Pino’s Italian Food Market Opens In Dix Hills: 'Very, Very Excited'

DIX HILLS, NY — Pino's Italian Food Market opened in Dix Hills in late March.

The market, located at 683 Old Country Road, is owned by the family that runs The Original Salpino's of Wantagh and North Babylon.

Paul Barbieri runs the shop with his father, Pino Barbieri, and brother-in-law, Larry Avvenire.

Paul said he is "very, very excited" about bringing Pino's to Dix Hills.

"It’s been pretty hectic. It’s been a little stressful," Paul told Patch.

Pino's has not celebrated its grand opening yet, but the business has gotten a "pretty good response" from some social media advertising.

"We were able to ease into it slowly, work out all the kinks, train employees," Paul said. "We’re still not 100% filled yet, and it’s been almost two weeks. It’s been a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of work."

Pino's offers sandwiches for lunch; and $42.99 dinner packages that feed approximately four people. Customers get a choice of a pasta, entree and salad. The business serves up fresh bread and pastries from its bakery department.

Pino's also offers an extensive catering menu featuring salads, antipasti, pasta, poultry, land food, seafood, vegetables, starches, platters, heroes, and desserts.

Paul said the owners are present at Pino's, and that's what separates them from other markets. Either himself, Pino Barbieri or Avvenire are at the store at all times, keeping an eye on everything.

"We cook. We’re the butchers. We bake things. We’re very hands on," Paul said.

The Dix Hills Pino's was built a little differently from the family's other locations.

"All the behind-the-scenes things that we normally do, we try to put in front of customers here," Paul said. "The fresh mozzarella, something that we’re famous for, we make it by hand every day. Here in Dix Hills, we have a fresh mozzarella station. You can come, you see us make mozzarella and watch it being formed, and then you can buy it. All the backend things that made us who we are, we’re showing people now."

The produce department features windows where customers can see fresh fruit being sliced. There are sample stations. The business has an orange juice machine where customers can watch staff toss fresh oranges inside. The bread oven is right behind the bakery counter.

"You can watch us pulling out hot bread from the ovens all day, so it’s great," Paul said.

Paul, who grew up in the Dix Hills area, said he and his family know the area well, and that Pino's has a "great location" off of Jericho Turnpike.

"We have two South Shore stores, so we wanted something a little further up north," Paul said. "It’s convenient with our other two stores. From here to Wantagh, it’s about 25 minutes, and from here to North Babylon, it’s about 15-ish minutes. If we have to produce for the other two stores, it’s central."

Paul said he really wants people to check Pino's out.

"I think they’re going to love it," he said. "We do catering for all events. Catering is our main business. Easter is coming up, and before you know it, graduations and then you’re right into the summer with our barbecue packages in the summer. All catering."