QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, November 16, 2023 Page 16 For the latest news EDITION visit qchron.com 45TH ANNIVERSARY • 2023
45th Anniversary Edition
Serving up tradition at Sal’s Pizza Woodhaven favorite has triumphed in the face of adversity by Kristen Guglielmo
Brienza was a beloved figure in Woodhaven, having grown up in the area. Notably, he donated pizNear the intersection of 85th zas to first responders during HurStreet and Jamaica Avenue in ricane Sandy relief efforts. During Woodhaven, you’ll find a few the Covid pandemic, the pizzeria remained open, adding no-contact bodegas, the J train stop and a place that plenty of residents deliveries as an option. “Dominick went out of his way would call some of the best pizza to be kind. I went in once and in the area. Sal’s Pizza is a no-frills estab- ordered and after the pizza was in lishment with plenty of options. the oven, I realized I was walking You can dine in or take out, grab a around without my wallet,” slice or order an Italian restaurant- DiMarco said, “and he recognized style meal. The sauce is made me from when I used to go there with my mom, and he from tomatoes ground told me not to worry in-house, and glutenabout it.” free diners can opt for a CLASSIC Manager Debra Magcauliflower crust. gio, a longtime employ“When I was away at SLICES ee, told the Chronicle college, I would text that there was actually my parents and tell never an owner named them I was craving Sal: The reason why the Sal’s. One time they shop was named Sal’s is picked me up from JFK with a pizza box in the car,” said because a man named Sal lent the resident Jessica DiMarco, who original owner the money to get it has lived in Woodhaven her started. Brienza purchased the pizwhole life, but briefly attended zeria later down the line. The current owner is his college out of state. “I went to elementary school widow, Andrea Rubino Brienza, two blocks away, and after school, who initially struggled with my mom used to stop at Sal’s to maintaining business after her husband’s death. In July 2022, she get us lunch,” she said. Sal’s Pizza has long been con- posted on Woodhaven Facebook sidered a staple in Woodhaven, groups saying as much. “Many of you are questioning serving its community for 63 if we will stay open, if the food years and counting. Part of its popularity can be will stay the same,” she wrote. “I am trying very hard to keep it attributed to Dominick Brienza, who owned the pizzeria for nearly open. The majority of the employ20 years and passed away in the ees are staying and trying to keep Dom’s legacy and memory alive, summer of 2022. Associate Editor
Dominick Brienza, who bought Sal’s Pizza almost 20 years ago. When he passed away two summers ago, the pizzeria almost closed for good.
Sal’s Pizza, located at 85-07 Jamaica Ave. in Woodhaven, has been serving PHOTOS BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO up classic New York slices for over 60 years. as we all loved him so much. Our Pizza Makers feel they cannot go on working without Dom’s presence and are leaving us this week. We are having a hard time finding replacements.” She wrote that if they could not find those replacements, the pizzeria would have to close. During those weeks in summer 2022, the hours of operation would change often due to staffing issues. The small number of employees who remained had to band together and work almost constantly. Weeks later, on July 29, Brienza gave the community a sad update. “Well, friends and neighbors, we are officially closed until further notice. Having had no luck in hiring mature, reliable, dependable pizza makers, I have no choice,” Brienza wrote. “If and when I can accomplish what seems to be a Herculean task, we will be open again.” The comments section reflected the magnitude of the loss. Then, on Aug. 4, Brienza announced that the hard work from herself and her employees, specifically Maggio, had paid off, and that the pizzeria would be open every day from there on out. Maggio detailed the struggles to the Chronicle, saying, “Between Covid and losing a pizza man and
being unable to find pizza men that wanted to work and stay, we couldn’t make bills. We couldn’t make ends meet. We were lucky to keep afloat.” She said during that time, employees worked all day: from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and she often went into other pizzerias, unapologetically searching for pizza makers to help keep Sal’s in business. Maggio’s love for the pizzeria stems from her appreciation for the Brienza family: Even now, she
refers to the late owner as “dad,” though there’s no blood relation. “Every morning, I come in and I say, ‘Good morning’ to him,” she said, gesturing to a framed picture of Dominick Brienza. “Then when I go home, I say, ‘Goodnight’ to him.” Today, Sal’s remains a charming neighborhood establishment. Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) and Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven) have both publicly lauded the business. The pizzeria touts new meal deals and specials, and often partners with the community for events. Additionally, Sal’s has a program for children: Kids who draw a picture for the pizzeria to hang on the wall get a free slice. Maggio said the recipes used remain the same: Sal’s still uses the original ingredients that Woodhaven residents know and love. As for the future, Maggio is busying herself working on new ideas and recipes, toying with the idea of staying open later and adding an Alfredo sauce to the menu. In the future, she’d like to have a North Shore Animal Truck outside to do spays and neuters, and have some of the pizzeria’s proceeds go toward the cause. Maggio is also maintaining close connections with her regulars, as Brienza did before her. “It’s a family-run business, so we’re going to keep it going,” she said. “Keep it going for the neighQ borhood, for the community.”
Pizza maker Roberto and manager Debra Maggio hard at work, serving up freshly prepared food.
