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The wait is over for Dario’s fans on the South Shore.
Dario’s Pizza opened its second location in Massapequa Park on Friday, filling the restaurant within minutes of its 11 a.m. opening.
“It feels great to see the store packed out today. We hope it lasts!” owner Dario Carosi told Greater Long Island.
Customers had been asking about the opening for months, he said.
“I couldn’t go out to dinner without someone coming up to me and saying, ‘Dario! When are you opening Massapequa?’” he said with a smile.
Known for its Roman-style pies and a Philly cheesesteak that has gone viral, Dario’s is in the Southgate Shopping Center at 4952 Merrick Road, across from Massapequa High School.
The new restaurant serves the same menu as the original on Nassau Boulevard in West Hempstead. That includes what Carosi calls his most popular specialty slice: the Diavola, topped with spicy Italian soppressata, burrata and hot honey.
“Our regular slice is strong too — it’s just not the same as you find in other places,” Carosi said.
But he believes the ingredients tell only part of the story behind the pizzeria’s loyal following.
“Everyone loves all of these great toppings, the taste, but here, it’s about the passion,” he said. “We are very passionate about what we do here.”
The expansion follows two years of planning and growing demand from customers farther east, according to Carosi.
Peek inside
And he’s already thinking about what comes next.
“Let me open the second one before I talk about a third,” Carosi told Greater Long Island in April.
With the second restaurant now open, he remains interested in growing the business.
“The name is out there, the product sells, so why not continue to think big,” he said.
Where might a third Dario’s land?
“Somewhere central Long Island,” Carosi said.
Dario’s is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.
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