Two special words can send longtime Murrayites salivating: pizza bender! Believe it or not, Murray’s most popular food icon has turned 50. When you reach a half century with no signs of stopping, you throw a party, which Murray’s longest-running restaurant, Italian Village, did on November 11.

Originally there were four Italian Village restaurants, the first created and opened by the Boyer brothers on 3300 South and State Street. Frank and Nick Boyer, while in the army and stationed in New York, worked side jobs in the restaurants of New York City. Having learned some of their favorite Italian recipes, they decided to partner with their younger brothers, Louis and Dick, to open an Italian restaurant back home in Utah.