MURRELLS INLET — Francesco’s Pizza Kitchen wasn’t just giving away free pizza for its May 4 grand opening. It was also handing out slices of home.
“It’s like New York all over,” said Johnny Ramos, an Islip, N.Y., transplant who moved to the Grand Strand six years ago. “It’s hard to find real New York pizza down here. There are a few places, but this tastes like home.”
Making, baking, slicing and serving the pies was 21-year-old owner Nikko Genova, a third-generation pizza prodigy who is bringing his family’s flavors to the Strand. Francesco’s, located at 2520 U.S. Highway 17 Business in Murrells Inlet, is his second store in the area after opening Genova Pizza & Pasta in Socastee last year.
“We had such a positive reception from the community and we really wanted to expand to this area,” said Genova, who is launching his own pizza empire with the help of his parents and extended family. “There are a lot of New Yorkers living down here who remember us. You wouldn’t believe how many customers we get from the old neighborhood (near Long Island, N.Y.).”
Francesco’s owner Nikko Genova serves customers free pizza at his new restaurant in Murrells Inlet on May 4, 2026.
Terry Massey/Staff
That’s where it all started with his grandmother, affectionately remembered as Nonna, and grandfather Francesco, who brought their Sicilian recipes to the U.S. from Palermo, Italy. Passed down from generation to generation, the recipes were spread among family members who still operate restaurants in the New York area.
As has become a bit of a family tradition whenever someone in his extended family opens a new restaurant, Francesco’s hosted a free tasting to introduce its fare to new neighbors. The result was a New Yorkers’ reunion of sorts as guests swapped stories and sampled slices of pizza, pasta, strombolis and more.
“It’s good to have something that tastes like New York,” said Johnny Montalvo, who moved to the region in 2020 and considers himself a bit of a pizza connoisseur. “Lots of people try to make it, but you can tell this is authentic. There’s something about the way the crust folds in half. It’s delicious.”