Pizza “By the Slice” coming soon to Woodbine Avenue in Northport Village
By the Slice, a new pizzeria housed in Woodbine Avenue's historic LILCO building, will combine two former businesses: Carberry and Duke’s. Owner Rob Simmons is anticipating an opening in May or June.
By the Slice, a traditional pizzeria from LA PORTA owner Rob Simmons, is looking to bring slices back to downtown Northport Village as early as May or June.
Simmons announced his intentions to turn the Woodbine Avenue space formerly occupied by Duke’s into an old-fashioned pizza place back in January. Since then, neighboring storefront Carberry (a wine-meets-books gathering place) closed, providing Simmons the opportunity to more than double the size of By the Slice.
“It just made sense to take the space over,” Simmons told the Journal last week. Both stores as standalones had very small footprints – combining the two provides the necessary space to be a more comfortable and efficient pizzeria, he said.
According to Simmons, By the Slice will offer customers everything LA PORTA doesn’t: counter service and pizza from a double-deck oven, with slices or pies to stay, go or for delivery. Also on the menu will be garlic knots, pinwheels, and other traditional pizza place fare.
The counter will be next to the shop’s south entrance. Seating, including a high top table or two with an open-air view of Cow Harbor Park and Northport Harbor, will be on the north side of the store, where the window was often open at Carberry’s and before that, Brew Cheese. Outdoor seating will also be available.
“Kids will have a place to go, park their bike, grab a slice,” Simmons said, noting that the enthusiasm for such an offering, while voiced when he first opened LA PORTA, has only grown within the community. He said he’s been inundated with questions from current customers who look forward to having By the Slice as an option as well.
Simmons’ LA PORTA customers and local residents aren’t the only ones excited. “My son and his friends can’t wait,” he said.
Exterior work on the space should begin soon and includes the installation of an awning and fresh paint on the door and window trims. The location will resemble an old-school pizzeria, Simmons told the Journal; he’s currently selecting historic colors that will pay a nod to the Italian flag. Interior work will merge the two spaces while bringing in the necessary equipment to transform the place into a pizzeria. That work should take about a month to complete, with a soft opening anticipated for May or June, Simmons said.
For the latest updates, follow By the Slice on Instagram.
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