Carmela's Pizzeria reopens in Franklin Square
Carmela's Pizzeria & Restaurant in Franklin Square has reopened under new ownership. Credit: Carmela's
Though Carmela’s Pizzeria & Restaurant in Franklin Square has reopened under new ownership, the business is staying in the family.
Rick Calia, a cousin of the former owners, Bart and Carmela Calia, has taken ownership along with his son Rick Calia Jr., and his brother-in-law Michael D’Alessadro. They reopened in late April with throwback pricing on the purchase of a second pie. Carmela’s is reopening the restaurant attached to the pizzeria Saturday, after awaiting its liquor license, Calia said.
"My cousins started this place in 1971. They came from Italy in 1966," Calia said. "They owned it until 2022 and then they sold it."
Calia retained 80% of the staff who worked at the pizzeria when his cousin owned it. The menu stayed the same, Calia said. Gourmet pizza options include the Quattro Gusti ($28.95 for a large pie) — made with black olives, mushrooms, ham and artichoke hearts with tomato and mozzarella — while grandma ($23.95 for large) and Neapolitan ($20.50 for large) are among the traditional pies.
For dinner, there's the pasta e fagioli ($9.95) made with ditalini pasta, kidney and cannellini beans, and prosciutto in broth, eggplant rollatini ($22.95) and veal Sorrentino ($28.95), made with medallions of veal topped with sliced eggplant, prosciutto and mozzarella in a brown sauce.
Calia said they did a "real overhaul," to prepare for reopening the eatery, which had been closed for approximately two years. The process took about a month. The counters and floors were redone; he changed the cabinetry and soda dispensers before opening.
Carmela’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, 910-912 Hempstead Tpke., Franklin Square, 516-488-7884, Carmelasoffranklinsquare.com. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
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