DOUGH by Licastri

USA 🇺🇸🍕

COVID-19 UPDATE: Though primarily a takeout joint, DOUGH by Licastri has an outdoor deck that remains open for warmer days.

 

EDITOR'S NOTE: Written by Joseph Gessert, photographed by Liv Dillon.

Staten Island pizza is commonly cited but rarely appreciated in full by New Yorkers from the other four boroughs. Though challenging without a vehicle, diners that make the drive (or subway/bus/train ride) are often rewarded with pies that are as billed: as good or better than your average pie from Brooklyn or points further afield.

 

Many Staten Island pizzerias serve whole pies rather than slices, and these come in a variety of perspectives: neighborhood pizzeria (Villa Monte, Nonna’s, Brother’s), old school (Denino’s Pizzeria Tavern, Joe & Pat’s, Lee’s Tavern), newer school (Pizzeria Giove, Campania), and close to the ferry (Pier 76, the now-defunct Paulie’s). A newer entry in that second-to-last category is Richmond Road’s Dough by Licastri, which opened in 2016.

 

Gourmet pizzas and creative toppings are more common in Brooklyn and Manhattan than Staten Island, but Dough by Licastri combines genuine creativity with a rock-solid grasp of pizza basics—their dough, as you might expect, is fantastic, their sauces are balanced, and the pies do not drown in toppings. The results are nothing short of inspiring.

The Hotter than July ($24, above) is a spicy meat-heavy red pie, topped with fennel sausage, hot soppressata, fresh mozzerella, pecorino, and grilled long hot peppers, and finished with fresh basil and jalapeno honey. The garbage pie is a common menu item at Staten Island pizzerias, in which (generally) three meats and a couple of of veggies are combined on the same pie. This is in the same spirit, but whereas garbage pies tend to be enjoyable but less than the sum of their parts, the Hotter than July ingredients cooperate in an ensemble effort, every bite a little different, and everything a little bit better than it would have been on its own. Which would already have been pretty fantastic.

 

 
Over on the white pie side of things, the Popeye and Olive Oyl ($22, above) takes a white spinach pie and adds red onion, substitutes smoked mozzerella and bechamel for the white component, and tops it with pickled teardrop peppers. This Peruvian ingredient is one you have likely not had on a pizza, but which you might find yourself asking for side orders of to add to future pies.

One such option for that is the Pistachio Pesto Pie ($22, below), which substitutes pistachios for basil and adds bechamel and sausage to the mix. It is rich and nutty and again genuinely makes sense when you eat it, which you will want to do again as soon as possible.

 

 
Besides pizza, Dough by Licastri has sandwiches, salads, and a handful of similarly-creative appetizers. During a recent lunch an impulsive order of mac & cheese eggrolls ($10.50, below) was far superior to other deep-fried mac-and-cheese products, served with sweet chili sauce and complicated by blue cheese and (inevitably) bacon.

 

The eggroll wrapper kept the mac and cheese moist and, just, wow. You might find yourself almost annoyed to have one more thing to order besides the amazing pies.

 

 
For the car-less, you could plan a lovely and extremely caloric daytrip of taking the ferry and then the train to south Staten Island, combining a visit to Dough by Licastri with a pie from the nearby Lee’s Tavern, or even a third stop at Pizzeria Giove. Beautiful High Rock Park and Historic Richmondtown are also within easy bus or bike distance if you need to walk off the pizza.

 

Though the restaurant itself is minuscule, outdoor dining is available on a surprisingly pleasant back deck fenced off from Richmond Road, and diners are encouraged to BYOB. You might see turkeys walking by on the sidewalk as you eat your pie. You might also find yourself wondering if this could be not just the best pie in Staten Island but one of the very best in the city.

 

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DONGAN HILLS Staten Island

1456 Richmond Road

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Lions & Tigers & Squares Detroit Pizza

PIZZA 🍕

Detroit-style pizza proves that the pizza emoji is not all-inclusive. In fact, it does not even begin to describe the experience of eating Detroit-style pizza. Humanity has a long way to go with such narrow-minded emoji options.

I often stay away from pizza supremacy battles. New Yorkers can be quite stubborn about what does and does not make a real slice. Folks like to have favorites and be passionate, I get it. My opinion about pizza is usually: "Yeah, I'll eat that."

I do have a soft spot for the thicker entries into the pizza lexicon, though have always been a bit underwhelmed by the most common of these in New York: the Sicilian square slice. It never had enough sauce for me.

Since early September I have had an ongoing repeat client right around the corner from Lions & Tigers & Squares, bringing me to this subway station at least twice a month. I cannot stop coming to this pizza joint, I just can't. So I figured I should finally talk about it, even though we do not do a whole lot of pizza on these pages.

Squares are cooked in industrial pans.

First of all, they do not sell slices, they sell squares. There is a good chance you will hear them have to explain that to a walk-in customer while you wait. Sold in a gut-busting giant rectangle cut into four "squares," bring a friend and share or come very hungry. In all the times I have tried, I have never finished the whole thing in one sitting. The closest I got was avoiding the crust on the last two slices, but then you kind of miss the point.

That crust is crispy and a little burnt and part of what makes the pizza from Detroit. The origins of this were cooking in industrial trays that were meant for other uses and had nothing to do with pizza, creating this unique shape and thickness. While the bottom and sides get crispy, the middle is still chewy and soft.

"The classic" is only $5.

An always generous layer of toppings is laid on top, with a nice double puddle of rich sauce. Most patrons seem to take the meatless "Classic" which turns out to be very economical, but other pies available include pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and a vodka sauce slice just in case you needed everything a little heavier.

Pepperoni $11.

I am officially addicted.

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CHELSEA Manhattan
268 West 23rd Street

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Lee's Tavern

PIZZA 🍕

Lee's Tavern fell into my world by accident. A job I was doing nearby ran over, leaving no time to get back home or to regular football bars. With only a few minutes before Tottenham's kickoff in Champions League, a quick Google Maps search gave this as the closest options for sports bars.

"We don't watch soccer here." was the straight-faced answer of the bartender when asked to find the game on.

When another guy gave the channel the game was on and beer was served, the menu started looking very appealing and this playful joke (maybe?) receded from memory. I am the kind of person that despite needing a great deal of variety in my diet, I am never not in the mood for pizza.

There are a few appetizers, but pizza is the special here. Looking into it later, Lee's is actually well known for their pies. I just got lucky.

On the menu, there are three pies that are listed as "Our Pizza Favorites," including the fresh homemade mozzarella & basil ($8.50, above). This price will get you what they call "bar size," a generous portion for one. A full large pie will run $15.50 if you bring a group.

Feel free to create your own combinations as well, which was done on the sausage and pepperoni ($8.75, below). The hands of the pie maker seem more giving when it comes to meats, so this was a favorite and ordered on both trips made here. They make the crusts thin and crisp, and at least on the bar version it always kept its form and never sagged in the middle like a typical New York slice.

The tavern itself is enjoyable, usually full of action despite having a lazy feel to it. Local customers were constantly coming in to place and pickup orders for pies to go. The dark woods and men at the corner of the bar seem to have been here for a long time. The bartenders know most people and have their drinks ready by the time they take off their coats.

As for traveling the world, the conversations at the bar will definitely talk about how CNN is "fake news" and something about the Clinton's being criminals. Both of these topics came up unironically on each of my visits. But yield traveler, this is not the right time and place to get into an argument. Enjoy being in the red America, and don't let anything get between you and this wonderful pizza.

DONGAN HILLS Staten Island

60 Hancock Street

New Park Pizza

PIZZA 🍕

New Park Pizza is a New Yorker's pizza joint. The slices could be on the postcard. If they made a calendar of New York slices, it would be May or June.

You get the point.

New Park Pizza is the type of place that Howard Beach swears by and the rest of the city does not know about. It seems to be fine with this, and works to maintain its quality for the neighborhood without aspiring to be too much. There are a few tables inside and a couple picnic benches outside, depending on your mood. A slice ($2.75, below) won't amaze you, but you'll be happy nonetheless.

The point is that if someone you know from Howard Beach takes you here and claims it to be a "must-eat" or "the best" in New York, you won't agree, but don't feel like you have to bring that up. We didn't grow up in Howard Beach, so how could we know? It's easy to enjoy this place for what it is though, so grab a Coke from the fountain and do just that.

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HOWARD BEACH Queens
156-71 Crossbay Boulevard

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[CLOSED] L'asso

PIZZA

[UPDATE: CLOSED]

There are a few ways to approach your meal at L'asso (the ace). You can sit down with friends and share a large pie, share a few medium ones, enjoy a full meal including salads and pastas, or sit at the bar at lunch for a slice on your own. I've done a few of them, and here is what I think.

The view from the bar.

Sitting down at the bar seems like a good idea, but unfortunately requires you to pretend you do not care about the comfort of your legs. You get a nice view of the oven and pizza preparations though, and good service as if you were at a table. Slices are offered at lunch and happy hour, and your selections depend on what you see in the window. Usually there is a margherita pie ready, and that slice (below) will set you back $2.50.

This slice is not for me. It takes two or three to make a meal as it is very dainty, but that's ok... it's the style here. The sauce is sort of so-so, although the cheese is very good. It amazes me how fast this pie cooks, it's in the over for only a few minutes and comes out boiling. Process is fun to watch.

If you are having a meal with friends, the salads are all very well done. Try the arugula salad ($15, below), which like the others gives a decent portion to a group of four. It's topped with ricotta and has pear, candied walnuts, and a nice honey drizzle over it all.

Where L'asso really shines, and something I was lucky enough to enjoy, is their offering of "New York style" deep dish. I can only eat a gut-busting Chicago deep dish about once a year, but these are much lighter, picking it up is not like weight lifting. The crust is airy and not so dense as its second city rival.

Not every pizza is available in deep dish form, and it takes much longer to prepare, so call ahead if you are pressed for time. The veggie pie (above) comes with the sauce on the side, so you can enjoy its green-ness before smothering I suppose. The albondiga (below) was the winner, with delicious homemade meatballs hidden within.

Covered by grated ricotta salata was the L'asso supreme (below), which had sausage, mushrooms, and mozzarella as well.

L'asso also knows their market, and does things to cater to it. The aforementioned happy hour is popular, and they are also open for weekend brunch with unlimited cocktails, and you can get slices late night on weekends. At any time you go, it is possible to get good craft beers (as well as your lighter standards) on draught.

LOWER EAST SIDE Manhattan
192 Mott Street

Colosseo

PIZZA 🍕

Pizza debates rage on Long Island more furiously than any other place, and we all know pizza debates bring out some pretty passionate people. A look through review websites and blogs only presents you with a bunch of people who will tell you it is the best pizza in the world, and another group that says how terrible it is. You get the sense that many of the negatives come from shills trying to prop up their favorite place, so to have any real picture, you just need to go to every place that has a good pie.

Luckily I like variety, and have enjoyed all my slices at Little Vincent's, Steverino's, and beyond. Colosseo is another great place, with a perfect atmosphere. There is a full-fledged Italian restaurant in the back that seems to have a sleepy yet enthusiastic base of regulars, and a fast-paced counter in the front to grab a quick slice or two.

The whole front is "decorated" with stacks of pizza boxes wherever they fit. If you are lucky, you will get to see some pizza box circus tricks as they stack them high to the ceiling, defying gravity to make sure they all do not come crumbling to the floor.

The place has a very high turnover, so you can expect your slices to be very fresh. I added pepperoni to my slice ($2.25 + $0.75, above) and enjoyed how some of the delicious pork was traditional round pieces, but some were squares. They are obviously more interested in cheese here than sauce, as there is plenty of melting going on. That is all for the best though, as their mozzarella is very good. The plate is necessary to keep the slice from completing folding over under its own weight as the crust is very thin.

Seated at the barstools in the front area, you will find a general camaraderie of smiles between yourself and other pizza eaters. Those might be the same people that are writing nasty reviews for other pizza joints, but for now you have much in common.

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PORT JEFFERSON STATION New York
1049 Route 112

Artichoke Basille's

PIZZA 🍕

10th Avenue location pictured.

There is no better slice to start with here than the artichoke slice ($5, below), as the name of the place might hint towards. Even though the slice is firm and does not bend, many bites taste as if you were sinking your teeth into a cheesy cream of artichoke soup. While that might not seem like a positive thing, I assure you I mean it in the finest way possible.

While I have cringed at a $5 slice before, I happily lay the bill down adorned by Abraham Lincoln here, knowing I will be thoroughly stuffed by the end of it.

The original location on East 14th Street is still a nice experience, queue up at most times, cramp into the tiny box and order, wait a moment, then dig in while others are doing the same in close proximity. The new 10th Avenue location avoids the crowds so far, but unfortunately does not allow you to eat inside. [UPDATE: There is now a take out section at the back of the restaurant that has some seating but still avoids table service for those on the fly.] This is a cold-weather problem only, as I will be taking my slices straight up to the High Line on warm days.

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EAST VILLAGE Manhattan
328 East 14th Street

L&B Spumoni Gardens

PIZZA 🍕

L & B specializes, and in New York is supremely famous for, Sicilian style pizza, and the "garden" which is a bounty of outdoor seating in the form of picnic tables. Place an order at the window to the left, which can be slightly off-putting if you delay your wishes even a second or two. Square slices of the Sicilian ($3, below) are what to start with, the crust is as puffy and gooey at the same time as you could ever wish.

This square cost $2.25 when first written about here in 2010.

But hmmm... how to explain? This is good pizza, it is. But pilgrimage worthy pizza? If it was across the street from me, I'd choose it. But the grumpy moods and craziness of all the people in the garden on a nice day are just not a comfortable combination.

Gravesend is fun though, and you can combine a trip out here with some other good eating that you normally would not do. Bring enough friends and order a whole pie, then everyone gets the middle or edges just as they please. That's the way to do it.

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GRAVESEND Brooklyn
2725 86th Street

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Eat the World NYC is and always has been free. No advertisements block the content or pop over what you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better and you have the means to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World NYC is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running.

You can Venmo me @JAREDCOHEE or click here to send PayPal donation, no account is necessary. Thank you!

Denino's Pizzeria Tavern

PIZZA 🍕

Denino's is truly a funny place. The people inside might be dead serious, but all in all, it takes itself way too seriously and for that reason is so laughably enjoyable. It all starts with the screen door you have to open before the actual front door, which both look like they belong on a house in the suburbs. This pizzeria is in that kind of place in Staten Island though, so maybe it is fitting.

When the waitress comes around to the table, she is ready to take your order. Not to answer questions, not to wait while you decide. Order fast or she'll sneak away as fast as she came, and it might be a while before she reappears. Don't be too offended though, she's just busy and lives in New York City, after all.

Many online opinions basked the fried calamari ($7.50, above) with praise, so our group of three decided to enjoy the plate before our pie came. We all found that it was more fried than calamari, and hardly found the squid taste anywhere.

Another humorous anecdote worth mention is the size difference of drinks. A $1.50 "frosted glass" is similar to a small cocktail glass, served complete with tiny straw and all, while the $2.50 "large" is the normal red plastic vat of soda or iced tea that we are used to in this country. Put next to each other, it just makes you smile.

Half M.O.R. (meatball, onion, ricotta), half veggie.

When you speak of pizza in New York City, Denino's will always be part of the conversation, whether it is a top five or top ten list. Like any pizza debate, it will have lovers and haters with no middle ground. My opinion is very simple for this place: if you enjoy thin, crunchy crust, this is the place for you, because that is the most important part of the pizza here and obviously what they care about the most. It's nicely charred on the bottom and stays crunchy no matter how many toppings it holds.

All the pies come in one size and are priced from $13 to $18, easily feeding three or four people. The beers here are very cheap as well, with the highlight being $8 domestic and $10 imported pitchers.

Thin, charred crust, the highlight of the show.

The red sauce is used very sparingly and the ingredients are enough but not plentiful. If those are your main concerns in a pizza, I don't think Denino's is your type of joint. The three of us left very satisfied with our pie though.

By the way, don't come here for a slice. It's a sit-down place and only serves full pies.

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ELM PARK Staten Island

524 Port Richmond Road

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Eat the World NYC is and always has been free. No advertisements block the content or pop over what you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better and you have the means to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World NYC is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running.

You can Venmo me @JAREDCOHEE or click here to send PayPal donation, no account is necessary. Thank you!

[CLOSED] Steverino's Pizzeria

PIZZA 🍕

[UPDATE: CLOSED]

The pizza here reminds me a great deal of any typical slice you might find in Brooklyn, thin and easy to fold over itself for convenient eating. The place is much friendlier though, and the sauces and cheese are above average. A slice will set you back $2.

The most unique part of this slice is the sprinkle of sesame seeds on the crust, which add a little bit of interest to an otherwise standard pizza perimeter.

Steverino's also has a good deal of pasta and other edibles in the place, and probably makes a good delivery place if you live nearby.

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EAST MEADOW Long Island

344 Newbridge Road

Little Vincent's

UNITED STATES

Make no bones about it, Little Vincent's can be a bit intimidating to the uninitiated. A grumpy man awaits your order, and even during light periods has no time for you to make up your mind.

The good news is that it is not so hard to order a slice, and you can't go wrong with that here. A plain slice ($2.25, below) is good enough on its own, but for an extra 75 cents you can ask for it to be heaped with cold cheese on top. It's not listed somewhere, you just have to ask for it.

2 slices with cold cheese adornment

The cheese starts to melt on the hot slice, and is definitely a unique experience. I think whether or not you select it is probably just based on mood and hunger.

HUNTINGTON Long Island
329 New York Avenue