita was only accepting in-person orders due to the surge in demand. The Casillas said if the in-person service gets too busy, they may still have to delay some orders. Lievita’s kitchen can only bake about 15 large pizzas per hour.
Lievita uses a slow-rise sourdough base and ingredients sourced from Ross County. Because of the nature of the dough, the Casillas said it takes a full day to prepare each pizza base. The restaurant has begun making double and triple batches, because they are unable to make more dough if they run out for the day.
The Casillas said the newfound attention and business has made a major difference for Joe, Shai and their five kids. Lievita recently celebrated two years of business and the Casillas said they are now profitable, something many restaurants do not achieve until their third year of business.
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Shai said thanks to increased sales, Joe no longer has to work 80- to 100-hour weeks and they can afford to hire help. The Casillas said they appreciate their customers’ patience and understanding as they work to rapidly grow the business while ensuring there’s time for their family.
“We certainly make mistakes, but we respond as quickly as possible, make amends, and live by our saying: we ‘get 1% better every day,’” Shai Casilla wrote on social media. “We want way more out of this than a paycheck.”
To start, online ordering will be available from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Dining and Cooking