New in Rockland: Four eateries open; five more coming soon; lots of Italian flair
From authentic Roman-style pizza to Spanish cuisine to fine dining, Rockland is bursting with new eateries, many with an Italian or Latin focus. Four have opened; five are opening soon. Details follow.
Sparkill: A new fine dining restaurant opens
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New in Rockland: 5 spots, from coffee to Mexican food
Recently opened
Mille Luci Pizza, New City
Joe Bono grew up in restaurants. Now, along with his father, Joe Sr., he's opened his first pizzeria and wine bar — it opened May 21 — serving an Italian-only wine list and pizza that uses a proprietary dough blended with three flours. Bono said the pizza is GMO free and has less sugar and carbs than other pizzas, making it easier to digest. It's also fun to eat as the signature Roman style pizza, which you can also get in personal Neapolitan style, comes in sizes that range from two feet (which generally serves two) to 10 feet (which can serve 10 to 12). The Neapolitan is also available gluten-free. All pizzas come with the option to add a variety of toppings.
Mille Lucci is named in memory of Joe Jr.'s grandfather, Biagio Bono (his photo hangs on the wall alongside Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren and images from 'The Godfather'), who owned the long-closed Caffee Mille Lucci in Brooklyn in the 1970s. Just be warned: This place is cash-only but there's an ATM on site, with no surcharge. Resrvations also highly suggested, especially if planning on ordering the eight or 10-foot long pizzas. 170 North Main St., 845-639-5373, millelucipizza.com
The Best Diner, Suffern
Shaimi Jacob and Miguel Solarzano, the owners behind Adaraka, which had been in Suffern since July 2019, have rebranded their Indian restaurant, which prided itself on its organic food, to a new concept called The Best Diner. The family restaurant, open since May 12, is focused on filling a void left by the now closed Airmont Diner with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Diners can expect American food like egg wraps, chicken wings, pancakes, pasta, burgers, French toast, sandwiches and salads, along with Spanish cuisine such as Carne Asada, paella and Aroz Con Pollo. 26 Lafayette Ave., 845-357-5700, bestdinerny.com
Sazon Y Pilon Kitchen & Bar, New City
Latin food with Puerto Rican and Dominican influences is on the menu at this lively new spot, open since April 14. On the menu: Pernil, Churrasco, Arroz con Pollo, and Bistec Encebollado, along with fun cocktails like Fuego Frio (Beach Whiskey Cinnamon, Liquor 43, strawberry puree and lime juice), Crash Boat (Malibu, Hennessey, Blu Curacao and pineapple juice), margaritas, mojitos and frozen drinks. 191 S. Main St., 845-499-2660, sazonypilon.com
Lanni's Cucina Verace Italiana, Sparkill
This fine dining Italian restaurant — which lohud did a sneak peek of — opened May 9. The name Verace (Veh-Ra-Tse), which chef/owner Vittorio Lanni phonetically spells on the menu, translates to "real, accurate, genuine and traditional," and is the kind of food he prides himself on. The 40-seat, elegantly decorated space is an ode to the 20 regions of Italy featuring 90% of ingredients imported from Italy along with all Italian wines and 15 different Italian grappas and amaros. 645 Main St., Sparkill, 845-470-2505, lanniscucina.com
Opening soon
Alta Irpinia, Suffern
Angelo Competiello, who in April beat Bobby Flay on the Food Network episode entitled "Under the Tuscan Sun," is opening a takeout Italian spot sometime in the next two months serving lunch and dinner. The spot will be a hybrid of a salumeria and pizzeria, he said, with woodfired pizza, homemade cheese, imported cheese, cured meats, sandwiches and other prepared foods along with a small grocery selection. The name of his place is based around Alta Irpinia, the region his father was born, and where he spent a lot of time growing up.
Competiello's father, it should be noted, along with other family members, are the original owners of the A&S Fine Foods stores in Westchester and Connecticut (he was raised working in the Thornwood store). Competiello previously had a store in Wyckoff, New Jersey that he sold in 2020. 57 Lafayette Ave.
Pizzetiello, Pearl River
Daniel Nizzardini grew up in Clarkstown and spent the 2010s working in restaurants in New York City, most notably at Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group's Marta. He was also, in 2021, the catering manager for Westchester Chef David DiBari's woodfired pizza truck Doughnation. Most recently, he worked as the lead pizzaiolo at L'antica Pizzeria Da Michele in the West Village. Now, he's opening his own place, with a nod to Naples, where his family is from (and where he spent different points of his youth and early adulthood).
Long story, short: Diners can expect an Italian-style, 40-seat rustic trattoria offering a menu consisting of shared and small plates when he opens sometime this summer. The focus will be on local producers from the Hudson Valley and greater tristate area. Nizzardini also said to expect naturally leavened personal sized Neapolitan pizzas paired with domestic and Italian biodynamic wines, along with many Southern Italian inspired tapas. 41 E. Central Ave.
Dom ToGo, New City
Look for an opening of this Italian takeout spot in six to eight weeks. Owner Dominick Lexandra, who built his shop to be like getting Grandma's food to go (i.e. chicken parm, meatball parm heros, fried eggplant, salads and barbecue baby back ribs), also owns a similar space in Nanuet. He's taking over the former Petey Wheaty's place. 145 S. Main St.
Flours Pasta & Bakeshop, Haverstraw
Sofia Todisco (of Sofia's Feast) and Abby Friedman (of Baked with Love by Abigail), veterans of farmers markets (mostly in Westchester), have joined forces to open a production kitchen and grab-and-go cafe that features artisanal provisions including Todisco's pasta and Friedman's baked goods. The shop, which should open mid-June, will also offer in-store cooking workshops, custom catering and wedding cakes. 11 New Main St., flourspastabakeshop.com
The Rail Trail Cafe & Mercantile, Blauvelt
Chef Kerri Horgan, who some in Rockland may remember from Nanuet Restaurant, The Grape D'Vine and Cafe Diem, is opening a cafe with her sister, Coleen Dahlem, sometime after Labor Day. The restaurant, located next to the Joseph P. Clarke Rail Trail, will feature elevated comfort food along with coffee, smoothies, baked goods, and perhaps vintage candy. The sisters also plan to pay homage to the rail trail and the Northern Railroad in their decor. The restaurant will offer breakfast and lunch to start, with dinner and special event pop-ups as a possibility down the road. The two will also sell merchandise. 545 Western Highway
Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @lohud_food or via the lohudfood newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Rockland County NY restaurants opening include Italian, Spanish
