By Caroline Roosevelt
Contributing Writer

My theory remains to be disproved that the best food is hidden in plain sight. 

On assignment from the Chester County Press, I recently met with Benjamin Tobin, the owner of Mezzaluna KSQ in Kennett Square Borough, on an unusually hot and muggy day. Normally, pizza would not have been my immediate go-to on a sweltering late afternoon, but as I swung the door open to the small pizzeria on South Mill Road, the umami fragrance of dough baking behind the counter convinced me that pizza was actually all I wanted at that moment.

The interior of the intimate space features blank blue walls and a few inviting tables to accommodate maybe 20 customers, and no more than a counter separates patrons from their pizza baking in the oven. 

Tobin, a native to Kennett Square, had always had a passion for cooking even as he was working as a Lieutenant in the Birmingham Fire Department and with the Sherrif’s Department, and a move to the Charleston, S.C. area for his wife Samantha’s work planted the seeds in his mind to start his own pizza restaurant. While learning more about pizza in his free time through Youtube, Tobin picked up a few odd jobs, and one evening while on a shift as an Uber driver, Tobin picked up a couple from Chester County, who owned Coastal Crust in Mount Pleasant.

They invited him to work with them.

Tobin quickly learned every aspect of the pizza making business, which he later complimented with a stop at La Baguette in West Chester, where he made wood-fire pies on a pizza truck. In June of 2023, Tobin and Samantha opened Mezzaluna, and since then, the couple have been busy adding awards to their accolades. Tobin entered the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas and won second place in the Non-Traditional Division (Northeast Region) and placed sixth in the world. He then competed in the World’s Best Cheese Slice at the Pizza & Pasta Expo in Atlantic City and placed sixth. In 2025, Tobin won first place in the Non-Traditional Division (Northeast Region) and placed third overall in the world. Samantha also competed in the World’s Best Cheese Slice and placed ninth in the Northeast and 24th in the world.

There’s a reason they keep winning. In addition to their process, Mezzaluna is committed to their ingredients. 

“We use organic ingredients when we can, including imported flour from Italy and a mix of organic flour from California, so between that and two- to four-day cold ferment period, our pizza is definitely easier to digest,” Tobin said.

If you’re looking for a journey in one bite, you’ve come to the right place. At Mezzaluna KSQ, you can enjoy a pizza made with traditional ingredients or tuck into a variety of specialty pies that include Gettin’ Figgy With It, featuring fig jam and fresh arugula; Unique New York, served with smooth dollops of ricotta and Mike’s Hot Honey; The Fun Guy, made with lemon and garlic oil and crumbled goat cheese; as well as a pesto pie, a five-cheese pie and Three Little Pigs, which comes with crumbled sausage and bacon.

For my tasting, Tobin connected me to Mezzaluna’s Irish Blessing Pizza, coated with a Detroit-style crust made of mozzarella cheese  I don’t know much about The Motor City, but their pizza crust has won me over. As I took a bite into that thick, square slice - dubious of its shape and size - I knew my opinion would be forever changed on pizza. The crunchy caramelized edges crackled with each bite. The dollops of ricotta are at once both indulgent and entirely necessary. Fresh torn basil completes the pie and there was not an ounce of dripping grease. 

I highly recommend visiting this slightly-out-the-way gem for a casual date night, accompanied by a bottle of wine or a Peroni (Italian pilsner) as recommended by Benjamin. While your pizza is in the oven, you may want to begin your delicious date with the Burrata starter, and after the last bite of your award-winning Mezzaluna Detroit style pizza has vanished, wrap up your feast with a pistachio cannoli.

You simply cannot lose. 

Mezzaluna KSQ is located at 216 South Mill Road in Kennett Square. To learn more, visit the menu at www.mezzalunaksq.com or call (610) 263-9919.