DaNico of Mulberry Street opens a second location in Tottenville

by Jessica Jones-Gorman Photos By Amessé Photography

When Nick Criscitelli built his first restaurant on little Italy’s famed Mulberry Street two decades ago, he crafted the entire space around some bricks that used to line the oven in his great-grandmother’s kitchen.

“She owned a store on Mulberry Street many years ago where she sold peanuts and cookies and made everything from scratch herself in this big brick oven,” Criscitelli said. “When I first built DaNico, it was important for me to use those bricks in my oven. I felt they brought something special to both my kitchen and my food.”

Special indeed. After opening its doors in August of 1993, DaNico Ristorante, which translates to “of Nicky” or “at Nicky’s,” quickly became one of the city’s hidden outposts for herculean helpings of tasty traditional Italian fare. Frequented by a number of New York Yankees, and a couple of former mayors, the eatery easily picked up a Zagat rating for its stuffed grilled lobster specialties and array of lamb and veal chops. But the bistro’s coal fired brick oven, which pumps out scores of crispy, thin-crusted pizzas daily—adding a little bit of Grandma’s magic to every slice—is what has really driven DaNico to culinary greatness. So when Criscitelli opened a second location of the famed eatery in Tottenville this past May, he knew he had to begin with a pile of those same legendary bricks.

“We fully renovated the space and brought some of the bricks in, incorporating them into the kitchen, the same way we did when we opened the original,” Criscitelli said. “We added a red door, too, which is one of our trademarks on Mulberry Street, as well as red awnings to match, and really tried to duplicate the same homey feel and atmosphere that we have become known for. When you walk in our door, we want you to feel like you’re eating at home.”

Criscitelli, who was born and raised on Mulberry Street in an apartment above some of the neighborhood’s most celebrated restaurants, explained that he chose Staten Island because it is the borough he now calls home.

“I live here now, so I wanted to bring a branch of my restaurant to this neighborhood,” the restaurateur noted. “Staten Island is, of course, very different than Manhattan. I love the busy vibe of the city, but here, I know all of my customers. The people who eat here on a regular basis are my neighbors and my friends, and I love that tight-knit community feel.”

The Tottenville location features the same menu, atmosphere, and reasonable pricing as Criscitelli’s flagship: customers can count on homemade pasta and a range of Parmesans as menu staples and fresh pizzas delivered crisp to the table for no more than $12 a pie. Double cut veal chops, traditional chicken giambotta, osso bucco, and a couple of varieties of fra diavolo are also listed among a wide range of meal selections— this second site featuring essentially a carbon copy of DaNico’s menu.

“Our original concept was built around that coal fired pizza oven,” Criscitelli said. “We always maintained a casual but fine dining atmosphere, where people could come in and just order a pie or have a full dinner of veal and lobster. That’s exactly what we want to build on here on the island.”

Criscitelli, who opened the original DaNico when he was just 23, comes from a family of restaurateurs: his mother Annette and father Perry, who assist him now, owned and operated several eateries over the past several decades. It’s a tradition that Criscitelli and his wife, Angela, hope to continue today.

“Food was always a major part of our lives,” the owner said. “So many traditions were born in our family kitchen. We’d cook for hours every Sunday, and that’s the type of homemade vibe that we hope to continue in our restaurants.”

Criscitelli’s menu is a reflection of that hope, featuring both Northern and Southern Italian dishes as well as several special multi-course meals.

“We feature several prix fixe lunch and dinner menus and every Sunday we serve Grandma’s Gravy—a complete dinner of meatballs, sausage, braciole, pasta, dessert, and coffee,” Criscitelli said. “We also bottle our own private label red and white wine, which can be purchased at special prices.”

A room for parties from ten to 100 is also available.

“We want our customers to feel at home here, whether they are coming in for a simple meal or hosting an important event for an entire family,” Criscitelli concluded. “I built this restaurant to offer a casual fine dining experience, and that’s exactly what I want to continue here on Staten Island.”

DaNico Ristorante
7324 Amboy Road
718.227.7200
danicoristorante.com
Cuisine: Northern and Southern Italian
Hours: Sunday: 12pm-9pm
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday-Thursday: 12 p.m.- 10 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 12 p.m.- 1 p.m.
All major credit cards accepted
Service: Friendly
Bar: Full bar with a range of fine wines.
Parking: Street, Valet
Private Parties: Yes