Barnaby's Pizza: The Generational Recipe
A generational local favorite in the heart of downtown South Bend, Barnaby’s Pizza flavors and charm have stood the test of time.
One of the cornerstones of the East Bank Village, Barnaby’s got its start at 713 E. Jefferson Blvd. in 1969 by George and Ruby Stratigos. Their son, John Stratigos, carries on the family legacy.
“The original group of Barnaby’s started in Chicago...my dad met the Geocaris family, and they convinced him to open up a Barnaby’s in South Bend, Ind.,” shared Stratigos. “12 years later in the early 80s, all the Barnaby’s became independently owned and operated. So, we are a family owned, family run business and we’re fortunate to have the structure that the Barnaby’s operation provided us…we haven’t really swayed away from that same concept. Calm environment, English pub concept with quality burgers, quality pizza, and just trying to stick to the original recipes.”
A dream out of Chicago that turned into a staple of South Bend. Barnaby’s has truly leaned into local. Their meats are locally sourced, their veggies are fresh, and their Italian sausage hails from Chicago.
“Guests are looking for local. They’re looking for local craft beer, they’re looking for local pizza, they’re looking for local sandwiches. And then I go back to the East Bank. We’ve got all those options. We’ve got some phenomenal restaurants and boutique shops in the East Bank Village…we’re proud of the fact that the East Bank has flourished.”
The story of how Barnaby’s found its home in the East Bank Village is a fascinating one. In 1920 Stratigos’ grandfather, Spyridon Stratigos, owned and operated the Stratigon Grille from 1914-1963 in downtown South Bend. In 1920, Spyridon and his wife built their brownstone house at the current site of Barnaby’s Pizza.
“Every Sunday we would go to have spaghetti dinner at my Italian grandmother’s house, which was the same property we are here today.”
Standing the test of time is not for the faint of heart. But keeping the same spirit, in the same location with no end in sight is something the Stratigos family is proud of.
“We’ve been through several recessions in those 55 years and covid and we survived. There are several other restaurants that have been in the East Bank a long time and this was an Italian neighborhood. Rocco’s, Sunny Italy, Macri’s…Barnaby’s since 1969. It’s kind of unique because they’re all family run businesses in the East Bank…now there’s more restaurants and we’ve flourished. The East Bank’s a cool place to be.”
A family feel in a growing neighborhood is something not only important to the businesses there, but also the locals and visitors alike that walk through their doors. Whether it’s their first time or hundredth time, there’s something special to experience.
“I just feel fortunate that we have loyal customers and very loyal employees. I’ve got employees here today that have been here over 20 years. Some have been here 40 years and we’re very proud of that.”
Generational customers have celebrated birthdays there, sports victories, special occasions…some proposals have even happened in Barnaby’s booths. Many celebrate special moments with Barnaby’s pizza at their table.
And the first-time visitors? They stop in from all over the country. East coast, west coast, even ESPN’s College GameDay was able to experience Barnaby’s Pizza on the show ahead of the College Football Playoff game at Notre Dame in December 2024. Notably, ESPN reached out to them for their pizza.
Their most popular pizza is Special #1: sausage, mushroom, green pepper and onion. Also, Special #2 which includes pepperoni. These are Stratigos’ favorites as well. But sometimes, he loves classic plain cheese.
Either way, they are being covered with Barnaby’s secret recipe parmesan cheese.
“Some people ask me do you get tired of eating pizza? And I don’t. I really don’t. Because you can add variety.”
The variety, and the consistency, keep customers coming back for generations.
