Delco pizza institution Pica’s is saying goodbye in Upper Darby

After nearly 70 years of serving up thin and crispy square pies in Upper Darby, Pica’s Restaurant is ending dine-in service on Oct. 26, with plans to open a takeout location in Broomall next year.

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As Philadelphia-area pizza institutions go, few have the kind of reputation and customer loyalty (Delco’s own Tina Fey is one of those loyal customers) that Pica’s Restaurant has enjoyed for generations. 

Pica’s was founded in West Philadelphia in 1941 by Frank Pica Sr., who moved to Upper Darby in 1956, expanding his pizzeria into a full-service restaurant. His son, Frank Pica Jr., helmed the Upper Darby location for decades, eventually handing the reins over to a third generation of the Pica family.

Back in March, Pica’s announced that after nearly 70 years, its Upper Darby location would be closing. Last call there is Sunday, Oct. 26. But it’s hardly the end for Pica’s. You’ll still be able to get takeout in Upper Darby for the time being, and the Pica’s location in West Chester isn’t going anywhere. Come early 2026, there will be a new Pica’s location focused on takeout in Broomall at the Lawrence Park Industrial Center.

As a self-described “pizza enthusiast,” I must admit, rather sheepishly, that I had never had Pica’s pizza—despite the rave reviews I’d been getting from my pizza-loving friends in Delco who’d been eating the stuff for decades. With the closure of the flagship location imminent, I visited the Upper Darby spot recently and I can report that Pica’s reputation and loyalty are well-deserved.

Pica’s serves a super-thin crust square pie, with sauce that’s spread right to the edge over a thin layer of cheese and whatever toppings you want (the toppings aren’t listed on the menu, so you have to ask). For reference, think something in between a NEPA grandma pie and the sauce-on-top square pies served by another Philly-area institution, Santucci’s, but with a thinner crust.

I ordered a pie with roasted red peppers and pepperoni, both of which paired well with the tangy red sauce. The pie had nice char on the top and bottom, and was crispy all the way around. The crust is thin enough that, if you’re not careful and you’re hungry enough, you could house an entire pie by yourself in one sitting. Believe me, I thought about it. But then I thought about how good those last four slices would taste the next day, so I opted for a to-go box. And I was right, it tasted just as good the next afternoon for lunch.

If you can make it by Oct. 26, I highly recommend visiting the Upper Darby Pica’s to experience the old-school, family-style restaurant ambience. All due respect to the more stylish pizzerias that have emerged in the Philly area in recent years, but there’s just something comforting about eating delicious pizza in an upholstered booth.

Also, there’s free refills on soft drinks.