Da-Angelo

Angelo Giangrande, proprietor of Da-Angelo Pizzeria & Ristorante, holds a special place among Long Island pizza makers. During the late '80s, when he was working at King Umberto's in Elmont, he and his colleague Ciro Cesarano were the first to put grandma pizza on a menu. Giangrande later decamped to Albertson where he and a cousin opened Cugini's. After the cousin's departure, the name became Da-Angelo, or "Angelo's place."

Da-Angelo excels at pizza, not only grandma, but grandpa (topped with breadcrumbs, onions and cheese), Sicilian and a square pie called "crispino." If you feel compelled to order whole-wheat pizza, you won't find a better one than Da-Angelo's whole-wheat grandma pie.

The extensive menu also features a full complement of calzones, heroes, soups, pastas, panini and entrees. Nightly specials might include lobster rigatoni or pork chop pizzaiolo.