These south shore restaurateurs just knew the island needed one more pizza joint—but one decidedly different
by Jessica Jones-Gorman • Photos by Alex Barreto
It’s no secret that Staten Island has been saturated with an abundance of pizzerias for decades, each hawking their own signature slice. But Joe LaRocca and Paul Montella, restaurateurs who’ve had success with other Italian eateries in this borough and in Brooklyn, thought the Island could use just one more pizza joint—but this one would be a different dish entirely.
“If you come from a southern Italian household, this is the type of food you eat at home,” LaRocca said, detailing a menu of 17 varieties of coal fired pizza (10 red, 7 white) and at least a dozen different oven-baked sandwiches that have been served up at Campania in Eltingville for the past eight months. “Our food is based on several traditional family recipes that completely represent a return to true, authentic Italian dishes.”
It’s a formula that has worked before; Campania in Brooklyn has been a success for the past two years, and Montella owns 101 Restaurant and Bar in Bay Ridge and Nucci’s, which has locations on both the North and South Shores. LaRocca and Montella, were also part owners of Nove, the posh Richmond Avenue boutique eatery where Campania currently exists.
“We decided to change the concept to something more mainstream that would appeal to a family element,” LaRocca said.
The building itself was completely renovated to denote the restaurant’s more casual menu and atmosphere.
“We changed a lot of it—made the bar longer, added TVs everywhere, changed the color scheme in the dining room, and did a brick veneer over one of the walls,” LaRocca said. “We wanted a casual yet elegant sort of contrast, so we added some crystal chandeliers, too. But our goal was to make this a nice, comfortable setting…nothing pretentious. A place where you could stop and eat on your way home from the gym or if you’re just leaving your job on Wall Street.”
The partners added a pizza counter, too, so guests could watch pies being made right in front of them.
“It was important for us to have an open kitchen,” LaRocca said. “It adds to the fun, family vibe.”
Any food item that can be made fresh and on-site is, including an unrivaled mozzarella and sauce that’s hand blended from vats of fresh tomatoes.
“The idea is to have a simple, fresh menu that’s pretty much family style, a range of the best antipasto, coal fired pizza, and authentic Italian entrees around.”
Customer favorites include the Margherita Pie, topped with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil and pecorino romano; the Lombarda pizza, which features tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, parmesan shavings and truffle oil; and staples like homemade meatballs and baked clams. There’s also a Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Puttanesca Pie with anchovy, black olives and capers, and Pesto Pizza with a sauce of basil, pine nuts, and fresh parmigiano. Calzones, family-style antipasto, and oven-baked sandwiches can also be ordered to stay or to go. Italian cheesecake, tartufo, and Nutella pizza smothered in bananas and whipped cream complete the dessert menu.
“These are my family recipes,” LaRocca concluded. “And I’m proud to share every dish with our customers.”
Campania Coal Fired Pizza
3900 Richmond Ave. / 718.227.3286 / campaniacoalfiredpizza.com
