Conte's Pizza 75th Anniversary Celebration: August 16, 2025
The history of Conte's PizZa
Sebastiano Conte Arrives In Princeton
It was on March 4, 1920 when Sebastiano (Sam) Conte sailed into New York Harbor with his luggage and his dreams. Born on the island of Ischia, Italy in 1895, he was 25 years old when he left his home and arrived at Ellis Island. He was seeking a better life and a way to help his family. He began his new life as a longshoreman in Brooklyn, NY. Next, he labored as a gardener in South Norwalk, Connecticut. When that job ended, he signed on as a railroad worker, and then as a coalminer in West Virginia. He eventually landed in Princeton, NJ and found work as a laborer for the Matthews Construction Company.
Sebastiano Conte Returns to Ischia and Meets Anna Sasso
In 1924, a telegram arrived from Italy informing Sebastiano that his mother was ill and if he wanted to see her again, he should return to Ischia immediately. He urgently booked the next ship overseas however by the time he arrived in Ischia, she had passed. It was during this trip that Sebastiano noticed a beautiful, young, red headed girl working at a sewing machine as an apprentice for his aunt. He inquired about her identity, sought out her father, and asked for her hand in marriage. Three weeks later, he married (Marianna) Anna Sasso. She was 18 years old.
Sebastiano Conte Returns to Princeton and Helps Build the Princeton High School Tower
Sebastiano returned to Princeton to work and save enough money to bring his new wife to the United States. Anna arrived in America on May 28, 1927. They rented a row house for $35 a month at 26 Witherspoon Lane, an Italian neighborhood. Sebastiano continued to be employed by the Matthews Construction Company where he was proud to help build the tower at Princeton High School.
Pictured on the left: From 1927, Anna and Sebastiano Conte in front of their row house rental at 26 Witherspoon Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540
FIRST HOME ON BIRCH AVENUE and First Bar: The Black eagle
Pictured above: From 1935, Sebastiano Conte outside the Black Eagle, 64 Birch Ave (renumbered to 124 Birch Ave). Sebastiano and Anna built their first home at 64 Birch Ave (later renumbered to 124 Birch Ave). Sebastiano wished for a balcony to remind him of his home in Ischia. They lived upstairs and Anna opened and operated a grocery store downstairs.
From 1935, Anna Conte with her daughters, Fannie and Amelia, in front of 64 Birch Ave (later renumbered to 124 Birch Ave).
Inside the black eagle
From 1935, Fannie Conte, daughter of Sebastiano and Anna Conte, inside the Black Eagle at 64 Birch Ave (renumbered to 124 Birch Ave). When prohibition ended in 1933, Sebastiano applied for a retail license to sell alcohol and he converted his grocery store to his first bar, The Black Eagle, later renamed Conte's Cafe.
The black eagle becomes conte's cafe
From 1935, Sebastiano Conte at his bar, Conte’s Café, 64 Birch Ave (renumbered to 124 Birch Ave), The next few years during the 1930’s were tumultuous as the bar was in a residential neighborhood and there were complaints about the noise and signage. This prompted Sebastiano to seek a new property. He sold the Birch Ave building to the Witherspoon Elks Lodge, which is still in operation today. Sebastiano moved his business to 339 Witherspoon Street. In 1936, he opened his second saloon, the Witherspoon Bar, in a small one room building serving a light lunch.
Sebastiano and Anna Conte Open the Witherspoon Bar
Sebastiano Conte in 1937 outside of his new location of the his new saloon, Witherspoon Bar, at 339 Witherspoon St.
Anna Conte in 1938 in front of the Witherspoon Bar, 339 Witherspoon St.
bocce, beer and the first tv
1939: Customers at the bocce courts where the current Conte’s restaurant stands.
1939: The same customers at the bocce courts enjoying their beer.
1939: Mario Conte, Sebastiano’s brother, serving beer at the bocce courts.
Fannie Conte, Sebastiano's daughter, in front of the television set. Sebastiano had one of the first public televisions in Princeton and many patrons came to watch tv shows. Friday night fights were especially popular. During the 1940’s, Sebastiano added a rental hall to the back of the building where many Princeton weddings were held for a $15.00 rental hall fee.
Conte's rejects princeton's segregation in the '30's & '40's
Pictured above, Sebastiano Conte in 1947 inside the Witherspoon Street Bar, serving members of Princeton's Black community. Sebastiano chose not to follow segregation policies that other Princeton institutions and businesses followed dating back to his original bar in the 1930's. Although Princeton High School became integrated in 1916, the lower schools did not integrate until the Princeton Plan was adopted in 1948. The Birch Avenue / Witherspoon Street area of Princeton had a particularly strong bond between Black and Italian families. Shirley Satterfield, as stated on Mark Freda's August 2022 podcast, said: "Our community was not just African-American. There were Italians here and they were our neighbors and they were very good friends that lasted with us forever."
Sebastiano Conte Builds Tiger Garage Next Door
Pictured above: From 1948 Anna and Sebastiano Conte in front of their new Tiger Garage, 343 Witherspoon St., Princeton, NJ. Sebastiano built Tiger Garage right next door to Witherspoon Bar, which is still operating today.
1949: WitherSpoon bar BEcomes conte's bar
Pictured above is Fannie Conte and Louis Lucullo in 1949, posing in front of the first Conte's Bar sign. Sebastiano Conte's daughter, Fannie, married Louis Lucullo, who would eventually take over the business from Sebastiano. Note the neon Conte's Bar sign would soon move to its current location. The Witherspoon Bar entrance and upstairs have been occupied by KSS Architects LLP for several decades now.
1949: The neon Conte's sign is ERected
Sebastiano Conte erecting the structure to hold the new neon Conte’s sign, which was later prohibited in Princeton.
View From Conte's Front Door: Putting up the poles that will hold the Conte's sign.
1950: Conte's is Born. becomes princeton's first pizzA
1950: The first Conte’s pizza maker commuted from New York City every night. On October 13, 1950, the new Conte’s Bar opened for business. Sebastiano replaced the bocce courts with a pizza restaurant because he believed that people had to travel too far for pizza during this time. Sebastiano trained his workers how to make the best pizza.
Our first newspaper ads!
1950 Ad in the Daily Princetonian promotes the opening on October 13, 1950 featuring "the largest bar in Princeton."
1950 A for the opening of Conte's, bringing pizza to Princeton for the first time.
Longest Bar In Princeton
1950: The new Conte’s Bar The new location featured a 70 foot bar, the longest in Princeton. Sebastiano allowed for extra space between the bar and the counters so customers could not reach the liquor bottles. The bar was built with glass blocks and the red glass blocks spelling out Conte’s across its length. The chairs and bar stools were covered in red vinyl. The tables were formica and the pillars were covered with tiny mirrored glass tiles. Venetian blinds covered the windows. There was a shuffleboard game and a juke box. After interest waned, the shuffleboard was broken down and the wood was used for the pizza making table in the kitchen. The juke box was removed after competing with the television.
1967: The Louis Lucullo and Amelia conte ERA BEGINS
Sebastiano Conte looks on during the wedding of his daughter, Fannie, to Louis Lucullo. Louis Lucullo immigrated from Ischia in 1946. He began working at night making pizza during the 50’s and 60’s. In 1967, Sebastiano was ready to retire and sold the business to his daughter, Amelia Conte, and son in law, Louis Lucullo.
Sebastiano Conte's daughter, Amelia Conte
Louis Lucullo's sister, rita baldino, joins conte's
Picutured above: From 1980, Rita Baldino in the Conte’s kitchen. Rita Baldino and her family arrived from Ischia, Italy in the 1960's. Rita contributed in the kitchen and was known for her perfect handmade meatballs and savory tomato sauce. Some of her children worked in the restaurant: her daughter, Palma, as a waitress, and her son, Louis, making pizza. In 1982 when it was time for Louis Lucullo to retire, he sold the business to Rita’s sons, Ciro and Tony Baldino, and later John joined them.
1970'S CONTE'S SOFTBALL TEAMS
Pictured above: 1977 Louis Lucullo with son, Louie, watches the Conte's softball team compete in the Princeton Recreation League.
Several of Louis Lucullo's daughters, including Cynthia pictured above, played on the Conte's women's softball teams.
Pictured above: John Pesce, one of the most valued players and key contiributor to several Conte's men's softball championships.
An Assortment of team celebrations at conte's
1982: louis Lucullo retires and sells conte's to nephews
From 1982: Brothers Ciro Baldino (left) and Tony Baldino (right), behind the bar at Conte's after purchasing the business from their uncle, Louis Lucullo. A few years later, their brother, John Baldino, also became a partner. In 2004, John's wife, Angela Baldino, who had worked at Conte's since the 1980's, also became a partner in the business.
JUNE 16, 1996: OLYMPIC TORCH PASSES BY CONTE'S
The Olympic Torch passed in front of Conte's in 1996, on its way to the Summer Olympics in Atlanta
today at conte's pizza
Ciro Baldino. And 75 years after it made its debut on October 13, 1950, Conte's is still going strong. Ciro and Angela continue to manage this family business that, for 75 years, has only been owned by the close family members of the Conte, Lucullo and Baldino families.