Metropolitan Avenue has been home to many storefronts over the years, but no pizzeria in Forest Hills has been able to fill the shoes of Tony’s. Tony Sciarratta, who turned 80 years old last June, owned Tony’s at 100-05 Metropolitan Avenue for 32 years. His pizza became a staple of the Forest Hills community; many former patrons he still keeps in contact with today. Since 2001, the shop has been a beloved memory, but Tony’s grandson, Anthony Sciarratta, is planning to bring back the iconic pizzeria.

Anthony is a full-time author who recently released his debut novel Finding Forever: A 1970s Love Story. Upon hearing word of Anthony’s book publishing, locals from across Queens reached out to him to share fond memories of his grandfather’s pizzeria. The calls for Tony’s to return were so strong, that Anthony decided it may actually be a good idea.

Since he was a child, Anthony had dreamed of one day taking the reins at his grandfather’s pizzeria, but never had the chance to because of its closing. He hopes that his writing career is successful enough to be a source of investment to reopen Tony’s.

Tony’s never changed much over the years. Anthony intends to open a new establishment that hearkens back to the way Tony’s looked just before it closed. There’s nothing like the feeling of an old-school pizzeria – a time capsule in world that’s constantly changing.

Anthony’s current plan of action is to open the throwback pizzeria along Metro within the next few years, giving his writing career plenty of time to take off. His second novel, The Letter, is going to be released on April 28th, 2020.