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Health & Fitness

Nassau County's Top 10 Hidden Pizza-Restaurants

One Man's quest to find out what the "pasta" part of Pizza's advertisements really mean.

New York is known for its unbeatable pizza and Nassau County has many hidden gems that not only serve up great slices but offer delectable and affordable dinners too.

When I was a kid, over the summers my best chum Brian and I would umpire baseball games.Throughout our junior and senior years of high school, the routine was simple. We umpire a game then we got food. There was nothing better.

I’ll never forget coming back toward home and going to “Lenny’s Pizza” for a couple of slices and zeppolis. Since that time, I’ve grown up a lot, but my love for a good slice of pizza has grown into an insatiable appetite for some finer quality meals. Pizza joints became my new favorite place to grab some dinner. I soon found that beyond the first 20 feet of the restaurant, were tables and waiter service. If you ask my wife, she’ll tell, there are very few pizza-restaurants we haven’t tried.

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Which brings me to this week’s Top 10 List, my personal review and critique of some of Nassau County’s finest pizza-restaurant establishments. Now…please remember, these are merely suggestions, but I encourage you to take a night out and check out some of these places out. They are really all very good, and it was extremely difficult to rate some above the others.

So here it goes!

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10)  King Umberto’s – Elmont: Located on Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont, this place offers a nice menu, some quality food, and atmosphere.  I’ve only placed it at #10 because I’ve just been here once. I had a wonderful chicken dish. - very tasty and they had a nice selection of pizza toppings, but nothing out of the ordinary.

9)  Phil’s Pizza – Massapequa: Located on RT 107 in Massapequa, Phil’s has the best variety of variety of any of the listed choices. Their restaurant is very good, too. I've been satisfied the past few times I have eaten here, but again, this one wins for its pizza, but the winner has to have something more.

8) Blue Moon – Rockville Centre: This place is great for a “first date.” The food tastes good and place is located in a great area. (For all those men out there, take your ladies here on a nice summer night and then walk through Rockville Centre.) They have a nice array of food items, but I loved their ziti. You can find them on Park Ave in the village of Rockville Centre.

7B) Prince Umberto’s- Franklin Square – I just realized I forgot this place! So I added it where it should have been. Prince Umberto’s is the only restaurant on the list that has Vodka Sauce Pizza, which is delightful. Their restaurant selection is very good also. They have a nice selection of homemade sauces. You can find them on Franklin Ave in Franklin Square (the home of J-Woww).

7A) Gino’s –Elmont: This one may be the most underrated place on the list. It comes across as being just a pizza establishment but has much more to offer. Located on the corner of Dutch Broadway and North Fletcher Avenue in Elmont, Gino’s has GOOD STUFF. I go their often for lunch and dinner while I am at work. They have an array of nice specials and their pasta dishes are delicious. They know how to mix flavors nicely and have some great traditional dishes. Highly recommended.

6)  Two Brothers – Hicksville: Two Brother’s, on Newbridge Road in Hicksville, consistently is nominated for “Best Pizza on Long Island” and for good reason. The pizza is really good, but personally, I prefer a few others. I chose Two Brother’s because their food is plentiful and reasonable. I went there this past Saturday with my mommy and wife, and we definitely enjoyed it. I found that their sauce was very flavorful and had a good consistency.

5)  Dominico’s – Levittown: If you can find it, you’ll love it. Located on Hempstead Turnpike and Gardener’s Avenue, you have to literally go to the corner of a shopping center to find this gem. Dominico’s has been a staple of mine for a long time. They have an amazing array of rooms and their food is outstanding. Their stuff tends to be a little bit more toward the traditional Italian dishes with little variance

4)  Mama Theresa’s – East Meadow:  I recommend this one entirely on my parents who have dinner here often. I personally only have had pizza from here, but however, that pizza has been great. A good balance of sauce and cheese with a standard variety of toppings, while the restaurant has always appealed to me.

3) Porto Fino – Levittown: Being a native of the Hicksville/Levittown area, Porto Fino is a must. Porto Fino to me knows how to embrace their customers. They have some of the best specialty slices I have ever eaten. They have deep specialty slices, too. However, their menu is beautiful. If you are a fan of heroes you will definitely like how they set you up. Their menu is traditional Italian, but with a nice southern Italian sauce and flavor.

2) Villa Maria – East Rockaway: Villa Maria’s is a great venue for a lot of reasons. I was introduced to this place by my wife a few years ago. While they have exquisite pizza, their main courses and dinner menus are out of this world.

1) Ivarone – Fratelli Brothers - Lake Success: This was an easy #1. Fratelli Brothers is like no other place I’ve been before. You can find them in the Lake Success Shopping Center on Union Turnpike.  First off, the atmosphere reminds me of Italy. They have a great selection of pastas and other types of entrees. They have some of the best Penne Ala Vodka I have ever had. Their service is nice and their menu is second to none. The best part is their grocery store right next door to it offers some of the finest Italian imported food. There is really nothing this place can do wrong, I assure you. Go for a glass of wine, a great choice of main courses, and finish up with a cannoli. Yum!

With the economy being the way it is and life seemingly getting more expensive, these restaurants are great ways to take the family out for dinner, go on a good date, or even just grab a meal with a friend, without having to go too far or spend too much. Again, this list was difficult to establish, but all the choices are highly recommended. Make sure when you go, you mention they were listed under Mike Rodgers’ blog!

Coming soon…The Top 10 TV Dads. You know you’ll love it.

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