Mangia Mangia

Comfortable Perfection in Patchogue

Being unrepentant food snobs (NOT food elitists, however) Lynn and I are constantly on the prowl for the best food in our area of Brookhaven Long Island. We often feel like we are dissapointed on a regular basis. Mangia Mangia, however, is one of the few bright, culinary lights of the Brookhaven dining scene-The Patchogue eatery, the latest offering of owner Angelo Galeotafioere offers one of the most satisfying Italian fare in the area-The food is familiar, but far from predictable and even manages to exciting on occassion. The fried calamari is among the best to be had on Long Island. Excellent flavor and a light touch set this Italian food apart. The Eggplant dish is also noteworthy for its use of fresh mozzarella and a light pulpy, well-seasoned tomato sauce. The food is plentiful, but servings are not overly hefty as is the case in many traditional old school Italian restaraunt which serve waistline altering portions for a regular meal.

Despite the excellent food and neo-spin of the culinary landscape, the service and warm atmosphere are what set this place apart from being an outstanding restaraunt to being a truly unique destination. The bartenders are to a person excellent, but our favorite is the charming Annalise who is there seemingly every time we visit and usually spots us just as we are about to enter and always manages to be welcoming without being intrusive. Most remarkable of all is the way she has managed to remember our preferences for food, drink and even detail: For instance, she always manages to remember that Lynn does not prefer the usual wax paper and prefers a napkin for a placemat. She also always remembers my preference for drink: A so-called "French Cocktail" (gin and champagne). Needless to say, she is a champ at remembering what we typically eat and how we like it to be prepared. This kind of service is to say the least memorable and will no doubt spoil us horribly as patrons of this great place and raise our expectations in a most extreme manner.



Other things to check out: The great, affordable wine list, the jazz combo on Friday nights, the cool holograms outside the restaraunt entrance....

Address:
69 East Main St. Patchogue, NY
T: 631: 475-4774