Harlow’s Pizza opened in 2017, introducing a unique and innovative approach to cooking pizzas in wood-fired ovens. Harlow’s Pizza has a fun, modern, cozy, and stylish environment. Known for their Neapolitan-style pizza, Harlow’s offers fresh, delicious pizza in a contemporary and trendy environment for the Lakewood community, bringing something new that people haven’t seen before.
Harlow’s Pizza not only brings the Lakewood community delicious, mouthwatering pizza, but also brings a safe, cozy atmosphere where people can study as they grab a bite to eat, meet some friends for a fun night out, and many other activities. Harlow’s atmosphere is perfect for almost anything and brings a fun, modern pop to the streets of Lakewood. The owner, John Sweeney, said, “We wanted it to feel like an escape away from the norm.” One of Sweeney’s favorite compliments about their business is that people tell him and others in the community that “when they come here, they don’t feel like they’re in Cleveland anymore.”
Harlow’s Pizza is one of the most unique restaurants around. Sweeney traveled to Italy for a year with his wife to figure out how to use a wood-fired pizza oven to make their own homemade pizza. He took items he liked from pizza shops in Italy and incorporated them into his own establishment. Harlow’s worker Mike McKay said, “The margarita pizza is the most popular because it’s something unique that we put the pistachios and cherry tomatoes and everything on it.”
One thing that sets Harlow’s apart from other businesses and pizza shops is its limited yet unique beer selection. Sweeney said, “We only have four or five beers, and they’re all either Mexican or Italian.” Harlow’s Pizza not only offers the community delicious, fresh pizza but also brings something new to Lakewood by introducing a unique style of pizza, straight from Italy, made with the freshest and healthiest ingredients. Harlow’s is big on tasting the pizza for itself, getting all those fresh flavors without adding any sauces or sugars.
Harlow’s focuses on keeping its dough fresh, using only salt, water, and flour—nothing else. The restaurant keeps it simple and very tasty. Even Harlow’s sauce has no added sugars or extra ingredients, creating a healthier style of pizza that doesn’t leave customers feeling heavy and stuffed after eating it. Harlow’s owner, John Sweeney, says, “I love that I’m able to offer our community a healthier style of pizza.”
Harlow’s Pizza not only offers a unique style of pizza but also has a distinct vibe in the restaurant. The establishment prides itself on doing things differently than most other places, incorporating modern pop influences from Italy and Mexico into its decor.
Harlow’s employees are friendly and welcoming, and customers are always greeted with a smile. Customer Rob, who wishes to remain anonymous, said, “I would say it is my favorite pizza restaurant in Lakewood.” Harlow’s has cool, purple lighting inside the restaurant. The outside of the restaurant has dim lanterns spread throughout the entire back patio, while still keeping it bright enough for customers to enjoy. Harlow’s back patio is covered in vines, making for a great place to grab a bite and enjoy a night out in a different style of restaurant than the traditional one.
Harlow’s Pizza offers more than just a place to get a pizza; it provides a unique customer experience that immerses you in another country’s culture. The pizza itself is a delicious and very healthy option in Lakewood, which is awesome because healthy, affordable choices can be hard to find.
Harlow’s does an excellent job of immersing customers in a different cultural experience. The owner takes pride in bringing his Italian background to enhance the flavor of the food and to fully immerse customers in the Italian experience. Growing up in Lakewood, the owner has witnessed the city’s changes over time and wanted to be part of that transformation by opening a pizza restaurant that offers something new to the community.
