After two years of hearing the same request from customers, La Porta in Northport is finally giving the village what it’s been asking for: slices.
La Porta by the Slice will soon open just down the block from the popular brick-oven Italian restaurant, offering a more traditional pizzeria experience from owner Rob Simmons.
“There was always demand for it,” Simmons told Greater Long Island. “I just never had the space.”
Simmons opened La Porta two years ago, serving smaller pies and Italian dishes in a sit-down setting. From the start, customers regularly asked if they could grab a slice, but the restaurant’s layout made that impossible.
“You always want to be able to please everyone,” he said. “I was never a fan of having to say no to people who just wanted a slice, so thankfully soon, we won’t have to anymore.”
“I always had the idea that if the perfect spot became available, I would take it,” he added. “But it had to be the right spot, and it finally did.”
That spot turned out to be the former Duke’s House of Bowls at 42 Woodbine Ave. La Porta by the Slice will operate as a takeout- and delivery-only pizzeria.
“A lot of customers are already excited,” Simmons said. “Once they saw the sign I put up in the window, people told me they can’t wait.”
The new pizzeria is expected to open by March, though Simmons said it could open sooner depending on the approval process, particularly for the exterior.
“The biggest hurdle will probably be getting approval for the new exterior from the review board,” Simmons said. “They want to preserve the historic charm of the village. But this will be the same colors, the same design, and the same look as our regular restaurant, so hopefully it won’t be too hard.”
La Porta by the Slice will operate as a takeout- and delivery-only pizzeria at 42 Woodbine Ave. in Northport. (courtesy)
