Fricano's pizza remains the original and most famous pizza and pizzeria in Michigan. In 1949 the late Cosimo (Gus) Fricano, founded what is believed to be the first pizzeria in Michigan, Fricano's Pizza Tavern, in Grand Haven with the original thin crust pizza pie. What started as an old boarding house in the late 1800's became the first restaurant to serve pizza in the entire state. Some of Michigan's largest newspapers have made this claim.