Totonno's is a pizzeria located at 1524 Neptune Avenue (between West 15th Street and West 16th Street) in Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York.[2] It was established in 1924 by Antonio "Totonno" Pero.
| Totonno's Pizzeria Napolitano | |
|---|---|
 Totonno's pizzeria in 2008 | |
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1924[1] |
| Street address | 1524 Neptune Avenue (between West 15th Street and West 16th Street) in Coney Island in Brooklyn |
| City | Brooklyn |
| State | New York |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 11224 |
| Country | United States |
History
editTotonno was an employee at the Lombardi's pizzeria on Spring Street in New York's Little Italy that was established in 1905 when he began selling tomato pies cooked in a coal oven and wrapped in paper and tied with a string. In 1924, Totonno left Lombardi's to open his own pizzeria on Coney Island called Totonno's. It is owned by Louise Ciminieri and known for its lines out the door, longevity, and delicious food.[1][3] Pero can be seen in a photograph with Lombardi,[3] whose employ he left in 1924, "shortly after the subway started running out to the hinterlands of Coney Island, and opened his own place there".[3]
Totonno's pizza has been made the same way since 1924 and, "along with its Brooklyn pizza brethren Di Fara Pizza, Grimaldi's and Franny's ... is considered among the best in the country by people who have dedicated their lives to the subject".[4] James Oseland, editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine, attributes a "quintessential New York City flavor profile" to Totonno's.[5]
Totonno's is one of a handful of pizzerias that use a coal fired brick oven, which imparts its unique flavor to pies baked in it. New coal ovens do not pass current environmental laws in New York, but the old ovens are grandfathered as long as the business remains open.[6]
The original location was damaged by fire in 2009,[3][7] but reopened.[5] In October 2012, Totonno's was among several landmark New York restaurants devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Although they had planned to open by the end of the year,[5][8] they re-opened in mid-January 2013.[9] In 2021 they closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City.[10]
Totonno's has been featured on various television shows, such as Ugly Delicious, Somebody Feed Phil, and The Pizza Show.[11][12][13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "104 Years of Pizza in New York". NYMag. 2009-07-13. Retrieved 2015-09-12.
- ^ "Zagat Stories".
- ^ a b c d Wilson, Michael (March 15, 2009). "Fire Shuts Totonno's, Legendary Coney Island Pizzeria". The New York Times.
- ^ Severson, Kim (November 8, 2006). "'Brooklyn Style Pizza' Meets the Real Deal". The New York Times.
- ^ a b c Gordinier, Jeff (November 27, 2012). "Fighting to Save the Flavor of New York". The New York Times.
- ^ Kuban, Adam (November 8, 2007). "New York City–Area Coal-Oven Pizzerias". Slice. Archived from the original on 2020-09-17.
- ^ Chung, Jen (March 15, 2009). "Coney Island Pizzeria Totonno's Plans to Rebuild After Fire". Gothamist. Archived from the original on 2010-06-02.
- ^ Wells, Pete (November 28, 2012). "Sandy's Less-Heralded Victims: The Places That Bring New Yorkers Together". The New York Times.
- ^ Crowley, Chris (December 18, 2012). "Restoring Our Church of Pizza: The Rebuilding and Repairing of Totonno's After Hurricane Sandy". Slice.
- ^ Fortney, Luke (2021-04-07). "Legendary Coney Island Pizzeria Totonno's Isn't Closing After All". Eater NY. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ^ Morabito, Greg (February 23, 2018). "'Ugly Delicious' Questions the Importance of Authenticity in 'Pizza'". Eater. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
- ^ "Somebody Feed Phil - New York". Phil Rosenthal World. Archived from the original on 2020-09-26. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
- ^ Staff (February 19, 2017). "The Untold Story of How My Grandfather Brought Pizza to America". Vice. Retrieved 2020-04-16.