Somewhere in Ohio, there is a pizza spot that inspires the kind of loyalty you rarely see anymore. People drive out of their way for it, families have grown up on it, and strangers passing through still talk about it long after they leave the state.
The debate over whether it lives up to its legend is almost as old as the place itself. Pull up a seat, because the story of this Mahoning Valley institution is one worth knowing.
Where Wedgewood Fernando’s Pizza Sits in Austintown
Tucked along South Raccoon Road in Austintown, Ohio, Wedgewood Fernando’s Pizza occupies a spot that feels both ordinary and unmistakably local. The address, 1622 S Raccoon Rd, places it squarely in a suburban stretch of the Mahoning Valley, close enough to Youngstown that regulars from both sides of the county line claim it as their own.
From the outside, nothing screams landmark. The building is modest, the signage familiar, and the parking lot tells the real story on busy evenings.
Road-trippers have stumbled upon it mid-drive and ended up staying far longer than planned, drawn in by the steady stream of carry-out orders flowing through the door.
For Ohioans who love a find that feels like a secret even when it is not, this Austintown address delivers exactly that kind of quiet, satisfying surprise.
The Fernando Legacy Behind the Name
Behind the name Fernando is a history that longtime Austintown residents carry with them the way you carry a favorite recipe. The original Fernando built a reputation for pizza that felt personal, crafted with a consistency that made regulars feel like insiders every single visit.
Like many long-running, family-rooted restaurants, Wedgewood has changed over the years. Ownership, staffing, and day-to-day operations naturally evolve with time, but the restaurant’s history and connection to the community remain an important part of its identity.
Through those changes, Wedgewood has continued serving the food that helped establish its reputation in northern Minnesota, including the prime rib sandwich that became one of its signature menu items.
Even so, the name carries genuine weight in the Mahoning Valley. For many Ohioans, Wedgewood Fernando’s is less a restaurant and more a chapter in their personal food history, the kind of place that anchors a childhood or marks a celebration they still talk about today.
The Sauce That Gets People Talking
Ask anyone who has eaten here more than once and the sauce comes up almost immediately. Regulars describe it as house-made, featuring chunks of real tomato and no added sugar, which gives it a brightness that stands apart from the sweeter, more processed sauces common at chain competitors.
The sauce strikes a satisfying balance between richness and restraint, bringing plenty of flavor without taking over the pizza. It coats each slice without overwhelming the crust and still stands out beneath a generous layer of melted cheese and toppings.
That balance gives the pizza its character, allowing every component to come through while the sauce ties everything together.
For pizza lovers who have grown tired of predictable flavors, this sauce is the detail that turns a casual carry-out order into something worth remembering. It is, by most accounts, the heartbeat of what makes a Wedgewood pie feel distinctly Mahoning Valley.
Round Pies, Sheet Pans, and the Crust Debate
Few topics at Wedgewood Fernando’s generate more spirited conversation than the crust. The menu offers both classic round pies and sheet-pan options, and customers have very strong opinions about which format reigns supreme.
Sheet-pan fans point to the Sicilian-style thick, chewy interior that somehow stays light and airy at the same time.
Round pie enthusiasts prefer the edges that crisp up while the center stays soft beneath the toppings. One visitor described ordering a meat lovers cut into squares, which sits somewhere between both camps and satisfies the need for that satisfying, chunky bite.
Not every pie lands perfectly, and a small number of visitors have received crusts that felt undercooked or overly bready. But when the kitchen is firing on all cylinders, the crust at Wedgewood is the kind that makes you rethink your usual pizza order and start calculating when you can reasonably come back.
Specialty Pizzas That Spark Genuine Curiosity
Beyond the classics, Wedgewood Fernando’s has built a quiet reputation for specialty pies that push the boundaries of what Ohio pizza can be. The wedding soup pizza has earned enough word-of-mouth mentions to become something of a local talking point, blending the flavors of a Mahoning Valley Italian classic into a format most people have never considered.
The pickle pizza and white pizza options add further range to a menu that clearly enjoys experimenting. A pierogi pizza appeared as a limited-time offering and was met with genuine enthusiasm from diners who tried it, proving that the kitchen is willing to take creative swings.
Chicken bacon ranch with added mushrooms has also drawn high praise, with one visitor calling it among the best pizza they had ever eaten after a lifetime of trying. For anyone who appreciates a menu that takes risks without abandoning its roots, the specialty section here is absolutely worth exploring.
Toppings Loaded Without Apology
Skimping on toppings is simply not part of the Wedgewood Fernando’s approach. Visitors consistently note that the kitchen loads each pie with a generosity that feels almost defiant in an era when many restaurants have quietly reduced portions while raising prices.
Cheese arrives in quantities that make adding extra feel unnecessary.
Meats are distributed across the full surface rather than clustered in the center, and fresh ingredients show up with enough presence to register in every single bite. One visitor who added mushrooms to a chicken bacon ranch order reported that nothing about the topping balance felt like an afterthought.
Sauce distribution has occasionally drawn feedback when orders do not meet the usual standard, which suggests that consistency can vary depending on who is working a given shift. Still, the baseline expectation at Wedgewood is a pizza that arrives looking full, honest, and ready to impress anyone sitting across the table.
Inside the Dining Room and Private Space
Walking inside Wedgewood Fernando’s, the vibe lands somewhere between a neighborhood diner and a no-fuss gathering spot. Seating is available for those who want to eat in, and the layout keeps things comfortable without trying to be anything more than what it is.
Drinks come from a cooler you help yourself to, which adds a refreshingly informal touch.
One detail that surprises first-timers is the private room available for small group events. A visitor who used it for an impromptu graduation celebration described the staff offering it up graciously when it was not already booked, complete with plates, napkins, and cups.
That kind of accommodating spirit is not something most casual pizzerias bother with.
Fountain drinks are not available at the Austintown location, which has drawn minor complaints from a few diners. Bottled sodas are on offer instead, and for most people, that small trade-off barely registers once the pizza arrives at the table.
The Crowd That Calls This Place Home
Regulars here span a wide range. Families with picky kids, solo diners grabbing a quick carry-out, birthday party groups, and road-trippers who heard about the place from a friend all show up in roughly equal measure.
The common thread is that almost everyone arrives with some kind of expectation, whether built from childhood memories or a recommendation passed along at a gas station.
The carry-out operation runs at a pace that reflects real demand. Visitors describe a constant flow of phone orders and walk-in pickups, with the kitchen running what appears to be seven double-decker ovens all going at once during peak hours.
For solo visitors or couples, eating in offers a low-key alternative to the carry-out rush. Families who need to feed a crowd on a reasonable budget often find the price-to-portion ratio here to be among the better deals in the Youngstown area, making repeat visits an easy decision.
Hours, Prices, and Getting There
Planning a visit to Wedgewood Fernando’s is straightforward once you know the schedule. The restaurant is closed on Mondays, but opens at 11 am Tuesday through Sunday.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday hours run until 9 pm, while Friday and Saturday extend to 10 pm, making weekend evening visits a comfortable option.
Pricing falls in the $10 to $20 range, which positions it well for families or anyone looking to eat satisfying pizza without a significant financial commitment. For context, that range covers a solid pie with real toppings, not a stripped-down budget version.
The address at 1622 S Raccoon Rd is easy to reach from the Youngstown area and sits close enough to major routes that it works as a planned stop rather than a detour. Calling ahead at 330-799-2102 is worth doing, as the phone line has occasionally experienced access issues according to some recent visitor feedback.
A Mahoning Valley Staple Worth the Drive
After decades of feeding Mahoning Valley families, Wedgewood Fernando’s Pizza has earned the kind of complicated reputation that only genuinely beloved places accumulate. Loyal visitors recommend it without hesitation to anyone passing through the Youngstown area, and some even drive from southern Ohio specifically to pick up a pie.
The experience is not without its inconsistencies. A handful of recent visitors have noted variation in quality depending on the day and the crew working the kitchen.
That is worth keeping in mind, especially for first-timers who arrive with high expectations built from years of glowing word-of-mouth.
For most people, though, a visit to Wedgewood Fernando’s lands somewhere between satisfying and genuinely memorable. The sauce, the loaded toppings, the specialty pies, and the unpretentious setting combine into something that feels specific to this corner of Ohio.
That regional specificity is exactly what makes it worth seeking out at least once, and for many, far more often than that.
Share this story
