Each month in Destinations, we highlight an up-and-coming pizza spot. In Pizza Destinations, we showcase a pizza place that may have just opened to rave reviews, hit best pizza lists or have exciting news. If you’re a pizzeria that would like to be featured, reach out to Executive Editor Denise Greer at [email protected].
Tori T’s is a pizza upstart with ties to a famed New York pizzeria, as Tori Tiso has set out on her own. “One of the biggest things that defines my pizzeria is that it’s 100-percent woman owned,” she says. “There are not many of us in N.Y., and I think in the next five years you are going to see more women making pizza. I am a huge advocate for women in pizza and small businesses.”
“Being that I grew up in the pizza industry at my father’s pizzeria, Louie and Ernie’s (in the Bronx), I learned firsthand how important it is to be involved with local charity, events and to give back to all the people who support you. I was just inducted into the Malverne Chamber of Commerce as a trustee member. I love that within the first year of being open, I was able to jump right in and get involved with the community. My staff and myself take pride in spreading the joy of pizza and showing that this pizzeria is much more than just pizza. We love that pizza brings people together and allows you to be creative.”
“Tori T’s is very unique because of the N.Y. style I learned from my father’s pizzeria, and the style I fell in love with the most was the Detroit style. The Detroit pizza has been the biggest seller since I opened. Long Island has a lot of pizzerias, but to find ones specializing in Detroit style is rare. When I first started 10 months ago, we had only eight Detroits on the menu, and now we are up to over 15 different options that people love. … As I stay true to my roots of the old-school N.Y. style, I am always looking for new recipes and styles to learn to improve my pizza portfolio.”
“The two pizza menu items that people go crazy for are the Detroit Red and sweet chili chicken grandma. The Detroit red is a parbaked pan pizza that has a crispy bottom and soft inside. It is covered with cheddar, provolone and mozzarella, which melts down the side of the pan, formulating its own cheese crust. Once the pie is cut out of the pan, red sauce, Romano cheese and fresh basil are added to the top. The sweet chili chicken grandma has a great flavor. The chili sauce first cooks into the bread, then we add mozzarella, chicken cutlet and – when the pie comes out – we finish it with the chili sauce. The chili sauce is a sweet and sour mix that contains chili flakes and cayenne. It has the best consistency where it doesn’t leave your mouth burning but full of flavor.”
Check out more Pizza Destinations in People & Pizzerias.
