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Is Anything Ever Going to be Done About the Lines at Angelo’s Pizzeria?

By Matt Schultz

Published: Apr 22nd, 2026 · 11:26 AM EDT

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Angelo’s Pizzeria has long been considered to have one of the best (the best, depending on who you ask) cheesesteaks in the city, and their pizza and sandwiches are no slouches either. Since opening in South Philly in 2019, the corner shop at 9th and Fitzwater in Bella Vista has grown pretty rapidly beyond just local recognition – Angelo’s has become a spot that tourists feel they have to hit when they’re in Philly. Which is nice! It’s fine. The food there is very good. I’m not denying this. 

But a growing number of Philadelphians aren’t talking about their food; they’re talking about the long lines of people that form outside the place and wrap around the block – and the next-level nuisance it’s become:

This isn’t a new story – about a year ago, Shawnette Wilson at Fox 29 did a great job reporting on this exact issue. I just re-read the article, and came away pretty affected by some of the quotes from folks who live nearby and have to deal with this headache every day:  

“We are literally ground zero for the lines, the noise and people waiting on our steps,” said a woman who lives on 9th Street near the business. She is one of many residents who attended a community meeting Wednesday night at Palumbo Recreation Center to voice their concerns.

“I want to be able to walk out of my front door and not have to shoo people off of my steps, not have people throwing trash in my planters and also peeing in them,” said a woman named Eileen who says she has owned a home here for 34 years.

This… is bad! What the hell is going on over there? Someone’s gotta do something! These line-clowns are camped out on this woman’s stoop? They’re throwing garbage in her planters? They’re pissing all over the place? Piss! Piss! What are we talking about here? This is a crime! 

If I was living on this street, I’d be losing my mind. This has gotta be as annoying as it gets. I feel especially bad for the folks who’ve been living in these houses for decades – imagine that! You live in a perfectly normal, quiet house that you love, and then Action Bronson goes on Viceland TV and instructs his mass following of gluttonous goons to descend upon your block like a plague, and they never, ever leave (Imagine having your life ruined by Viceland TV… maybe as bleak as it gets…). Living on this street now is like having your house permanently in line for a porta-potty at Made In America. The noise is one thing – but the garbage (and piss!!!) takes the whole thing next level. 

How is Angelo’s not on the hook for this? Why aren’t they responsible? How are they not required to clean up the plates and napkins and tinfoil they hand out? How about offering bathrooms to the public so people stop pissing in grandmas’ planters? Also, here’s a pretty good point:

This feels true! Angelo’s should cut this shit out! Get your ass on DoorDash or whatever, lose these unnecessary lines, and save the neighborhood a lot of trouble! 

Not to say that Angelo’s is completely ignoring the problem — they’ve attended community meetings on the issue and taken a few measures to try alleviating some of the hassles. Since the complaints started piling up, the shop has added more trash cans with extra pick-ups and hung a sign asking customers not to sit on residents’ front steps (My understanding is that the sign says nothing on the topic of piss). They’ve applied for a loading zone permit and installed bollards in front of the pizzeria. This is good. These are all good steps. But it’s clear they haven’t been enough.

Just seems weird that this issue hasn’t been resolved yet. Bella Vista, I am pulling for you. I am your advocate. I am a man of the people…