I was heartbroken to hear that Steel City Pizza (that’s a nod to Middletown’s Steel History – NOT Pittsburgh… yuck) was leaving its home in Middletown. My sadness was very quickly replaced by what can only be described as joy when the rest of the story was told. They’d be coming a little closer to where I usually drink, taking over a spot in Hamilton, Ohio. It only gets better, too – they weren’t just opening in a soulless space somewhere around town. They were taking over the former Arches Saloon.

How does a pizza place show respect for what some folks call Hamilton’s oldest standing bar? They lean in… it’s not just about great pizza.

The History

The building that sits under the arched train tracks along B Street in Hamilton was built around 1920, but supposedly, saloons on the site can be traced all the way back to 1899. This history is super important to these folks. This bar has (without argument) been a part of the neighborhood as far back as anyone can remember, and no matter if the space is home to ‘The Classic Rock Cafe’ or ‘Arches Saloon’ – it’s a bar that is home base for hard-working people, who live and work right in the neighborhood.

This is a spot where, after a long day at work, you can belly up for a quick meal and a delicious drink. It’s always been that way, and if Steel City (we’ll talk about that name in a minute) has their way, it always will be that way.

Taking Over

Steel City Pizza didn’t waste much time. As they got their feet under them in their new location, they started rethinking everything about themselves to make sure they did not just respect their space and their customers, but the city itself.

First came the menu – both food and drink. Even before they opened their doors, they knew that they’d need to add a full bar menu to their plans. We’re not talking just about lousy pours of Jack and Coke, either alongside macro lagers.

Hamilton has moved so much further than that since the Classic Rock cafe opened its doors in 1993 in the same space. Their new bartender, Virginia Miller, has been making her presence known all around Hamilton for a while. I’ve found myself across from her at a bar many times, and have always left with a smile and a belly full of great cocktails. At this space, she’s crafting an incredible cocktail menu that will make this a spot not just for a beer and some pizza, but for folks actually looking to spend some time bellied up to a proper bar.

This might be the most respect that someone has shown the bar in this building… ever.

That doesn’t mean that they’re losing sight of the pizza that brought them into the space in the first place. They’re, of course, bringing that same familiar Steel City goodness. They’re also growing that side of things. They’ve recently announced plans to add Detroit-style pizza to the menu (which will also be growing with pasta and other dishes very soon). It’s a plan that will help them draw even more people into their doors (including me… a diehard Detroit-style fan).

All of these changes, a new location, respect for their neighborhood… it is all setting up for a little bit of a disconnect, though. Steel City? Hamilton? The neighborhood that they call home already has a name. It’s Rossville.

Rossville Pizza

Steel City Pizza becomes Rossville Pizza Company, completing the transition. It’s more than just a sign of respect, though. Rossville used to be its own town, sitting across the river from Hamilton. It’s historic, and it’s got personality. If you want to be a part of that, you have to understand it and become that.

This is something that far too few businesses understand when they move into a new location. You can’t force things to work the way you want them to; you’ve gotta let them tell you how YOU are going to be.

For these reasons, a little pizza place, situated next to the arches and railroad tracks on B Street in Hamilton, Ohio, is one of the spots that I’m the most excited to watch in 2026, and far beyond.

Get there.

Rossville Pizza Company is located at 233 S B Street in Hamilton, Ohio