da-Angelo Pizzeria & Ristorante — Restaurant in Town of North Hempstead

You're going to read a whole lot of reviews about this place from those who have been loyal to them for years or even friends and family of the place. They have been in the area for a long time and about 20 years ago when I first tried them they were great. 10 years ago they were good. 5 years ago they were "meh".

You cannot the seafood to be fresh, but every time I get seafood here, it seems to be so overly frozen that it falls apart during the cooking process. The clam sauce. Over seasoned to hide the age of the shellfish.

An 18" plain measured 16.6" (doesnt shrink during bake, no). No I do not expect them to measure the dough once it has been worked but I do expect them to use enough dough so that they can make an 18" pie. I think the pie was pre-baked because the cheese was coagulated, the pie was over-baked (too many dark spots) and the oil from the cheese was being released by the time it arrived. I have some extensive experience with pizza and I know this was not what I would call "fresh". For nearly $20, this I find bothersome.

Their chicken parmigiana with spaghetti. I feel as if the chicken was premade at least a day before because it was tough, not at all tender. I thought the portion was a bit small but I was assured that the container was too large and gave it that illusion. So being the pragmatic individual I am, I decided to deconstruct the dish. I remove the cheese (not hard, it was barely room temp when it arrived, cheese was already hard) and stacked all the fillets on a scale. 0.68 lbs in total. This was equivalent to 2/3 of a half a chicken breast. Let's put it more into perspective. a high price for chicken breast would be $3.99/lb. So technically this was $2.71 worth of chicken. I'll give them the additional $1.28 to account for the cheese, breading, sauce and container. Considering the spaghetti was low-grade pasta, I would guess that in bulk it costs $1/lb and the quantity provided was about 1/3 lb pre-cooked. So for $4.29 they charged $20. Also when you get a platter, do NOT expect bread. They give you 2 of these old, tiny baked knots of dough and some sort of wanna-be garlic bread. This is not bread. This is what I expect at a massive chain/franchise who has not a clue about Italian food, not an Italian-owned Italian restaurant/pizzeria.

Rice Balls! Who can screw those up? Well... No. They didn't. They were okay. Not "WOW these rice balls rock!", no not that. They were decent. A bit small but decent.

The Eggplant rollatini... Still very good. The sauce I am bothered by. It used to have real tomato and garlic flavor but now it seems that someone in the back just popped open a can and heated it up. Still this dish is one of my all-time favorites and they do it pretty well.

There are many places lately who are up-charging. I get it. You have workers, utilities and all, but considering the sauce was straight out of a can (really unimpressive and plain) and again the food seemed old, I am sure I will be throwing away the menu. If I owned a place like this, I would ask myself, would I be proud to serve this to my family and call it authentic? Oh no I would not! That is the goal.

I always believe that if I can make a perfect dish once, I have NO excuse for not making it perfect every time I make it. I would consider it a personal insult to myself if I did not and I would not, could not fault anyone else for my failure. Sorry to say I believe Da Angelos is on their way down that road. They seem to have given up on providing quality food. They probably believe at this time it's simply a business to pump out edible (or barely) food and charge market prices. Market prices are subjective and that they should remember. One of the considerations for market prices is quality and that is lacking here.

I know they can do better. I've had better from them in the past. I do believe they can bring that back if they truly wanted to. But for now, I will rate them on what I can and sadly only one...

I've visited da-Angelo pizza several times and they serve decent pizza at a reasonable price. They have a small selection speciality slices and rolls that are heated to perfection in just a couple of minutes. The restaurant is small but well-kept and inviting. The decor is a mixture of a classic Italian pizzeria fused with wood paneling making it feel like you are also in a cabin in the woods. They have a beautiful fireplace as a centerpiece and a somewhat spacious dining floor. I would not come here with a big party since they only have one large table in the back.

The staff is very kind and makes it feel like you are part of their family while you are there. They are quick to take your order but still take their time to talk to you and make friendly conversation.

They have a small parking lot but I am assuming that it gets busy during the weekends so you may have to park on the street.

The reason I gave this place four stars instead of five is solely because of their pizza taste and quality. Although it is good, I have had better slices in the area and have also had many more options to choose from in local restaurants. I have heard that the dining menu is very good here so I may come back for that, which can possibly change my rating.

PLEASE READ:

I am starting a new Pizza Review Series in which I will be rating slices from over 30 different pizzerias in my local area in Nassau County, Long Island. I will use a regular cheese slice as a baseline and a specialty slice as added depth to the review. These rating are solely based on my opinion and taste preference so please do not be offended if one of my ratings does not align with your opinion on the pizza.

I am excited to have da-Angelo as my first review in this series!

#1 da-Angelo Pizzeria

Cheese slice: a solid slice with a generous amount of cheese and sauce. Sauce could have had more seasoning. Crust was thin and crispy but a little dry. Not too greasy and minimal oil drip. Overall, I would rate this slice an 8/10.

Specialty slice: For my specialty slice, I ordered a white slice. This was a full cheese slice with no sauce but in my opinion, there was too much ricotta and not enough mozzarella. The ricotta was overpowering and it felt like there was too much mush on the slice. There was also no hint of garlic, which would have gone perfect on this pizza. The crust was a little thicker and softer compared to the cheese slice. Again, not too greasy and minimal oil drip. I would rate this slice a 6/10.

For more ratings please see my Pizza Ratings Collection on my...

Da Angelo Pizzeria: A Hidden Gem of Pure Pizza Perfection

Da Angelo Pizzeria isn’t just another pizza spot—it’s a place where flavor, tradition, and quality come together in the best way possible. Every bite here feels like a love letter to real, old-school pizza-making.

The Grandma Pie? Absolutely flawless—thin, crispy, and loaded with rich, tangy sauce that keeps you coming back for more. The Sicilian Pie? Light, airy, yet perfectly crispy on the outside—exactly how it should be. Their classic Pizza is everything you'd hope for in a New York slice, and the Sicilian Pizza (yes, I had to go for both) is just as incredible. The Garlic Knots? Soft, garlicky, and packed with flavor—dangerously addictive. And if you’re in the mood for something special, the Pizza Pescatore is a seafood lover’s dream, bringing a perfect balance of fresh toppings and bold flavors.

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of the menu is just as amazing—because when a place does pizza this right, you just know everything else is top-tier. Da Angelo Pizzeria is the real deal, and absolutely...