Woodhaven favorite has triumphed in the face of adversity Serving up tradition at Sal’s Pizza

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

Near the intersection of 85th Street and Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven, you’ll find a few bodegas, the J train stop and a place that plenty of residents would call some of the best pizza in the area.

Sal’s Pizza is a no-frills establishment with plenty of options. You can dine in or take out, grab a slice or order an Italian restaurantstyle meal. The sauce is made from tomatoes ground in-house, and glutenfree diners can opt for a cauliflower crust.

“When I was away at college, I would text my parents and tell them I was craving Sal’s. One time they picked me up from JFK with a pizza box in the car,” said resident Jessica DiMarco, who has lived in Woodhaven her whole life, but briefly attended college out of state.

Brienza was a beloved figure in Woodhaven, having grown up in the area. Notably, he donated pizzas to first responders during Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. During the Covid pandemic, the pizzeria remained open, adding no-contact deliveries as an option.

“Dominick went out of his way to be kind. I went in once and ordered and after the pizza was in the oven, I realized I was walking around without my wallet,” DiMarco said, “and he recognized me from when I used to go there with my mom, and he told me not to worry about it.”

Classic Slices

Manager Debra Maggio, a longtime employee, told the Chronicle that there was actually never an owner named Sal: The reason why the shop was named Sal’s is because a man named Sal lent the original owner the money to get it started. Brienza purchased the pizzeria later down the line.

“I went to elementary school two blocks away, and after school, my mom used to stop at Sal’s to get us lunch,” she said.

Sal’s Pizza has long been considered a staple in Woodhaven, serving its community for 63 years and counting.

Part of its popularity can be attributed to Dominick Brienza, who owned the pizzeria for nearly 20 years and passed away in the summer of 2022.

The current owner is his widow, Andrea Rubino Brienza, who initially struggled with maintaining business after her husband’s death. In July 2022, she posted on Woodhaven Facebook groups saying as much.

“Many of you are questioning if we will stay open, if the food will stay the same,” she wrote. “I am trying very hard to keep it open. The majority of the employees are staying and trying to keep Dom’s legacy and memory alive, 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 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.” 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.”

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.

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

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 neighborhood, for the community.” Q