If you’re looking to get a taste of authentic Italy, you might not have to look further than your community pizza place.

Mario’s Pizza, located at 472 Howdershell Rd., prides itself on serving fresh, authentic Italian-style pizza with a bit of New York influence.

The local eatery recently celebrated its first year anniversary on April 15, and within that first year, the restaurant has celebrated a number of milestones.

This past year, Mario’s went from a carry-out place only to an expanded restaurant with a bathroom and seating for approximately 20. In addition, this past February, it was recognized in Feast magazine for its “St. Louis by the Slice” feature.

Co-owner Wendy Borrelli said her husband, whose parents are from Italy, has worked in the restaurant business for years in the New York area. Both lived in New York but decided to move to St. Louis for a better place for their family.

Before Mario’s Pizza, the couple owned a restaurant in St. Charles but sold it to focus on personal family matters. After taking a bit of time off, the couple decided to bring a new business to Florissant, and that’s how Mario’s was born.

“We’re pleasantly surprised at the positive feedback we’ve gotten from Florissant,” she said.

Mario’s, named after an eatery in New York City, Wendy Borrelli said, offers a number of daily fresh options, including pizza, appetizers, salads, entrees and sandwiches. Not to mention, the restaurant offers a number of gluten-free options as owner Andre Borrelli suffers from celiac disease.

“People have said the gluten-free crust is the best they’ve ever tasted,” she said. (The restaurant was recently named Best Gluten-Free Option in our Reader’s Choice poll.)

 Wendy Borrelli said that she looks forward to enhancing their menu with other entrees for diners to enjoy.

“We hope when people are not looking for St. Louis style pizza, they check out our Italian style,” she said.