Michael Angelo's II in Astoria

The Bottom Line

Michael Angelo's II serves up tasty, classic Italian-American food on a quiet avenue in northern Astoria. The dishes are prepared with minimal fuss, letting the flavorful ingredients shine. If you are looking for a friendly neighborhood spot that features well-executed Italian-American dishes, Michael Angelo's serves up that, and more.

Pros

• Excellent classic Italian-American food
• Close to the subway (Ditmars N/Q station)
• Friendly hospitable service
• Best pizza in the neighborhood

Cons

• Parking can be a challenge
• Limited wine selection
• Small number of vegetarian offerings

• Michael Angelo's II Restaurant Address - 29-11 23rd Ave, Astoria, NY 11105 (between 29th and 31st Sts) (Google Map)
• Website - http://www.michaelangelosastoria.com/
• Subway - N, Q to Ditmars
• Phone - 718-932-2096 or 718-932-2097
• Hours - Tuesday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday noon-11 p.m.; closed Monday
• Menu - pizza ($8.50-$20.50), antipasti and salads ($7-$14), pastas ($14-$19), meat/fish ($15-$25), desserts ($5)
• Drinks - wine, beer, coffee, tea, and soft drinks
• Major credit cards accepted

Michael Angelo's is known throughout Astoria for excellent New York-style pizza, and rightly so. Beyond their tasty pies, however, lies a varied menu of excellent Italian-American classics. From pasta to meats, salads to antipasti, delicious dishes abound in their comfortable, homey digs on 23rd Avenue.

Eight to ten tables greet you as you enter, with the pizza counter on the left adjacent to the open kitchen where all the food is prepared. You'll no doubt spy the large suit of armor to the right near the front door, too. After you're seated, look forward to enjoying a basket of warm house-made bread.

The menu includes appetizers and salads, pastas, meat, poultry, and fish. The antipasto platter ($12), a great starter, is a warm plate of roasted peppers, shaggy fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, sliced tomatoes, and olives on a bed of romaine lettuce, sprinkled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. In the summer, when tomatoes are in season, the caprese salad ($9) is an especially good choice.

The gnocchi sorrentino ($14) is a meatless, decadent delight, - potato gnocchi cooked in a savory-sweet marinara sauce with fresh mozzarella. Order anything prepared in the francese style (pollo, $15; sogiola, $19), and you'll get a wonderfully thin, moist piece of meat or fish fried in a light egg batter and served in a luscious lemony sauce; it’s accompanied by a bowl of simple penne in tomato sauce. Most nights there are specials, too.

Calzones (order with a side of sauce) and heroes are also on the menu, if you are looking for something more casual. Their meatballs are large and meaty, served in tomato sauce, and make for a great side dish or even an appetizer for two.

And don't forget the pizza. Their signature pie, the Sophia Loren ($10.75 small, $19.50 large), is available - as are most of their pizzas - in a super thin crust, as well as a regular crust. Thin crust is recommended. It's an artful combination of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, garlic, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. Their pizzas are also available by the slice.

Desserts - almond cake or tiramisu - are a perfect ending; cappuccino and tea go well with either. And if you’re lucky, you might be served a complimentary glass of sweet and flavorful anisette to round off your meal.

Michael Angelos II is an asset to the neighborhood, serving up consistently delicious food. Come for the pizza, stay for dinner!