Island Resident Serves Up the Perfect Pie

Not long ago, Daniel Island resident David Orlando was happily living – and cooking – in Italy, when his brother called him with an offer that ultimately brought him back to the states. “He had seen an ad for a business that was for sale on Daniel Island, and he thought it would be a great opportunity to add something that the Daniel Island community was lacking – great pizza,” David explains. “He wanted me to come open it with him.”

Although leaving Italy was difficult, David seized the opportunity, packed his bags and moved to Charleston. Seven years later, Orlando’s Brick Oven Pizza is now one of the most popular dining spots on the island.

That’s not to say that it’s been easy. “It took me two years to perfect the crust, says David, who is originally from New Jersey. “I learned to make pizza in Italy, but there are so many factors that are involved in coming up with a recipe that works – the oven, the climate, the ingredients that are available to you – it takes a while to bring it all together and create the right formula.”

And then there are the usual challenges of owning and operating your own business: Long hours, staff turnover, changing food costs and more are just some of the components that David has learned to manage. But he’s managed the challenges well. His loyal customers are a snapshot of Daniel Island itself – young families looking for a kid-friendly place to dine, professionals who work on the island and want an affordable spot for lunch, students at nearby Bishop England High School. Basically, if you live or work on Daniel Island, chances are you eat at Orlando’s on a regular basis.

The Orlando’s menu is a classic selection of traditional pizzas, salads, signature pastas and two sandwiches – a meatball sub, and the latest addition to the menu, an authentic Philadelphia Cheese Steak. No matter what you order, you can’t go wrong – everything is delicious.

As for David, he’s found a way to balance his long hours as a business owner by moving to Daniel Island to reduce his commute time. “Two years ago I took advantage of a great deal on a condo on the island,” he says. “Now I can come and go throughout the day, and I don’t worry so much when I take a day off. If something goes wrong, I’m literally three minutes away.”

You can visit Orlando’s at 295 Seven Farms Drive in downtown Daniel Island, or call for take-out at (843) 884-6292.