Castello’s Pizza and Pasta will soon be opening at the Ohio Valley Mall. (T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA)

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – Less than a year after Fabio’s Pizza left, pizza will return to the Ohio Valley Mall.

Castello’s Pizza and Pasta will be serving hungry customers by May 1.

Ohio Valley Mall marketing director Candi Noble-Greathouse said that the lease states that the restaurant will be open by May 1, but can open before.

Castello’s cooks up a selection of thin-crust pizza, thick-crust pizza, calzones, salads, subs, sandwiches and desserts. Its pasta offerings include linquini, ravioli, ziti in a variety of sauces. There are even gluten-free menu items.

For the Lenten season, specials include cod dinners, seafood salad, shrimp linguine and crab cake balls.

A surefire crowd-pleaser will be an all-you-can-eat pizza and pasta buffet. Castello’s has already developed a loyal following at its Follansbee, West Virginia location.

Noble-Greathouse said that the mall’s leasing department made it a priority to fill the pizza-shaped void Fabio’s left.

“Getting a pizza place has been a high priority. Our leasing department was able to work with them to work out a deal, and we’re excited that’s going to happen,” she said. “We’re excited to bring pizza back to the mall. I know that our tenants and shoppers will be very excited.”

Noble-Greathouse added that she has had the pizza and can vouch for it.

“It’s excellent,” Noble-Greathouse said.

The new 2,175-square-foot restaurant will be located near the children’s play area, not far from the main mall entrance.

It will be in the exact location where Fabio’s was located.

Castello’s is just the latest in an extensive list of new businesses coming to the mall.

Piercings N More, JD Sports, Golden Ticket Cinemas, Ironblast’s Game Zone and Angels All-Star Cheering all opened up shop in 2025. Academy Sports + Outdoors, Burlington Coat Factory, Boot Barn are all slated to open by late summer.