Mama Theresa's

Friends of the farinaceous gather here. Mama Theresa's is a full-bodied pizza and pasta restaurant, with plenty of other Italian specialties, too. It's diner-friendly and popular, plus a good stop after some heavy-duty shopping in the neighborhood.

The veteran eatery prepares satisfying marinara, Bolognese and olive oil-and-garlic sauces with any of 11 pastas. You'll also enjoy fusilli in pesto; short pasta with eggplant, ricotta and tomato sauce; and rigatoni alla vodka. The eggplant rollatine, chicken piccata, and chicken pizzaiola compete favorably.

The full range of pizzas is highlighted by the stuffed vegetable pie. the "crispino," an extra-thin pan pie, and the pizza bianco, topped with mozzarella, ricotta, and pecorino. There are 14 pies by the slice, too.

Fried calamari and calamari arrabbiata, baked clams oreganata, minestrone, pasta e fagioli, and stracciatella alla Romana juice up the openers.

Mama Theresa's is located at 1071 Old Country Road, Westbury, 516-334-3334