Food & Drink in Wantagh

High ceilings with exposed piping lend a modern vibe to Toro Pazzo and serve as a foil to a menu of time-tested Italian dishes. Executive chef Alan Pucci, a native of Lucca, Italy, draws upon an array of Italian meats such as prosciutto and sopressata as well as olives, grilled artichoke hearts, and fontina, gorgonzola, and pecorino cheeses. In the bustling kitchen, the crew rolls dough into potato gnocchi and fresh rigatoni, which fill pasta dishes and sate diners before trips to the National Dry Macaroni Card Museum. Curlicues of steam unfurl from veal scallopini with fresh sage and prosciutto and pistachio-encrusted salmon in a lemon beurre blanc.

Behind Toro Pazzo's bar, an indoor waterfall trickles as mixologists concoct dessert cocktails such as vodka-infused root-beer floats or birthday-cake martinis with sprinkle-encrusted rims. Brimming with bottles imported from Sardinia and Tuscany, the wine list offers pairing for any dish, and on some evenings live bands fill the eatery with lilting guitar strains.

Within a Manhattan-themed dining room or art deco party rooms, diners at Thom Thom Steak & Seafood savor thai curry PEI mussels, house-marinated skirt steak, and seared scottish salmon. The expansive menu encompasses both classic dishes such as filet mignon and refreshing small plates such as kung pao calamari.

Saporito Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant’s chefs spin out a menu of traditional Italian favorites and creative pizza pies. Start Old World feasts with appetizers such as a pair of eggplant rollatini ($8.95). Forty-one pasta dishes symbolize each of Mozart’s symphonies, making mouth overtures with penne paesana, a mix of sautéed chicken, potatoes, and zucchini tumbled in brown or red marsala wine sauce ($12.95) and skirt steak vesuvio—fresh skirt steak in balsamic vinegar and covered with sautéed spinach, broccoli, and mushrooms ($15.25). Panini and wrap options sandwich Italian flavors in freshly baked bread or a tortilla’s tender embrace, while specialty pies include a philly cheesesteak pizza topped with thin-sliced steak, onions, and american cheese ($22.50). A gluten-free menu section brims with dozens of options from every menu section, including gluten-free 10-inch pizzettes ($9.95), and pasta dishes can be dressed up with low-carb and multigrain options.

Some of New York's most familiar faces have been spotted enjoying Umberto's award-winning pizza. Rudy Giuliani. Eli Manning. Victor Cruz. The Statue of Liberty whenever a lightning storm reanimates her. There are more complex entrees as well—including seafood marinara with clams, scungilli, mussels, lobster, and calamari—but the crown jewel of the menu remains the specialty pizzas strewn with authentically Italian toppings such as meatballs and broccoli rabe.

With years of experience behind them, the chefs at Mizuno Japanese Cuisine craft traditional dishes with signature accents. They slice top-grade fish for sashimi and specialty sushi rolls such as the Ichiban roll, a combination of tempura rock shrimp, eel, mango, and avocado wrapped in white kelp seaweed. On the warmer side of the menu, diners will find noodle bowls, tempura plates, and vegetable teriyaki.