For A Slice of Signature Pizza, Look No Further Than Tony’s Pizza In Brooklyn, Originally Owned By Tony Coppola

FOR A SLICE OF SIGNATURE PIZZA LOOK NO FURTHER THAN TONY’S PIZZA IN BROOKLYN

by Nick Christophers

Editor’s note: The name Tony Coppola may sound familiar to fans of the Godfather.  It would seem that a character in that film was modeled after the owner of this pizzeria.  According to Godfather Wiki, “Anthony Coppola was the owner of a pizzeria in Little Italy… Son of of an old friend of Vito Corleone‘s from the railyards in Hell’s Kitchen, Coppola went to Corleone on the day of Connie Corleone‘s wedding to ask for a favour: a loan to open a new pizzeria and install a new oven. The Don obliged, even though it inconvenienced him, much to Coppola’s delight.”  This author also shared with us an inside look into the meet and greet with Sopranos cast members and a comedian at the Roslyn Hotel in NYC.  

It is without question that the “so called” fast food, pizza, is an international favorite. From Brooklyn, New York, to the cobble streets of Napoli, it has survived the times. Places like Tony’s Pizza have kept up the tradition of serving up an A-list slice. The original owner, Tony Coppola, prided himself on his recipes and the way he prepared his signature slice. Back when he was the owner the shop, which is in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, it was predominantly Italian, but that has changed since then.

Brothers Frank and Paul Serrano would take over, but kept the same aura it had back in the 50s. When the brothers took over, the area was changing with new people coming in from all walks of life. Hence, the brothers needed to adapt to the changing landscape. They would in turn add to the already attractive menu with various delicacies. Paul’s favorite is the famous thin crust pan pizzas like the Drunken Vodka and the Tomato Pi, which is a popular item for the locals and the old timers. Even though they altered their menu to please the newcomers, they kept the rustic look of the shop, decorating it with photos along the walls that paint the history of the shop.

“The vision was to provide quality pizza to the neighborhood. Today the vision is still the same, over the years pizza of course has changed. We still provide quality pizza with fresh ingredients; however, it’s no longer classic Neapolitan and Sicilian slices. The diverse toppings we offer are what keeps the customers coming in, and the consistency of our product day in and day out is what we take pride in the most.”

It serves as a testament to their signature style and nostalgic atmosphere that the shop has lasted for over 70 years, which says a lot. Even though the economy has hit many shops, Paul and Frank have managed to wind the storm to make their clientele happy. As Paul explained, the pizzerias of long ago were major money makers, but they have changed since then. The ingredients were more affordable, which in turn gave families an option for lunch or dinner. The cost of items now across the board have fallen on the customer. Even with this known fact the brothers have managed to maintain competitive pricing compared to other shops like their own. So, if you are in the diverse city of Williamsburg on Graham Avenue, then you need to pop into Tony’s Pizza for a delicious slice and an atmosphere that will bring you back to the days when it was cool just hanging out at the local pizzeria.

https://tonysbrooklynpizza.com/

Banner Image: Tony’s Pizzeria. Image Credit – Nick Christophers

Nick Christophers

As a talented individual, I have always been immersed in the arts. Whether it is drawing or writing, my passion for both was unwavering. Graduating from the School of Visual Arts with a degree in Media Arts and a minor in Journalism, I was off and running. With the knowledge I garnered from the College I managed to create my own Public Relations business. When it comes to my writing I have been published in many online and print magazines. Since I come from a Greek background my first writing gig was with a major Greek publication entitled National Herald. The experience with this newspaper helped me branch out to others like it, like the Hellenic Times. Eventually, I decided to expand my skills to the mainstream market. Hence, I began submitting articles to online publications like http://www.thelifestylerepublic.com/, www.skopemagazine.com and https://www.cosanostranews.com/ In addition to all the press work, I have also penned my own novel “Destinies” which is currently available on Amazon and in working to go from script to screen. Besides that, I also just completed a historical overview of the Greek mafia worldwide which is also on Amazon along with my third book which I worked with ex-mobster John Alite called Prison Rules. In addition, I was featured as a mob expert on the cable channel REELZ for the program “Mafia Killers w/ Colin McLaren”. Even though I have made these strides with my God-given talent I am always in search of building more bridges. In the entertainment industry there are no limits to what one can accomplish.