Galleria Of Merrick Ristorante, Pizzeria — Restaurant in Town of Hempstead

During our visit to Galleria Pizzeria & Restaurante, we had the pleasure of sampling several items from their enticing menu. From the moment we walked in, the experience was both welcoming and delightful. Chef Cheeto himself greeted us warmly and brought over a tasty sandwich—an Italian bread masterpiece topped with burrata, prosciutto, and a drizzle of balsamic. This thoughtful and personal gesture set the tone for what was to come. Alongside the sandwich, we were served a warm, and generous serving of garlic bread that was perfectly toasted and bursting with fresh, savory flavors.

Now, diving into the main dishes we ordered:

Chicken Cutlet Vodka Sauce with Pesto Burrata Hero

This sandwich was nothing short of excellent. The vodka sauce was fresh and perfectly balanced, com by plementing the semolina bread, which was toasted to perfection without a hint of being overdone. The pesto truly stole the show with its vibrant, freshly-made flavor—it felt as though it was prepared right on the spot. Two burrata balls crowned the sandwich, adding a creamy and luxurious texture.

The only critique worth mentioning is that while the sandwich was phenomenal, folding it up to eat was a bit messy. However, the flavor and quality made the slight inconvenience more than worth it.

Specialty Garlic Knot with Chicken Cutlet and Vodka Sauce

This unique offering was worth the 20-minute wait. The Garlic Knot was expertly toasted on the bottom, providing just the right amount of crispiness to balance the soft and pillowy texture of the knot itself. The garlic on top was fresh and well-seasoned, elevating the overall taste.

The chicken cutlet was flavorful and well-prepared, though a slightly larger portion would have perfected the sandwich. Nonetheless, the proportions were satisfying, and the overall experience of this dish was outstanding.

Overall Impressions

Galleria Pizzeria & Restaurante delivers on freshness, flavor, and hospitality. From the warm introduction by Chef Cheeto to the thoughtfully crafted dishes, every aspect of our visit felt special. The quality and attention to detail made this a memorable experience.

Would highly recommend this spot for anyone looking to indulge in unique Italian-inspired dishes in Merrick. A must-visit...

Overall rating: Actually way above the scale, 12/10!

Attended 06/15/2025, So picture this, it’s Father’s Day and I’ve lost my father one year to date. I have spent the day at the cemetery with my family. For months we’ve been meaning to stop in over here and today is a day more than ever that I need comfort food. As it goes with viral restaurants you hope to receive the allure and experience as it seems from the media you consume. Let me tell you, the feeling of family radiates from every inch of this place and every member of the staff.

Ciro is genuinely a lovely chef/owner with a ton of heart. Without even knowing the hardship my family and I came in there with, he and the two young servers that assisted us today were so gracious, warm, & kind. I’m beyond thankful.

For eats we had: Fried Calamari- which had such a beautifully seasoned unique breading. Great portion.

Mussels Bianco- automatic win for seafood lovers, be sure to scoop up the sauce, large quantity!

Spicy Rigatoni Burrata- WOAH okay, this is next damn level. Next LEVELLLL!!! All dishes are large enough to share, this though, is so good you may not want to share haha.

Cheesesteak- I know it’s considered a Philly but I’m petitioning to change it to Ciro’s Cheesesteak 🤣 it’s just too good to be compared to Philly. That luscious steak, cheese with the seeded bread!!! I couldn’t get enough.

Tortellini Alfredo- Absolutely bussin’, more understated than the rest but the real know that if the flavor is right, it don’t need all the bells and whistles.

Sausage and Peppers Hero- A classic by all means elevated to another level by the personal touch of Galleria.

We also had a few cheese slices and a grandma slice- which were perfectly crispy and delicious!

Pricing was beyond fair, everything we had was more than delectable, literally no complaints.

Bonus! We were gifted these lovely layered mason jars that we ate when we got home, S’mores & Reese’s flavors. I am normally not a sweets person and this was THE BOMB DOT COM. I would actually crave these.

Big thank you to Ciro & staff! Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers. Ciro you carry your family legacy with pride and it shows in your food. All reading this review- go...

UPDATE: The owner Ciro reached out to me personally yesterday to apologize! even though I had a sour experience, having the owner personally take the time to reach out meant a lot.. the food has always been consistently delicious and I will order from them again!

Two thumbs DOWN to Galleria in Merrick!

Yesterday I was bringing dinner to a friend who just has surgery, my husband suggested Gallerias meal deal (which we haven’t had in awhile)… I called & asked if they still did it, the gentleman on the phone said they did.. I said great, I’ll call back shortly to put in the order.. approximately 30 mins later I called to place the order & I got a different guy on the phone.. he states they no longer do it, I said I had called & confirmed.. the guy went on to tell me the would HONOR the meal deal.. ok great.. order the meal deal plus a chicken parm dinner.. go to pick up and my total is $76!!!! I ask for a breakdown, the guy ringing me up starts saying that it’s not the meal deal but he already gave me a “discount” (I did see -$11) on the screen.. I explained that the original guy on the phone quoted me $37.95 so I expected with the additional meal it would probably be $60 with tax and I told him I like to support local and now I know they dont do the meal deal anymore.. he told me let me see what I could do and magically the price on the register dropped to $60.. he then copped a major attitude and walked away as I was trying to talk to him.. the point is they told me they were going to honor it and then tried to change the price once I got there.. also the fact that the guy ringing me up started complaining about the person who I originally spoke to who told me they did it is completely unprofessional.. between the attitude & the lack of communication I will unfortunately not return.. food is delicious but honestly there are plenty of other restaurants in Merrick that will find my business...