The Pizzeria opens flagship location at Bay Shore apartment complex

When it comes to narrative arc, the corner of Maple Avenue and Gibson Street in Bay Shore has quite the story to tell.

This is where, long ago, Dr. King’s Hospital once stood — and thousands of babies were born. In its latest chapter, the corner is now home to the newest location of The Pizzeria, a sleek, window-lined spot that anchors the brand-new Maple Avenue Lofts.

The fourth Pizzeria (the others are in Bayport, Islip and inside the Smith Haven Mall) is also the first with a bar, and has a broader range  than its sister eateries: It opens at 6:30 in the morning for coffee and pastry and runs straight through to late-night with meatball-burrata pies, zeppoles and espresso martinis.

“This is going to be our flagship, from an experience standpoint,” said Paul Saccoccio, who co-owns all four locations with his brother, Dan Saccoccio, and friend Cliff Weinstein. 

The Bay Shore iteration of The Pizzeria has a polished, spare, light-swept look that matches the modern aesthetics of the building above. In the front is a pizza counter (a regular slice is $3, and pies start at $18), and beyond, tables run along a bank of windows that overlook a stone patio and Maple Avenue, the main route to the Fire Island Ferries. An L-shaped marble bar runs along the other side of the room, backed by beer taps (pouring Peroni, DUBCO and others) and a battalion of wines and spirits. 

The decision to open for coffee and pastries — with beans from La Colombe and croissants, et al from Manhattan's Balthazar — is an intentional reach for the residents of the 90-unit complex (expected to fill later this year) as well as those who want to work on their laptops or have morning meetups. “We designed this to be that Brooklyn, European-style cafe, where residents could come and grab coffee and sit inside or outside,” said Weinstein.

Besides pizza, the kitchen turns out a stable of Italian-esque appetizers ($4 to $14), such as arancini and fried calamari, as well as a handful of salads and pastas ($12 to $18) and entrees such as chicken Francese and chicken parm, for $23. “We want to focus on what we do really well, and keep it casual,” said Saccoccio, who still co-owns his family’s pizzeria, Gino’s of Ronkonkoma, with his father, uncle and brother. He noted that downtown Bay Shore lacked a slice shop, and come summer, that those on their way to Fire Island could grab takeout as they pass by. “We saw an opportunity here, but we don’t look at this as competing. This is a great restaurant town.”

Lisa Pace, who purchased the corner plot 17 years ago with her family, said The Pizzeria was the consummate restaurant for the 1,800-square-foot ground-floor space. “They are good people with a good vibe," she said. 

The Pace family partnered with Greenview Properties to develop the property, which has been built over the past three years and whose units, from studios to two-bedrooms, will rent between $2,100 and $3,650, according to Greenview Properties president Larry Gargano. 

The owners plan to deliver food to the residents upstairs, “like the restaurant in a hotel lobby,” said manager Kenny Keane, who also created The Pizzeria’s first stable of cocktails. (Small print under the Paper Plane reads “delicious … just ask Kenny,” a move to encourage the bourbon-averse to try the summery $12 drink).

Even though they are but a few weeks into operating Bay Shore, Saccoccio and Weinstein are busy with their next spot, on S. Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst, which they hope to open later this year. “Then we’ll take a deep breath and find our next five,” Saccoccio said. 

The Pizzeria is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. at 11 Maple Ave., Bay Shore. 631-686-3555, thepizzeriany.com