Using sourdough changed everything
“Two and a half years ago, I couldn’t even make a round pizza. Now I own my own pizzeria. It’s pretty crazy.”
Vinny Corrao may call it crazy, but others might call it a textbook Long Island success story.
In 2023, Corrao bought a trailer and began making pizzas on weekends as a side hustle. A year later, he upgraded to a pizza truck to keep up with demand. Then last week, the 30-year-old took his biggest leap yet, opening his first brick-and-mortar location, Americano Pizza Shop, at 43 Berry Hill Road in Syosset.
“I gave my notice and quit my day job last Friday,” Corrao told Greater Long Island. “We were absolutely swamped doing two to three parties a day on the weekends. I had to decide, do I really want to work all my weekends just for a side job, or do I want to grow this business?”
To stand out in a crowded pizza market, Corrao began experimenting with sourdough instead of traditional dough — a decision he says changed everything.
“It gives it a different crust, a different texture. It’s very light, airy, and crispy,” he said. “Most importantly, it tastes great.”
The creativity doesn’t stop at the crust. A glance inside the display case shows why customers keep coming back.
“One of our most popular slices right now is the Bee Sting—a cheese pie topped with cup-and-char pepperoni, ricotta, and drizzled with hot honey,” Corrao said. “Another favorite is the Fig and Pig, with prosciutto and fig spread on a white crust.”
And while the storefront is now his focus, Corrao isn’t leaving his mobile roots behind. The Americano Pizza Truck will still hit the road for private events once spring arrives.
“I won’t have to come home from an event at 11 p.m. and then start washing dishes and prepping for the next day,” he said. “This store is our home base, and it makes everything easier.”
If you go
Americano Pizza Shop, located at 43 Berry Hill Road in Syosset, is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and until 8 p.m. on Sundays.
Top: Vinny Corrao, pictured her in his brand-new Americano Pizza Shop, is just a few years removed from first buying a pizza trailer for side money. (Credit: Andrew Rappaport)
