What's the difference between a calzone and a stromboli?

I don't think there is really that much difference between the two except for the shape (stromboli is rolled like a jelly roll while a calzone is folded like a turnover). The Food Network website even defines a stromboli as:

A specialty of Philadelphia, a stromboli is a calzonelike enclosed sandwich of cheese (usually mozzarella) and pepperoni (or other meat) wrapped in pizza dough.

It defines a calzone as:

Originating in Naples, calzone is a stuffed pizza that resembles a large turnover. It is usually made as an individual serving. The fillings can be various meats, vegetables or cheese; mozzarella is the cheese used most frequently. Calzones can be deep-fried or brushed with olive oil and baked.

Stromboli are similar to calzones, but traditionally the two are distinct dishes, as stromboli usually contain only mozzarella cheese, while calzones contain a cheese mixture (often including ricotta) and tend to lack marinara sauce.

Food Network Calzone

A stromboli is long and flat then it is rolled after the cheese and what ever meat you use is laid flat on the bread and then cooked. A calzone is more like a pizza folded in half on to itself with the ends sealed and cooked

The calzone originated in Naples, and the Stromboli originated on the island of Stromboli.

A stromboli originated in the US (in Philadelphia) as a calzone with pepperoni, sweet italian sausage, pizza cheese, and pizza sauce as the contents, while calzones have always allowed a wider variety of fillings.

These days, though, the terms are interchangeable. My favorite italian joint offers a "house special" stromboli that has virtually every pizza topping in it. Served with a bowl of hot sauce for dipping, it's wonderful. But it's not really a 'boli, it's really a calzone.

I've thought about that too...

The only thing I can think of is that a calzone has a half-moon shape while a stromboli is typically more rectangular like a french roll.

yeah ! basically the main difference is the shape

calzone - 1/2 moon shape& with the edges sealed together

stromboli - is long & rectangular in shape with open ends kind of like a big flat canoli

calzone has ricotta cheese along with mozzarello, stromboli does'nt have ricotta

THERE'S RICOTTA CHEESE IN A CALZONE,AND NOT IN A STROMBOLI,THATS THE DIFFERENCE

The cheese! :)