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Business & Tech

At Centre Pizza, At Least, You Can Go Home Again

Great Food, Good Atmosphere At An Italian Restaurant That Mostly Hits The Mark

There's not much that can compare to New York pizza.

But amongst New Yorkers, there's always room for improvement, with big city pizza pie makers judged on the following three criteria: the ratio of cheese to sauce, the freshness of the dough and a variety of menu items to satisfy even the most discerning paisan.

And it's on these marks that Centre Pizza in Little Neck Plaza mostly delivers.

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Originally owned by Vittorio Averaimo, who passed away in January 2001, the pizzeria was bought that year by its current owners, Joe LaRocca and Paul DePaulis.

The pair soon transformed what was once a small neighborhood pizzeria, expanding the place into a restaurant with an eclectic Italian menu.

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And business has boomed ever since, according to Centre Pizza staff.

"Quality food, quality service, good food, friends, and times, that's why people come here and want to come here all of the time," said Centre Pizza manager Mike LaRocca.

On a visit this week, the wait staff seated a party of two quickly, with warm, seasoned bread served at the table in a spacious dining room.

However, it was behind the counter at Centre Pizza where the main event takes place, with staff members churning out a variety of different pies like a well-oiled machine.

In the kitchen, cooks prepare specialties like Farfalle Alla Centre — a mix of sausage, spinach and chicken with farfalle pasta in a delicious pink sauce. Also on the menu are savory classics such as the Chicken Parmesan.

But it's the sauce that truly separates the good from the great among New York pizza makers — and it's in this area that Centre Pizza shines brightest, with a tangy tomato base that never slips into over-sweetness.

Centre Pizza also has a variety of  toppings to pique almost anyone's interest, including spicy buffalo chicken slices to veggie slices to ravioli slices made with vodka sauce.

However, Centre Pizza isn't only about the pizza —it's a solid Italian restaurant as well, with humongous heroes one of the standouts on the lunch menu.

"My dad worked so hard to make the food delicious for everyone and it is still the best pizza place I know," said original Centre Pizza owner Averaimo's daughter, Annie.

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