American flag cake is picture created by Piece A Cake in New Dorp. (Staten Island Advance File Photo)
(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)
Welcome to the work week!
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — With the first full week of school in motion, proprietors should see Staten Islanders getting back into their regular restaurant groove after a quiet August. And, potential patrons can enjoy tastes of a place they have not sampled just yet. Here are a few highlighted eats for these September days ahead:
Courtesy of Sal Settepani
Pasticceria Bruno delivers on the North Shore.
The newly upgraded Pasticceria Bruno in West Brighton not only serves pizza in its sit-down dining room but also a bistro-style menu, its own gelato and pastries, plus fresh baked breads.
Pizza is $14 for a variety of styles — Magherita, Capricciosa with ham, olives and artichokes with tomato and mozzarella, Piemontese with prosciutto, arugula, tomato and mozzarella and the restaurant's signature Panzerotto, a bread baked similar to a calzone with fresh ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, basil and oregano.
The Settepani family signed on for another 10 years in its digs at 676 Forest Ave., West Brighton; 718-448-0993.
The restaurant shut down briefly in early July and reopened as Bruno's Bakery and Restaurant on July 7th. Now, subway tiles line the back wall on a swath of the bakery section. And the house-made gelato gets more play in its handsome new refrigerated case imported from Italy.
(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)
Pronto is pronto.
With five locations strong, of course Pronto has representation on the North Shore — 738 Forest Ave.,, West Brighton; 718-448-1166, ProntoPizzaNY.com.
(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)
Their signature pies.
Stuffed pies can be likened to a pan pie and pan pies like "Danny's" sport toppings like chicken breast, mozzarella cheese, hot sauce and bleu cheese dressing. If you order through the website, use Pronto's online promotional codes to get a discount.
Kids under 12 eat free on Mondays at Cafe Milano.
The corner parlor also features two-for-one pasta dinners every Tuesday from 4 to 10 p.m. Bottles of wine from the sit-down restaurant's wine list are half price on Wednesdays. And also every Wednesday, desserts are two-for-one.
Cafe Milano is located at 410 Forest Ave. The dining room can be reached at 718-720-1313 and the dining room at 718-818-9539, CafeMilanoSI.com.
(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)
Billy's serves classic New York pizza and casual Italian fare.
Opened in Oct., 2014, Billy's is located at 853 Castleton Ave., West Brighton; 718-448-4848. A plain pie (with tax) costs $14.10 whether dining in or ordering for delivery. Owner Billy Papraniku says his specialties include pan pies like Buffalo Grilled Chicken and Alfredo with Spinach.
(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)
Staten Island six degrees of separation fun fact!
Billy's brother is Bimi of Liberty Barber Shop fame.
(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)
Michelangelo's is a tiny but mighty parlor.
Ten-year old pizzeria Michelangelo is run by brothers Memet and Atdhetar. An 18-inch pie for pickup costs a mere $20 and the restaurant delivers to most of the North Shore. The eatery has a modest dining room to cop a quick meal. Entree dish as well as pastas are available for individual meals or catered events.
Michelangelo's is located at 860 Post Ave., Port Richmond; 718-273-7541.
(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)
In the way of West Brighton pies, Vincent's Deli and Pizzeria is under new management.
Here you can get pizza starting at 7 a.m. daily, Saturdays at 8 a.m. The deli offers seating and, when the weather is balmy, expect to catch a breeze through the wide open windows. From breakfast all-day to salads, paninis, sandwiches, burgers and pastas, the place is more than just a pizzeria and deli. With Ettore Mazzei's stake in the place — he is proprietor of Chez Vous caterers located in Stapleton — special attention is focused on catering and delivery.
Vincent's is located tat 500 Henderson Ave., 718-720-7335; Vincent's Deli via Facebook.
Pamela Silvestri | silvestri@siadvance.com
Rolls and the mainstays of Vincent's menu remain the same.
Pamela Silvestri | silvestri@siadvance.com
This is the modest dining area for patrons.
Pamela Silvestri | silvestri@siadvance.com
Vincent's sells desserts including fresh mini-cannoli.
Ettore Mazzei of Chez Vous Caterers, Stapleton, and organizer of the North Shore Business Association restaurant crawl on September 22, 2013.(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)
Sweet Sweet Sues sends a kiss your way...cupcake "kisses," that is.
The cupcake boutique is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 3 p.m. till close and Saturdays, Sundays from 11 a.m. until the cupcakes run out.
The menu varies based upon the whims of Sue and husband Domenick Ognibene, the cake masters of the place. Offerings change daily on the cupcake flavors. The store sells coffee, frappes and mini cupcakes called "kisses."
The bakery's cake design and tasting consultations happen on Wednesdays from 3 to 8 p.m.
Followers on Instagram get little gifts when they mention they're fans of the pretty postings.
Fueling a variety of chocolate coffees and cool elixirs is Ghiradelli Chocolate and MONIN Flavored Syrups. Cupcakes can be blended into shakes. Also on the drink roster: hot tea, sweet tea, pink lemonade and smoothies.
The bakery is known for its occasion cakes.
Sue and Dom enjoy sharing their cake crafting knowledge and hold cake-making classes throughout the year. Next up is a Pumpkin Cake-making class coming up
Problem is, sometimes they're too handsome to eat.
Look for their Cupcake Expo in The Mall on Oct. 16th.
Sweet Sweet Sue's is located at 895 Annadale Rd., Annadale; 718-966-2253, SweetSweetSues.com.
Restaurant Piccolino tempts with fish dishes.
This mixed seafood platter sees an "Ariata Sauce," explained by the restaurant as something similar to Oreganata with sun-dried tomatoes, butter, wine, shallots and bread crumbs plus a dash of red pepper flakes. The restaurant makes its own pasta which is the vehicle for the combo.
Zuppe di Pesce is another option.
Shrimp is served Florentine-style.
Egg-battered shrimp come lemon-white wine sauce along with spinach agilo e olio (garlic and oil.)
And, here's the shrimp coated with toasted coconut.
That sits atop house-made pasta tossed in a coconut-porcini cream sauce with asparagus and porcini mushrooms.
Classic Italian landlubber dishes like Veal Parmigiana also are crowd pleasers.
Until the Piccolino staff sees you for Friday and Saturday live entertainment, they say, "Stay thirsty."
Piccolino is located at 3935 Amboy Rd., Great Kills; 718-967-5870; PiccolinoRistorante.com.
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