237843 Tue Apr 23 01:16:02 -0700 2002 66 19 Outer Boroughs 0 1261034 What is the best pizzeria in Astoria? I am from Brooklyn and just moved here. Thanks. Tue Apr 23 01:16:02 -0700 2002 0 basil 1 1261036 I don't know what the best pizza in Astoria is, but you should be able to get a good slice at Romanos on the corner of Broadway and 33rd. I used to get excellent pizza when I lived there ten years ago and recently, within the last month, a poster was extolling their pizza. Tue Apr 23 01:51:19 -0700 2002 1261034 0 Wendy Leonard 2 1261100 I also like Napoli. Another one that is a bit out of the way, is John's (no relation to the Bleeker St. one) on Astoria Blvd., near Crescent. I go there all of the time, and find it to be a notch better than most of the other local spots. I agree that Sac's is pretty bad. Dino's on Broadway is also barely acceptable. Tue Apr 23 18:22:36 -0700 2002 1261036 0 JohnFranco 3 1261134 I'm surprised to see people dissing Sac's. I've been long disappointed with the pizza in Astoria - it seems to me that it should be much better than it is. Sac's Coal Oven pizza, for my money, is the best thing going. They also make non-Coal Oven stuff, and maybe that's what people don't like? But I've had the real stuff delivered and in person and it's always been very good. Plus, they're extremely generous with their toppings, and the toppings are always fresh and delicious. Wed Apr 24 10:54:10 -0700 2002 1261100 0 Dan Sonenberg 4 1261142 I can't really taste the difference between the coal oven and regular at Sac. I find the sicilian pies to excellent if they allow them to cook the right amount of time. But the regular pies have a gummy, odd texture in the crust that I do not like, though I did like it the first 4 or 5 times. It was strange, I got sick of it one day and never wanted to eat it again... Wed Apr 24 12:57:05 -0700 2002 1261134 0 Steve A 5 1261241 Where have you all been eating?There are 3 great pies in Astoria: Rizzo's Polito's Ginos Piccolo Italia Try them they are all different,but great! Fri Apr 26 13:11:49 -0700 2002 1261142 0 Astoriahound 6 1261342 I've also enjoyed the pizza from Pinochio on 30th avenue and 33rd St. (or so). Not a classic "New York Pie" but cooked in a wood fired oven, always with fresh mozzarella and toppings and at a decent price. I think a small/individual (6 slices and enough for 2) starts at $4. I have heard reports that they can be inconsistent, but haven't experienced it myself. Mon Apr 29 20:59:13 -0700 2002 1261241 0 Jonah 4 1261242 I agree that sac's is a cut above all others in that part of Queens. Best thing is something nobody talks about: the spinach deep-dish. the poster who recommended Gino's Piccola Italia was right on. That's the best all-purpose cheap pizza/heroes/dishes joint in Astoria. Not great, but the best. And Gino's a great guy. Unlike the scowling characters at Sac's. Fri Apr 26 13:20:02 -0700 2002 1261134 0 Jim Leff 5 1261265 I always forget about Sac's Spinach pie, thanks for the reminder. Just had a spin slice and it was excellent. $4/slice seems a little high for what you get but what are you gonna do? I think they used to be $3. The siciilian pie looked pale as is sadly too often the norm. Sat Apr 27 19:20:28 -0700 2002 1261242 0 Steve A. 6 1261266 just to clarify; I mean the spinach stuffed pizza...the thick one. Sat Apr 27 19:43:46 -0700 2002 1261265 0 Jim Leff 7 1261275 yep, that's the only pizza I've seen with Spinach there Sun Apr 28 10:42:03 -0700 2002 1261266 0 Steve A 4 1261340 I could not agree with you more about Sac's. I picked up a pie form Napoli on 35th Avenue on Friday and it was nowhere near as good as the pizaa at Sac's. The pizza at Sac's is made with fresh mozzarella not the supermarket variety cheese. No comparison, Sac's is not Lombardis' but it is far better than Napoli if you like brick oven pizza. Mon Apr 29 20:20:28 -0700 2002 1261134 0 Alicia 4 1262011 I prefer John's in Manhattan, but I thank my lucky stars I live a block from Sac's pizza. I agree -- the rest of the menu is iffy, but this pizza is amazing. Fresh mozzarella, great sauce, delicious thin crust. I like the meatball topping best, but plain cheese is good. Plus, all the pizza guys are really nice. For what it's worth, I can't tell the difference between regular and coal oven. It doesn't matter -- it's all good. Wed May 22 11:35:55 -0700 2002 1261134 0 SusanCB 3 1261921 since everyone's on the sac-dissing theme, just wanted to second the rec for John's. they're within a sightline of my apartment so i go there frequently and enjoy them well, just regular slices. another place to consider i forget the name of, but it is on 31st st near the stairs of ditmars stop on the west side of the street -- i think the name is some male proper name followed by an apostrophe s -- i have had tasty pizza there. Sun May 19 20:48:50 -0700 2002 1261100 0 BabarGanesh 2 1261106 Ugh! Romano's is ok for some other stuff, but their pizza sucks. (I think the poster was extolling their gyros.) I like Rizzo's a lot -- it's not your average silician. It's a thin crust silician, with a very tangy sauce (with parm cheese mixed it) and blob on mozzarella on top. It's great, but always gets cold when I try to get it home (36th and Broadway) in time. :) There's also a new place on Broadway (around 34th St.) that I haven't tried yet. Doesn't look like anything special, but you might want to take a look. Tue Apr 23 19:18:19 -0700 2002 1261036 0 Dan 3 1261117 I just searched for the link and you're right, the poster was extolling the souvlaki, fries, tzatziki. The other respondent who liked the place liked it eight years ago--so you are the current best source on the pizza. Wed Apr 24 01:59:30 -0700 2002 1261106 0 Wendy Leonard 1 1261042 I like Napoli on 35th Ave at 33rd St. good stuff. Sac's on 29th and B'way makes a good sicilian slice if they leave it in the oven long enough (this is way too often a problem, so it's a risky $1.90). Also, don't try anything but pizza at this place... Tue Apr 23 09:36:48 -0700 2002 1261034 0 Steve A. in Astoria 2 1261288 i used to love sacs. but when they remodelled and re-opened as a full restaurant, it just stopped being as good. have ordered pies from there about 3 times and none could justify why we ordered from there once a week before they remodelled. for personal pizzas, i like romanos on 33rd and broadway. Sun Apr 28 22:45:02 -0700 2002 1261042 0 tracyk 3 1263117 Romano's pizza isn't even ITALIAN pizza. They hardly use sauce. Try Sac's again. Their pizza is still great - you might have caught them soon after the renovation when things were still crazy. Mon Jun 24 11:35:17 -0700 2002 1261288 0 Wendy 2 1263115 You think $1.90 for a slice of pizza is high? No wonder you can't appreciate anything else on the menu. Sac's makes the best pizza in NYC - bar none. And their menu is great. Try EVERYTHING on this menu - this is a hidden jewel in Astoria that won't be hidden for long. Mon Jun 24 11:33:04 -0700 2002 1261042 0 Wendy 1 1261085 A really good regular slice is hard to find in Astoria, but if you enjoy Sicilian Pizza you have two outstanding choices : Rose & Joe's Bakery on 31st St near Ditmars Blvd., and Rizzo's on 30-13 Steinway St. Tue Apr 23 15:49:40 -0700 2002 1261034 0 Mark 1 1261127 I like the pizza from Portobello on Ditmars and 43rd, but it is inconsistent. Usually comes with fresh toppings (garlic and spinach is my favorite). The rest of the menu is pretty lousy, though. Pizza Palace on Ditmars and 31st is just okay when fresh, but cannot handle the rigors of delivery. Wed Apr 24 09:57:55 -0700 2002 1261034 0 Picnic 2 1261399 POLITO's on Broadway for Pizza Slices HANDS DOWN!!! Tue Apr 30 21:18:32 -0700 2002 1261127 0 Suzy 3 1261690 Polito's is very good. I love the Sicilian there. Thu May 09 15:06:15 -0700 2002 1261399 0 John 1 1261699 I'm still trying to find a good regular slice in Astoria myself, but if you want amazing brick oven pizza, there's this hole-in-the-wall called Forno Italia at 43rd(?) and Ditmars. It's fresh, made right in front of you in the giant brick oven (with real wood logs in it), and the crust is crispy on the outside, chewy in the center, and has the slightest hint of charcoal flavor. The sauce pizzas can be a little droopy sometimes, but I'll tell you right now, you'll never taste anything as wonderful as the simple "aglio e olio" pizza (olive oil, garlic, and cheese). Also, their spaghetti carbonara is pretty good too, if your arteries can handle it :) Fri May 10 03:01:24 -0700 2002 1261034 0 Billy 2 1861873 anybody ever check this place out? like 2 years ago it was a salsa dance spot called something like "Bongos". Is it in fact good or is the quasi-review above jsut some logrolling by a friend of the owner? Fri Sep 08 03:15:59 -0700 2006 1261699 38753 zemilideias 1 1752027 I'm now living in Boston, but I have been looking for pizza like they have at Rose and Joe's (Astoria) for a long time. God I miss that pizza. You can get decent pizza anywhere, but good bakery style is hard to find. I hope they survived the gentrification. Tue Jul 18 19:38:47 -0700 2006 1261034 13559 Dreamworks 1 1764205 Sac's is quality pizza, good ingredients and well done. I recommend going there in person though instead of ordering, as they seem to always deliver the pizza cold. Mon Jul 24 20:49:55 -0700 2006 1261034 19604 astorian 1 1764321 Rizzo's would be my call. Also, there is a place on 31st street near Ditmars called Last Stop something or other that I will always have a place in my heart for. The day I came to Astoria to look for apartments after college I ate there after a long day in the hot sun with no food and, at the time, was the best pizza I could have imagined. However, given my hunger and the euphoria of actually finding a great place on the first day of looking, my view of the pizza may be slightly inflated. Mon Jul 24 21:25:35 -0700 2006 1261034 11712 Astoria Lurker 2 1861868 You know, Last Stop (if that's what's it called) is actually really good. Its looks say "nasty subway stop pizza" but it tastes pretty good, as confirmed by my friends from Brooklyn for those of you who lament NW Queenz pizza. A nearby Rose & Joe's slice is excellnt too. I think that two places that dont appear much here are worth visiting: La Vita Mia by the Beer Garden turns out a mean outerboro NY style crispy crusty cheesey slice. And the off the beaten path LoRusso's on 18th St. just n. of 27th Ave, south of Astoria Park, can be inconsistent but often produces a killer focaccia, one of the best in the city. Somewhere here I saw someone suggested we visit in Dominic in Midwood. I agree. But if you're in Astoria... Fri Sep 08 03:14:42 -0700 2006 1764321 38753 zemilideias 1 1768811 Sac's Pizza is best eaten by the slice at the store. Let the slice/cheese sit up a bit after being reheated in the oven-the reheat in the oven insures the crispness of the crust-and then dig in. While the default slice is the plain cheese slice, I'll go for a meatball slice if I wanna make it a meal. Delivery is always an iffy thing, regarding the food quality more than the actual delivery speed. If ordering a pie for home, I'll almost always try and pick it up as it comes out of the oven, crack the box a bit-gotta ensure that the pie does not become soggy-and make the couple of blocks trek back home to dig in. Wed Jul 26 17:55:52 -0700 2006 1261034 21838 pete rose 1 1770290 I moved there a few months ago and was also on a quest for pizza. The pizza in Queens just ain't as good as Brooklyn or Manhattan. Alas, I always go with Sac's and Rizzo's. But if you really want good pizza, get on the N train to Brooklyn, transfer to the Q, get off at Avenue J, and head to Di Fara's. Thu Jul 27 04:39:16 -0700 2006 1261034 21983 MargaritaGirl 1 1770590 Romano's (pizza) = awful Sac's = ok, but has gone downhill Rizzo's = excellent, if you like the style, tho it, too, has gone downhill Sad that a former heavily Italian 'hood doesn't have a great pizza spot. Thu Jul 27 13:12:58 -0700 2006 1261034 13260 dagnabbit 1 1860406 My wife and I just moved to Astoria from Manhattan, and began trying pizza places based on some of these posts. We tried to go to Rizzo's last Saturday night. I called them, and they said that they would be open until 10pm. We got there at 8:45, and the place was shuttered up; my wife knocked on the door and asked what the deal was, and was met with the reponse, "No more pizza." I don't know what the deal is with that. We then went over to Sac's and got a Sicilian pie. The pizza was pretty good (the crust was on the light and flaky side and the cheese seemed to be of fairly high quality; the sauce seemed kind of blah to me. But the place is definitely a restaurant (as opposed to a pizza parlor), and had sort of a weird "romantic" ambience about it that made ordering and eating a pizza seem a bit awkward. Then, the other night, we got a couple of square slices to go from Rose and Joe's (near the Ditmars avenue subway), which was much tastier (the sauce was light and tangy). I realize that a comparison of Sac's and Rose and Joe's has to take more factors into account (The former has a coal-fired oven, the latter is a bakery and has a standard pizza oven). Plus there's the fact that you can buy slices from Rose and Joe's (can you order a whole pie?), but you have to take out. Anyway, on taste, Rose and Joe's wins. Looking forward to actually trying Rizzo's, etc. Thu Sep 07 17:55:56 -0700 2006 1261034 18856 bennyt 1 1862532 I've had similar problems with Rizzo's on weekend nights - do they just stay open until the run out of pizza? Because of this, I've never tried them. I have to quietly second ONE poster here that said Pinnochio's on 30th ave was surprisingly decent for italian-style pizza, not your typical NYC slice. I mean, okay, it's not Nick's or Grimaldi's, but I can't get Nick's or Grimaldi's to deliver, so on a weeknight when I want something with fresh mozzarella, I gotta tell you, Pinnochio's surprised me. Fri Sep 08 14:27:24 -0700 2006 1261034 13089 krissa_cavouras 1 1981477 ROMANOS small pie hands down SACS never had a good experience very pricey no cheese Sun Oct 29 23:26:35 -0800 2006 1261034 49834 jon27 1 2006981 Sac's is pretty much a rip off. They try to sell it as the quality product to justify their overpricing, but there is just something off with all their pies I've tasted...and whenever I eat in the restaurant the pizza is nearly cold as soon as they bring it to the table. One further note on eating in there, the service is annoying. The waiters hover over the table and who I'm assuming are the owners make annoying Artie Bucco-esque (the Sopranos chef) smalltalk. Don't go...you're better off at Rizzo's or even, yes, Napoli. Wed Nov 08 22:13:38 -0800 2006 1261034 21858 Jonny Pops 1 2007782 I've only been to Sac's once but I thought it was a well above average slice. Way better than the glorified microwave-style pizza at Rizzo's. Thu Nov 09 04:05:04 -0800 2006 1261034 42235 eca 2 2008582 I agree. I think Sac's is much better than most of the regular slice joints in the area. I just don't understand what is so good about Rizzo's... Thu Nov 09 16:24:00 -0800 2006 2007782 40533 Yaxpac 1 2010229 I gotta say, I've never been let down by a Rizzo's slice. Crust is crisp, sauce is tangy, and the mozz and parm are just right. Some of their pies are square like Elio's, but I haven't noticed similarities beyond that; unlike microwave (or even much parlor) pizza, each ingredient stands out and tastes fresh. I've even seen the guys in the back shredding cheese by hand! I was into Sac's for a while, but I've been disappointed twice now by gummy crust. Fri Nov 10 00:54:19 -0800 2006 1261034 42621 sonnums 1 2012873 rizzo's hand down for it's unique combo of sauciness, thick slice of moz. cheese and thin crust. Otherwise Gyro Uno's because their house special pie has slices of crispy juicy gyro. Much better than ham, sausage or burger! Sat Nov 11 01:21:22 -0800 2006 1261034 52440 shypop1 1 2021897 Anyone here ever had pizza from Rosario's (Italian grocery on 31st St.)? I hear it's good... Tue Nov 14 22:41:23 -0800 2006 1261034 18856 bennyt 2 2303153 no, it's not really good much better slices are to be had in teh grimy pizza place across the street from rosario's next to the OTB parlor, seriously, although you wouldnt believe it lookintg at it Sat Feb 17 16:14:41 -0800 2007 2021897 38753 zemilideias 3 2530836 um, I actually don't believe that for a second. I will have to try it to find out if this is some sort of cruel joke... Tue May 01 09:19:19 -0700 2007 2303153 18856 bennyt 3 4324825 no joke Wed Jan 14 06:22:59 -0800 2009 2303153 38753 zemilideias 1 2530869 We've really been enjoying the grandma style pizza at Michael and Angelo's (23rd Ave. and 29th or 28th). We take out a whole pie. 8 gigantic slices. Tue May 01 09:26:56 -0700 2007 1261034 18856 bennyt 2 2544576 correction - it's six slice. but darn good. we just had it again the other night. definitely up there with Rose and Joes as the best slice in this part of Astoria. Sat May 05 14:00:04 -0700 2007 2530869 18856 bennyt 1 2547779 Sac's for pizza. End of story. If Sac's was in some trendy part of Manhattan it would become an in mecca for the foodies. In Astoria.....so what! Mon May 07 07:21:31 -0700 2007 1261034 90313 Stuartmc910 2 2549802 I honestly wasn't that impressed with Sac's, at least compared with other New York pizza institutions (Totonno's, DiFara's). I also think the atmosphere of the place is way bizarre. Mon May 07 16:59:48 -0700 2007 2547779 18856 bennyt 2 2550347 I'll take it over the UES branch of Totonno's, sure, and I'm not keen on knocking coal-oven pizza, but I wouldn't make a special trip from outside Astoria/LIC to go to Sac's. Where's the char and the carmelization? Lombardi's et al. it ain't. Mon May 07 20:15:45 -0700 2007 2547779 10465 hatless 3 2690876 We had a good pie from Rizzo's (Steinway @ 30th Ave.) the other night- "Rustica" (anchovies, breadcrumbs, onions, black olives- sort of like pasta con sarde on a pizza). Very nice. They crust is extra crispy too (perhaps a result of the pan-baking?). Where is this Gino's that Jim Leff was referring to? Mon Jun 25 06:44:48 -0700 2007 2550347 18856 bennyt 4 2690928 I could be wrong, but I think Jim was referring to Gino's, on Broadway between 43rd and 44th. Look at the date of that reply, though: five years ago. Going there now, you can see how it once may have been good: a few diffferent Sicilian variations including a nonna pie and fresh mozzarella slices, for instance. Unfortunately, none of it is good. The crusts are soggy, the sauce too sweet and mushy, the cheese not of good quality. Like Grand Ave. pizza, it's another neighborhood slice joint gone downhill. Nothing to see here. It would be nice if CH made it much harder to post replies to a topic this old. Even better, simply not to allow it at all. Mon Jun 25 07:07:24 -0700 2007 2690876 10465 hatless 5 2779445 Hey how's it going? The gino's that Jim was referring to was on 25th Ave and 44th street. It was Gino's Piccola Italia Pizza. Gino is my father and, we have since sold the business in 2004 and re-located to South Carolina. Tue Jul 24 13:31:30 -0700 2007 2690928 114106 ginothepizzaking 1 2905029 No one ever mentions Forno Italia (Ditmars and 42nd St. ... I think). Coal oven, good prices (although higher than they used to be thanks to their renovation). Also, if you want to travel south a ways, Bella Via in Hunter's Point is my favorite. The pizza is really good and the prices are great. Sun Sep 02 14:19:58 -0700 2007 1261034 124158 whackdamole 2 2913073 Actually, my Italian landlady recommended Forno Italia (still haven't tried it yet, though. I also wanted to report that I finally got around to trying a Sicilian pie from Michael and Angelo's (23rd Ave. and 29th St.). Very good. I'd had Sicilian slices from there before, but taking home a whole pie is a different experience. The crust was perfectly baked, crispy on the edges but light and fluffy inside- sort of like eating a delicious Italian bread from a bakery. The dough takes a whole day to rise, apparently, and is baked twice, first without the sauce and cheese, and then with. The sauce is tasty and not too thick (not as tangy and spicy as Rose and Joe's, though), and the cheese oozes off the thing. I had just had square slices at L and B Spumoni Gardens in Bensonhurst a couple of days before; they're different styles (e.g., L and B has some kind of parmsan topping, and not nearly as much cheese in general), but I would say a Sicilan pie from Michael and Angelo's fresh out of the oven is just as enjoyable. Wed Sep 05 12:16:47 -0700 2007 2905029 18856 bennyt 1 4246501 Sac's is decent, but I usually order it for delivery and it's always cold when it arrives and I'm just over on 34th Street, so I've been looking for alternatives. Sebestiano's Pizza on 34th Avenue between 32nd and 33rd is good - great meatballs and pretty fast. Boston Pizza on Broadway has to be the worst around, at least in my opinion. Sun Dec 14 16:26:06 -0800 2008 1261034 19604 astorian 1 4297354 The best triangle slices in Astoria in my oppinion are "Frankie's" under the N train on 31st street at the Ditmars Blvd. Stop. and "Politto's" which is on Broadway, between Steinway and 38th street. Both plaxces are your typical old dirty pizzerias but if you wanna get 2 slices and a coke, you cant do any better in astoria. Polittos is especially terrific. Mon Jan 05 09:31:29 -0800 2009 1261034 229286 montoya040 2 4297825 The pizza used to be *very* good at Polito's, especially in the 80's, but as the decades pass, and the neighborhood changes, so does the pizza. I don't remember when it was that I fell out of love with the place, but I do promise that I'll give it another try when I'm in the neighborhood. Polito's --> http://www.politopizza.com/about.html Mon Jan 05 11:31:08 -0800 2009 4297354 10609 Cheese Boy 1 4304390 Rose and Joe's all the way. Rizzo's is good too but not as close to me. Sac's is very dissapointing. I prefer to trek a bit farther to Bella Via when I want a neopolitain pie. Bella Via is on Vernon and the best non Sicilian around . I've have inedible pizza from Sac's, which considering how much I like pizza says a lot. The sauce is way too sweet and they don't cook the pizza enough. And $6 per topping really turns me off. Wed Jan 07 10:45:38 -0800 2009 1261034 193087 SpiceJunkies 2 4324264 Where is Rose and Joe's ??? Tue Jan 13 21:11:32 -0800 2009 4304390 229286 montoya040 3 4324522 Place info (plus links to earlier threads) ... Wed Jan 14 01:21:13 -0800 2009 4324264 10496 squid kun 1 4304403 Rose and Joe's is my fav. for Sicilian. Rizzo's is good too, but too far from me. Sac's is just bad. The sauce is too sweet and they don't cook the pies enough. And $6 per topping is just wrong. Go to Bella Via on Vernon instead for a far better neopolitain pie. Not perfect, but way better than Sac's. I think Sac's agrevates me because they have the coal oven, but just don't use it to the fullest potential. When I moved to the hood I was excited to have Sac's so close, but I've been nothing but dissapointed ever since. I have heard the Micheal Angelo's is good for a NY slice style, but I have not yet been. Wed Jan 07 10:50:08 -0800 2009 1261034 193087 SpiceJunkies 2 4306476 Yes, Michael & Angelos (23rd Ave between 29th and 31st Sts) has excellent pizza! Great thin-crust, really fresh and tasty toppings. And classier than Frankies... Wed Jan 07 22:51:41 -0800 2009 4304403 11080 Harlan 3 4330820 Absolutely Michael Angelos II (I think that's the exact name). I have some real love for Rose and Joe's, particularly when I'm on the run, and need a slice, but Michael Angelos II is my place for whole pies; I've had some from there that were pretty artful. My fave is their Pizza Siciliana made with eggplant and fresh mozzarella - they do something amazing with the eggplant. Thu Jan 15 20:17:33 -0800 2009 4306476 127990 round2 4 4341710 I had some Michael and Angelos the other day. It really was very good. Although its not new york style pizza, and a large thin crust hardly feeds 2 people. Their chicken parm hero was laso excellent. Im glad this place opened, great addition to the hood. Tue Jan 20 10:48:43 -0800 2009 4330820 229286 montoya040 1 5133978 Sacs on Broadway and 27th street in Astoria has excellent Pizza. Brick Oven fast and reliable!!! Tue Oct 27 06:24:22 -0700 2009 1261034 278831 teacherkar 2 5168955 Rizzo's is the oldest and most famous pizzeria in Astoria. However, if you live in the Ditmars area, you need to have other alternatives. Rose and Joe's on 31st street under the train station and Alba's on Ditmars are the best. I do not like Frankie's which is also under the train. Mon Nov 09 19:32:24 -0800 2009 5133978 271060 buonappetito7