Naples Street Food pizzeria opens second location, in Oceanside
A Margherita pizza is served at Naples Street Food in Oceanside. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
There’s always been a disconnect between the splendor of the pizza and the modesty of the dining room at Naples Street Food in Franklin Square. One of LI’s top-rated pizzerias since opening in 2016, its dim, narrow room on a parking-challenged stretch of Hempstead Turnpike has given it cult status but limited its clientele.
No such tradeoffs exist at Naples Street Food 2.0, which quietly opened last week in Oceanside. The former Subway has windows on two sides, a large and attractive dining room and parking out back.
The menus at the two locations are identical. The main event is the three dozen pizzas, from the simple Margherita to the elaborately meaty Salerno, with sausage, spicy salami, ham, tomato and mozzarella. Prices for 12-inch individual pies range from $10 to $17; for 17-inch rectangular pies, $18 to $32. There are also calzones and panozzi, (oven-baked stuffed sandwiches), $14 to $18, and an assortment of salads and appetizers. Wine and beer should arrive at the Oceanside store in the next few weeks.
When pizzaiolo Gianluca Chiarolanza moved to New York, he managed to ship his wood-burning oven over from Naples, and it assumed pride of place in Franklin Square. In Oceanside, he is using another Italian-produced oven, but this one, an Izzo from Forza Forni, is electric. “They are starting to use these in Italy,” said his wife and partner, Aurora Pagnozzi, “because they are cracking down on wood.”
Not only the oven, but the tables, chairs, plates, glasses and flatware — as well as tile work and decorative aprons — were imported from Italy to Oceanside. Lots of Italian is spoken and you may be surprised, upon exiting, to find yourself confronting the Domino’s Pizza and Dunkin' (Donuts) of Long Beach Road.
Naples Street Food is at 2905 Long Beach Rd., Oceanside, 516-442-1692 and 970 Hempstead Tpke., Franklin Square, 516-673-4630.
