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    Philomena's

    4.6 (254 reviews)
    ModeratePizza
    Closed 1:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Philomena's Photos

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    PHILOMENA'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Philomena's

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    Various Slices
    Jando S.

    As a self proclaimed artisan pizza spot, Philomena's on paper almost feels like it should be in Williamsburg but its neighborhood charm suits Sunnyside perfectly. Their recognition in the borough is well deserved and the owner Dave's magnetic personality cannot be understated. Given the abundance of pizzerias throughout the neighborhood, Philomena's stands out for the quality (and price!) and may just be the tastiest option in the area. Like all the neighboring pizza shops, the interior is small and humble, with lots of locals coming in for takeout. And the display window is a myriad of delectable variety in pizza form, most notably in square slices. They also offer round pies and specialty pizzas, which are also popular. Compared to the nearby competition, they definitely have a range of styles. Pizza enthusiasts would be quick to notice the high quality ingredients, excellent sauce to cheese ratio, and the airy crust (thanks to the slow fermented dough) just simply work perfectly together. I have been fond of the pepperoni square slices, along with the potato slice as my go-to orders. Their Neapolitan margarita is probably the best I've had in the borough. The sticker shock compared to the portions, may give some pause for first-timers. I do think pizza snobs and pizza noobs will undoubtedly find something they enjoy here. The wait for pizzas can be long, so it may be best to order over the phone ahead of time. The owner, Dave, is usually handling and overseeing the pizza making and it's hard not to appreciate his passion and enthusiasm for perfecting his craft.

    Joseline B.

    Definitely a hidden treasure in sunnyside! I didn't take a picture of the eggplant one but that was definitely our favorite! The service was super quick and easy! Ambiance is lowkey very dark, you can definitely sit and eat, but we rather take it home!

    Owner talking to Scott of Scott's Pizza Tours
    Jerry P.

    Philomena's Pizza on Queens Boulevard is proof that the universe is not entirely indifferent to us. The place is small. Small enough that our Sunday Pizza Bus Tour filled it like a fishbowl filled with fish. We became the furniture. That was fine. Nobody came here for the furniture. Nobody came here for candles or paintings of Tuscany. We came here for pizza. Scott, the ringmaster of this traveling circus of melted cheese and tomato, slid behind the counter like he owned the joint. He did not. The owner was Dave Acocella. Dave smiled the smile of a man who has chosen to build his altar out of flour and dough and electricity. He talked about ovens. His ovens were electric. Unlike the wood burning monsters or coal fueled relics we had seen earlier in the day, these shiny modern boxes promised reliability. Heat that never lied. The squares came out. I wanted to call them Sicilian. Dave said no. He said they were squares. He said they were not Sicilian. He did sell Neapolitan, either. He made rounds. I admired that. The refusal to be pinned down. The refusal to become a postcard. So squares they were. I bit into one. The thing was massive. A slab of pizza that could have been a meal for two. Yet the crust was lighter than a promise made by a politician to a child. Somehow I ate the whole thing. This was my fourth stop of the day. Logic said no. My mouth said yes. The taste reminded me of a Sicilian married to a Grandma pie, but I will not argue taxonomy with a man who has dedicated his life to dough. All I know is it was good. Good in the way that makes you look around a room full of strangers and feel less alone. If I lived in this neighborhood I would live at Philomena's. I would sit at the little tables or at the counter by the window and watch Queens go by while eating squares and rounds. That would be enough. As a footnote, they also serve Manhattan Special here. A black bottle of espresso soda from another time. It is syrupy and honest about its caffeine. Not for me. But the locals spoke of it as though it were holy water. I believe them. Five stars for a tiny shop on Queens Boulevard. Five stars for Dave. Five stars for a square that defied gravity.

    Connie G.

    A really solid slice shop. They have regular round NY slices as well as the thick square slices. I got a slice of the pepperoni and the eggplant (total came out to $10.50). The crust was thin and baked well and was on the crispy side (I prefer more of a chew but that's personal preference). Overall no complaints! Lots of seating inside, though it's pretty dimly lit. Note the card minimum is $10.

    Steve Balboni slice
    Joe C.

    Five star pizza in NYC is usually accompanied by long lines, high prices, and an overwhelmed staff. Not here. Great vibe, six tables, stools that face the sidewalk, and absolutely delicious pizza. That's what you get here, and other places should take note. The staff is friendly, the restaurant is clean, but what really blows me away every time is the pizza. The crust. The sauce. The little touches like fresh basil and shaved cheese are a bonus, but it's all about just how good that dough and sauce is, and how it works with the cheese and, if you want, toppings. Get a pie, get slices, but whatever you do, get your butt over here and enjoy.

    From outside
    Ian B.

    My wife and I just moved to Sunnyside from AZ two weeks ago and we feel incredibly blessed to be a short walk from this gem. The pesto pomodoro pizza was one of the best slices I've ever had. We've been here twice and it will be one of our regular spots!

    Pepperoni Sicilian
    Simon W.

    Philomena's is a gem in Queens. A while back they had closed and I was super sad, but I'm glad they came back. Out of all the pizza shops in Queens Philomena's is probably my favorite. It's not a true NY slice, that will always have a place in my heart (and honestly I think that a truly great NYC Slice is becoming more of a dinosaur these days) but the Spicy Mikey is very likeable! The wait is sometimes long for a pie, order ahead. It's easy access if traveling by subway and if driving, it's on Queens Blvd.

    Jenn C.

    Food: This is an underrated pizza place! The pizza here is excellent and deserves more recognition. We like to order the 10" pie so that it's made fresh and comes out hot. You can order individual slices (square or round) as well as whole pies. They have a variety of pies; their hot honey with pepperoni is delicious! Service: Staff are friendly and welcoming. Ambiance: This is a typical pizzeria with some small tables for eating. The space isn't big, but tables can be put together for larger groups. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant!

    Zachary C.

    $18 for 3 slices, so slightly on the expensive end. Got the pesto pomodoro, vodka, and pepperoni. The crust was the best part, very light and airy. However, the pesto was beyond oily and barely any pepperoni on the square. The vodka slice didn't taste like vodka.

    Pepperoni, Potato, and Classic NY slices
    Dumond A.

    Excellent. We officially have our go-to pizza by the slice near our neighborhood! I've been on a bit of an adventure trying to find the best pizza places in New York, and there's plenty of famous places in Manhattan and Brooklyn - but potentially less so in Queens (at least outside of Astoria). I live about 20 minutes away from Philomena's on foot; the best pizza I've had in this part of Queens so far has been at Sotto le Stelle, which is great, but they don't do pizza by the slice. What I really wanted was a laid back, friendly, inexpensive place that does slice pizza OR pies in my neck of the woods - and that's good, reliable NY pizza. A lot of pizza joints around the corner from me are cheap, but the quality's pretty meh. Philomena's, on the other hand, has all the charm and affordability of a good by-the-slice joint (at $3 - $4 per slice) AND excellent taste to boot. Super glad I finally made the time to visit and give the place a shot yesterday. They have plenty of options for slices, both in terms of toppings and style - we tried two of their Sicilian-style square slices and just a classic NY red sauce & cheese one. I really liked their square pepperoni, but I LOVED their traditional NY slice. Super flavorful, great cook, nice dough - what more can you ask for? Staff are really quick and friendly, there's plenty of seats if you want to just stop by for a quick bite versus order a whole pie to go. They also have dessert options, including Tiramisú in a cup and cannoli - the Tiramisú wasn't bad. Will definitely be back at some point!

    Pepperoni Pizza
    George A.

    Yessss! A friend lives nearby and said this is a solid pizza spot. I couldn't agree more. All the slices look good but I want with the pepperoni square for only $6. I'm coming back!

    Square
    Barney C.

    Classic pizza shop vibes. Limited hours & seating so make sure that you're paying attention. Service is quick though and staff is friendly. Small selection of slices in the display which ensures that they remain fresh and turn over often. I got a fresh Classic NY slice right out of the oven. Ingredients are top notch with a delicious sauce, quality cheese. The cook was fantastic with a crisp crunch.

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    1 month ago

    The crust is delicious the sauce is tangy and just right with the fresh parm and basil they put on it.

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    5 months ago

    A good selection of tasty pizza slices, nice atmosphere, attentive service. I will be back!

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    Philomena's Reviews in Other Languages

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    They have a liquor license - I don't think it's BYOB. They have a few wines listed on the menu $18-20.

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    Andrew Bellucci's Pizzeria

    Andrew Bellucci's Pizzeria

    4.3
    (231 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    After hearing a lot of great reviews about Andrew Bellucci's pizza, I had to stop by to grab myself…read morea slice and was pretty excited to give the Vodka Roni slice a go from this location! Overall, I'm not sure if it was the pepperoni's or the sauce or what exactly went wrong, but it was a pretty salty slice. Slightly almost to the point it wasn't worth finishing, but I wasn't going to let it go to waste. I've had Andrew Bellucci's other location and even ordered a whole pie of the same pizza and it was great. Hoping this was just a one off, but it kind of put a damper on the excitement to go to this spot. I won't completely write off this location in my books, but I'm going to be less inclined to stop in when I'm having a craving.

    I found the WORST SLICE OF PIZZA in new york city…read more Took forever, literally burnt to death, and they REFUSED to refund me when I pointed out the crust should not be black. Tastes like a bucket of salt. Absolutely horrifying when you're just looking forward to a nice slice of pizza on a friday night Places that are better: -Gias -Grand Ave -Nonna's (my favorite) -Literally any other pizzeria in Astoria. Busy does not equal good. This was disgusting and gaslihting someone that "oh the crust is supposed to be like that" when its literally black and crumbled at the touch after reheating in the oven for 10 minutes too long is not ok. I still can't believe they wouldnt just refund me and let me go.

    Photos
    Andrew Bellucci's Pizzeria
    Meatballs (~$14)
    Meatballs (~$14)
    Caesar Salad (~$15)

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    Caesar Salad (~$15)
    Milkflower

    Milkflower

    4.2
    (833 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    10/10 on both pizzas: local 82 & ST The ghost. The service was good also along with the ambiance…read more Also; the music was fire so shoutout to whoever controlled the playlist. Milkflower is a lot more spacious than I expected, they have seating in the back and without reservations we walked and sat right in (party of 2)

    The waitress working at Milkflower this afternoon is going to kill someone with an allergy if she…read moredoesn't get proper training on the menu soon. I've been coming to Milkflower for literal years and everyone here has consistently been so accommodating and attentive to my partner's vegetarian restriction. Today we were done working early and called at 3:30 to ask what time the lunch special (salad and a pie for $18) ran until. The woman who picked up said it ran until 5. We arrived just after 4. Once seated we asked again about the special - she confirmed it was still running and let us know that the salad was currently a Caesar salad. When we asked about the salad dressing, she told us it was vegetarian. The problem? It contained anchovies (the name of the dressing is lemon anchovy, printed on the menu). Even more concerning, our server appeared not to know what an anchovy was. For anyone with dietary restrictions, that's not a minor oversight -- it's a serious issue. If staff members are answering questions about ingredients, they should have a basic understanding of what's actually in the food they're serving. She went on to say there were no actual anchovies in it, that it was "just the name of the dressing." She again insisted there were no anchovies in it. When I pressed her further, she finally admitted that anchovies are blended into it. Again, I explained that means this dressing is not vegetarian, as literal fish are in it -- whether whole or blended, the dressing contains fish. When we explained the issue and asked about alternatives, none were offered. Not a different dressing, not a simple olive oil option, nothing. The complete lack of flexibility or effort to accommodate a reasonable dietary request was astonishing. She continued to offer the dressing on the side to my partner, which he cannot eat. 15 minutes later after ordering the salad with no dressing, the waitress came to our table to tell us the lunch special had actually ended at 4. We told her we called ahead and the woman we spoke to (presumably her since no one else was working, and since she herself believed it was still running when she sat us) said 5. There was no apology, no accommodation, no attempt to honor what we had been told over the phone -- just a shrug. For a restaurant that values customer service, especially for repeat customers, this was incredibly frustrating. We left without eating here. Mistakes happen. Phones get miscommunicated. Staff don't always have every answer. What made this experience so disappointing was the total absence of customer service at every step. We were given incorrect information, served misleading ingredient information, denied any reasonable accommodation, and offered no solution despite being loyal customers. Milkflower has always relied on its neighborhood reputation, but experiences like this make it difficult to justify returning. There are too many restaurants that value their customers and take dietary concerns seriously to settle for this level of indifference. If you have an actual food allergy (specifically seafood) please do your due diligence. If Milkflower management is reading this, please educate today's server that an anchovy is a fish, not just the name of a salad dressing, and that your lunch special ends at 4. Or hire a waitress who isn't so clueless.

    Photos
    Front of restaurant
    Front of restaurant
    Fig ricotta starter
    Fig ricotta starter
    The length of restaurant

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    The length of restaurant
    Vite Vinosteria

    Vite Vinosteria

    4.3
    (749 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    Ive lived in Astoria practically my whole life yet never been to Vite. It off 31st ave on 34th…read morestreet and for some reason ive never ventured there. While deciding where to go one day, this was suggested and im so glad I went. The restaurant is cozy with tables inside the main dining room and in an enclosed outdoor seating area. Im guessing it opens in the summer. I sat down with my niece while waiting for my sister and for a good 5-7 minutes, no one stopped by and gave a menu nor offered water. Finally after about 3 people walked by not saying anything, someone came. The area is not that big and 7 minutes isnt that long but to sit there any not be addressed by all the staff walking by was annoying. Finally my sister came and we were offered water and a menu. After hearing about the specials and asking for recommendations, we settled on the gnocchi (housemade potato gnocchi, burrata, peas, pesto sauce, toasted pine nuts), Pappardelle alla Bolognese (housemade ribbon pasta, meat sauce), and side of sautéed spinach. The food arrived and we were pleasantly delightful by the main. The gnocchi was so soft and creamy, the sauce was delicious. Im not a fan of gnocchi but this was so good. The papardelle was my meal and it was also so good. There was a lot of pasta and a good amount of meat sauce. It was also delicious. The spinach on the other hand was bland. It has no flavor and we had to add some salt. A few times we tried to call someone over to our table but felt like no one was paying attention. When we were done with our meals, my sister had a few pieces of gnocchi left. She asked for a box as it was to be my nieces lunch for tomorrow. I then said, can you also box up the spinach. A few minutes later, the server dropped off a bag with one container and said here's the spinach. We tried to call his attention but he was already walking away. Where was the gnocchi. Finally when we came back, we asked about it and he said oh I thought it was garbage. I said no we asked for it to be boxed. He said let me talk to the kitchen. He came back and said sorry, they cant do anything but one dessert will be on me. I guess thats fine but we more wanted the food for the baby. For dessert we ordered a tiramisu and pistachio gelato. The tiramisu was in a jar as opposed to a cake slice. One bite of the ice cream and I knew it was bad. It was grainy and sandy texture. I looked up why that would be and one reason stated it could be improper storage, like it was unfrozen or melted then refrozen. I wasn't chancing that. I told the server and said I couldn't eat it. He offered another dessert but I said know, then offered a limoncello shot. While I appreciate the offer, we weren't drinking before so that wasn't the best option to offer. I just said im fine without a replacement. When we got the bill, the dessert was taken off like he said he would. We paid and left. Overall the main course/pasta meals were delicious. The sides and desserts could use work. Service was alright. Id definitely come back for the food and to try some of the pizza.

    What a charming neighborhood gem! We came on a Monday night as a party of three to celebrate our…read morefriend Liz's bday and I have had this place bookmarked for a while and it easily exceeded expectations. The decor is simple but cozy, it seems like a place you find yourself in, in the middle of the week. The food: Anchovy Special with Arugula and Orange Supremes- Shocking how good this was, the anchovy was cooked perfectly, they were incredibly tasty without being oily. It went nicely with the arugula and the freshness of the citrus. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA&select=WXs8evyJarabbHv9XVj6fw Melanzane alla Parmigiana- breaded eggplant, mozzarella, tomato sauce, basil. This was basically an eggplant parm and the eggplant was cooked perfectly, the cheese was ok but the sauce made this dish really tasty with the nice homemade focaccia they give you in the beginning. Branzino Special with Cannelli Beans and Swiss Chard. This was the winner of the evening. The cripsy skin was amazing. The fish was cooked to perfection, the cannelli beans I thought were going to be weird but it added a nice creaminess to the fish. Lastly the swiss chard was crunchy on the ends and nice and tender on the leaf. This should be put on the regular menu. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA&select=xNVfJCmf89OOY-1ME3FY7Q Controfiletto- grilled prime angus N.Y. strip steak served with roasted marble potatoes. I hate to say it but as good as the steak was, the roasted potatoes was the star of show. The potatoes were amazing. Pappardelle alla Bolognese- housemade ribbon pasta, meat sauce. This was good but came off a bit plain. The pasta was homemade but it was almost to a fault since the pasta came out too soft. The flavors were good but I felt this would have been a better, reheated the next day kind of dish.

    Photos
    Outside
    Outside
    Bufala pizza. Delicious flavor. Needs another minute in the oven.
    Bufala pizza. Delicious flavor. Needs another minute in the oven.
    Melenzane alla Parmigiana

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    Melenzane alla Parmigiana
    Il Bambino

    Il Bambino

    4.4
    (1.4k reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    Il Bambino will never disappoint me. They have the best panini in the world and I could eat their…read morefood everyday. I love how they constantly innovate with new menu options and maintain the quality every time. The Roast Chicken with Mozzarella is my go-to but I've tried so many other sandwiches, crostini, hash browns, fries, and coffees from them and it's all delicious. The workers are always so nice and they can substitute anything if you have preferences or dietary restrictions. They will also offer recommendations if you can't decide. I've gone on weekends and weeknights and while weekends are busier, we can usually get a table especially when they open up their backyard for seating in the summer. I always bring out of town visitors here and everyone raves about it. I even bought a jar of their homemade spicy mayo because it's so iconic. The sandwich is so filling, I almost wish they served half sizes so I could try more things on the menu at once. I can't say enough good things about Il Bambino, I will continue to support them forever.

    I've been to Il Bambino countless times before, but this last visit was a little weird…read more It was restaurant week and all I really ever get from this spot is a panini obv, so I thought it was a good opportunity to try out some apps and dessert since the special came with it. We arrived over an hour before closing, but when I came in the hostess said they were closing and that if we wanted to eat we needed to order fast and have everything come out at once. We agreed, but then watched another duo walk in 20 minutes later and get to take their sweet time. We started out with their tomato soup and chickpea salad. Tomato soup was rich and came with a slice of bread with melted cheese on top, and the chick pea salad was light and refreshing. I had the Piggie Smalls as my main which is my go-to and was great as always. For dessert we shared a panna cotta and this chocolate dessert that had these chocolate crunchy crumbles on top that was out of this world. 10/10 food, wish I could've enjoyed it without being rushed.

    Photos
    Counter
    Counter
    Sir Oink-a-Lot
    Sir Oink-a-Lot
    Il Bambino

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    Philomena's - pizza - Updated June 2026

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