Ken Scarpino Sr., left, co-founded Scarpino’s in 1961 at East 42nd Street and Hubbell Avenue before it relocated to 73rd Street in Clive. His brother Bill, right, played piano in the restaurant’s Dixieland band. (Photos courtesy of the family) By Haley Scarpino A familiar name is returning to the Iowa State Fairgrounds this summer. Scarpino’s Pizza will once again be available at the Iowa State Fair Campground Grocery Store during the Iowa State Fair, Aug. 13-23. The return revives a longtime Des Moines favorite while giving campers and fairgoers another affordable place to grab a meal outside the fairgrounds. (The store is in the campground east of the fairgrounds and is open to everyone — no admission required.) For me, it’s also personal. My grandparents, Ken Sr. and Sally Scarpino, opened Scarpino’s in 1961 at East 42nd Street and Hubbell Avenue. Over the years, several family members carried on the business, including my uncles Marty Scarpino, who is bringing the pizza back, and Danny Scarpino, who developed the Italian sausage recipe returning this summer. Mark Graziano stepped in to run the campground grocery store in 2024 and has spent the past two years updating it. He renovated the exterior, installed new flooring and air-conditioning units and recently added a 600-square-foot expansion. Adding Scarpino’s pizza to the offerings is part of his vision to make the store more than a place to grab camping essentials. He wants to offer nostalgic, affordable food that appeals to campers and visitors alike. Customers can choose from cheese, pepperoni, and Italian sausage pizzas, all made in the classic Midwestern tavern style with a thin crust and generous toppings. The sauce is made from scratch, and each pizza is loaded with toppings. As Uncle Marty puts it, “My pizza doesn’t hurt your eyes looking for toppings.” Danny created the recipe for the Italian sausage with ground pork and a signature blend of Italian spices inspired by the original Scarpino’s recipe. He served as a cook in the U.S. Army during Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and brought his passion for cooking home. He died in 2022, but his memory lives on through his recipes. Even though Scarpino’s originally opened on the east side, it attracted fans all over the metro. It moved to several locations over the years, including a spot on 73rd Street in Clive in the 1970s. My grandma Sally and aunts Gina Duffy and Linda Hughes later revived the Scarpino’s name for restaurants in Cumming and on Court Avenue in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In every iteration, the restaurant was known for its pizza, Italian salad dressing and lively atmosphere. Sometimes there were even Dixieland bands that drew crowds throughout the week. This summer, fairgoers can grab more than a quick meal — they can taste a slice of Des Moines history. Haley Scarpino is a chef, home cook, recipe tester, food editor and graduate of the Iowa Culinary Institute. ...read more read less