Have you ever wanted to create your own pizza in a restaurant setting? Well, now you can – at Pizzaniste!
On Monday, April 17, newly opened Pizzaniste, located at 3439 E. Tremont Avenue, held its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony, although the establishment officially opened earlier this month.
Amidst the hundreds of Italian restaurants and pizza parlors in the Bronx, Pizzaniste has a unique concept when it comes to making a pie.
At Pizzaniste, customers are encouraged to create their own pizza by choosing their favorite doughs, sauces and toppings for their personalized pie.
The combinations and possibilities are endless, as Pizzaniste offers a whopping selection of 46 different toppings.
The restaurant also allows its customers to create their own salads and calzones with up to three different toppings.
So far, one of the most popular items on the menu is the Nutella calzone, which can be jazzed up with bananas and strawberries.
The restaurant is co-owned by brothers Antonio and Salvatore Fasolino, both of whom were born and raised in Throggs Neck and graduated from St. Frances de Chantel. With the opening of this establishment, they have come full circle.
“With this restaurant, our goal is for our product to always be of the highest quality and to stand out from all other Italian restaurants in the borough,” said Antonio. “We want our customers to say that our place has the best pizza in the Bronx.”
Antonio added that, eventually Pizzaniste would like to open other locations.
“The feedback from the community has been excellent so far,” said Salvatore, who added that the day of the grand opening saw over 500 customers in total. “This area (East Tremont Avenue) is a prime location for this business and we look forward to the new experience while being back in our old neighborhood.”
The restaurant business is nothing new to the Salvatores.
Before opening Pizzaniste, they each worked at Southern Italian family-run restaurant Yolanda’s, located at 292 E. 149th Street, for 15 years as the restaurant’s third generation.
Yolanda’s, which has been in business for 64 years, was previously owned by their grandmother and father.
The name Pizzaniste according to the co-owners, originates from the term ‘barista’, which describes a person who prepares and serves coffee. At Pizzaniste, every customer is the creator of their own pizza.
Too hungry to make a decision? Not to worry, the eatery also offers a selection of eight signatures pizza pies to choose from. And the pizza never sits out on the counter.
Earlier this week, the restaurant, which seats upwards of 30 to 35 people, started home delivery and will soon set up an app so that customers can place their orders online.
Pizzaniste is the only establishment in the Bronx to offer Puck’s, a natural soda fountain service with no artificial ingredients. Similar to the Fasolinos, Puck’s was also started by two brothers. And yes, refills are free.
Beer and wine will be available in the coming months.
The restaurant has filed for sidewalk table service.
Follow Pizzaniste on Facebook by visiting www.faceb
