Pittsburgh-based Mercurio’s draws customers in search of a beautiful, artisan experience.
Yet some of what sets the restaurant apart from other pizzerias – homemade gelato and mozzarella, for example – began as a way to save on food costs and leverage the owners’ relationship with their parents’ existing business.
“Initially it was just cheaper for us to do it,” Mercurio’s owner Anna Crucitt says of making mozzarella from scratch. “In 2012, you could make cheese for 17 cents an ounce, like absolutely nothing.” And while the cost savings is marginally cheaper now than buying cheese from a distributor, the pizzaiola says making mozzarella in-house provides a level of control over moisture and salt that she appreciates.
Crucitt’s attention to detail is obviously a strong suit: She took home first place in the gluten-free division at the 2025 Pizza Senza Frontiere World Pizza Champion Games in Rimini, Italy. The win sparked renewed demand for gluten-free pies, which she calls a specialty of her brother, Joe, who co-owns Mercurio’s with Anna and their brother, Michael.
“A lot of people are afraid to free-form (gluten-free dough) and just do it in pans because it’s safe,” Crucitt tells Pizza Today. “There is a way to do it by hand, pressing it, which is what I think sets us apart.”
Despite her success, the pizzaiola says she doesn’t believe it’s possible to truly perfect the gluten-free pizza style. “I feel like there are always ways to improve it,” she adds.
In addition to being an award-winning pizzaiola herself, Crucitt employs other standout pizza makers, such as Ed Stalewski, whose edible creations have helped him rack up nearly 175,000 Instagram followers and counting. Crucitt attributes her ability to attract and retain top talent to her willingness to let staff be creative.
“As long as I trust their judgement on the final product, I’m OK with them experimenting a little,” she tells Pizza Today. “I want them to also be proud of the product that they are presenting to the guests.”
Homemade gelato is another draw at Mercurio’s, a name synonymous with the sweet treat in western Pennsylvania, where Crucitt’s family opened Mulberry Street Creamery in 1999. All seven Mercurio children worked in the shop, which sold ice cream, custard, Italian water ice, sorbetto and, of course, gelato.
Today, gelato production takes place in Mercurio’s Fox Chapel location. While Crucitt frequently is approached by restaurants and retailers looking to sell Mercurio’s gelato themselves, she only sells the product to businesses willing to store it at exactly 7 F, the ideal serving temperature.
One of Mercurio’s biggest promotions of the year is its annual advent calendar, which features 24 pints of special-edition gelato in holiday flavors. “It’s a fun way for me to challenge myself on flavors that I don’t get to normally make,” Crucitt says, adding that she starts developing flavors for the calendar as early as July, with production beginning in September and sales starting in October.
Overall, Crucitt and her siblings hope to offer patrons a taste of Naples through their pizza and gelato. She says, “I want you to come back because we checked all those boxes for you. We put a lot of effort and pride into our product and the quality.”
Explore Mercurio’s and on Instagram @ mercuriospgh.
