LaRosa's Pizzeria is a chain of pizzerias serving neighborhoods throughout Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. It was founded in 1954 by Donald "Buddy" LaRosa, along with partners Richard "Muzzie" Minella, Mike Soldano and Frank "Head" Serraino. Originally called Papa Gino's, The business expanded, and now operates 60 pizzerias, with total annual sales of $185 million. and boasts one of the highest sales volumes per pizzeria in the nation. Among U.S. pizza chains, LaRosa's has higher average per-store sales than Domino's, Donatos Pizza, Little Caesars, Papa John's, or Pizza Hut.

Expansion

LaRosa's first franchise was sold in 1967 in Finneytown, Ohio. Following that, additional franchises were opened in Greater Cincinnati communities such as Clifton, Hyde Park, and White Oak. By 1980, LaRosa's had 25 locations.

Between 2004 and 2014, LaRosa's expanded further with corporately owned and franchise locations in Middletown, Liberty Township, Loveland, Mason, Colerain Township, and Oxford, among others, as well as locations in Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana.

LaRosa's expanded farther into Kentucky starting in the late 2010s. Its first location in Lexington, a full-service restaurant, opened in May 2019 but closed in July 2023. A second Lexington location, a delivery- and takeout-only store, opened in December 2019. Another location in nearby Nicholasville opened in March 2021 and closed in April 2022. The chain's first Louisville location opened in January 2023. The Louisville location closed on September 30, 2024, and LaRosa's states that they closed this location because of sales at the location that "did not consistently meet expectations."

LaRosa's signature pizza is a thin crust variety made with a distinctive thick, sweet sauce (a family recipe created by the founder's Aunt Dena)

In 1999, Michael's son Nick LaRosa joined the company and today is Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Intelligence, becoming the third generation of the LaRosa family to lead the chain.