My family and I don’t eat or crave Italian food very much, especially when dieting is in session, but once in awhile you just want a good pizza or other Italian delights. Places like Olive Garden, Spaghetti Warehouse, Papa Johns, and other franchises just don’t cut it. They leave your craving still yearning for authenticity. Then to top it off you often feel bloated and guilty for giving in.
One day, a delay at our hair salon, Hair Cuttery, during lunch time in Bull Run Plaza in Manassas, VA, led us to Tony’s New York Pizza who was two doors down. At first a little skeptical, as it wasn’t the most luxurious or modern place in the world, but hungry and time limited, we gave it a shot. We ordered our food and had to wait, which did seem a little weird at first since it was cafeteria looking style, point and choose, but we waited thinking maybe it was the spaghetti and meatballs we ordered and they wanted the entire order to be served at once. We waited for about ten minutes and had all our food. The food looked good and had a nice aroma. There was no fancy presentation, but it wasn’t sloppy either. As I took my first bite of a vegetable pizza slice, I expected the same old toppings, sauce, cheese, and tasteless crust. That was not the case this time! Wow! The flavors of Italy shocked my tastebuds. I could taste the basil, the oregano, and the garlic. The crust was good and full of flavor. I started tasting the rest of the food my family had ordered. I didn’t have one complaint. I was very impressed and even tried their tiramasu that has disappointed me everywhere else I had tried it since we moved to Northern Virginia in 2006. The last time I had a good tiramasu was at Johnny Carinos back in Laredo, TX. Well, I can’t say that anymore. Tony’s N.Y. Pizza finally gave me back the taste I remembered. Yes, I walked away more stuffed than this Thanksgiving Day’s turkey will be and I was smiling. We will definitely be returning next time we want “real” Italian food.
The only negative I have to say about the place is it’s ambiance. I would of liked to have seen a more Italian style decor, rather than just vinyl booths and fast food style tables that wobbled. Some tablecloths, nice lighting, and a couple grand Italian pieces would definitely be an inexpensive conversion that would make people feel they stepped into Italy before they order their food. Eventually, replacing all the booths w/ chairs will definitely erase the fast food feel. At least the place was pretty clean, including the bathrooms. The staff was all smiles and very friendly from the beginning to the end too.
Tony’s N.Y. Pizza has several locations in the Manassas, VA area and one in Bristow, VA, but the one we walked away happy from was located in the Bull Run Plaza at 11674 Sudley Manor Drive. I have no reviews yet for the other locations.
Ambiance ~ 1 paw
Cleanliness ~ 4 paws
Price ~ 5 paws
Service ~ 4 paws
Taste ~ 5 paws