Veteran Pizzeria Owner Opens First Restaurant On Long Island

SEAFORD, NY — After nearly three decades of making pizza for the power lunch crowds in the city, longtime Bethpage resident Anthony Sorisi is ready to feed Long Islanders.

Unlike most pizzerias you'll find, Pizza Italia NYC doesn't have built-in foot traffic. It's located south on Bayview Avenue near a school and a canal. It is alongside a mini strip of shops, including a bar.

"I took a leap. It's 10 minutes from my house. I can't go wrong," Owner Sorisi told Patch. "You've got to do a little more advertising, but it's all a trade-off."

For example, Sorisi said the monthly rent was five times more in the city.

Sorisi opened the pizzeria in September with a 15-year lease and was told by customers that his establishment fits the bill for them: convenience without any extra driving to Merrick Road.

"This area knows I'm here," he said, hoping that word of mouth will expand his customer base to communities such as Massapequa and Wantagh.

"We're getting there," Sorisi said.

Being close to the shore means a higher risk for storm surge. The neighborhood has scars from Superstorm Sandy, but it's a "once in a century" storm, Sorisi contended.

Pizza Italia NYC is a third-generation family business, as Sorisi has his two sons, both in their 20s, working at the shop. Sorisi's father launched a pizzeria in Forest Hills in the 1970s.

"The way my father made pizza is the way I make pizza now," he said.

Sorisi said his product is all about using quality ingredients.

"The only thing that goes into my pizza... from New York is the water," he said.

There are many specialty pies to pick from, but Sorisi's signature slice is the Triangle Grandma, which gained a following in Manhattan and, like Sorisi, has a new home in Seaford.

Pizza Italia NYC is located at 3593 Bayview St.