The family-style Italian restaurant outlasts trends, defies fads and keeps customers.
It's where Long Island goes to eat with gusto, especially when red sauce is a priority and pizza seems like only an appetizer.
Here are some of the better family-style spots for that robust mega-meal, which could feed you for the rest of the weekend, too.
Steve's Piccola Bussola II in Syosset is the newest advocate of the big plates, big portions and big flavors - but you also can order half-portions, depending on the hour and the dish.
This Steve's is the offspring of the original Steve's Piccola Bussola in Westbury. The menus at both eateries are highlighted by winning dishes such as the amply stuffed artichoke, husky gnocchi Bolognese, linguine with shrimp marinara, and a cheese-laden spiedino alla Romana.
The Syosset Steve's is at 41 Jackson Ave., 516-364-8383; the Westbury branch, at 649 Old Country Rd., 516-333-1335.
Piccola Bussola, unrelated to Steve's, serves soulful specialties in Huntington and Mineola. One of its major productions is chicken campagnola, best on the bone, served with sausages, peppers and plenty of garlic.
Piccola Bussola also stands out with stuffed artichokes, lobster fra diavolo, swordfish oreganata, osso buco with gnocchi, chicken scarpariello, pork chops with broccoli rabe and cherry peppers, linguine puttanesca and braciola with sausages and meatballs.
In Huntington, Piccola Bussola is at 970 W. Jericho Tpke., 631-692-6300; in Mineola, at 159 Jericho Tpke., 516-294-4620.
Nick DiAngelo has two locations, in Long Beach and Merrick. They're operated by the same group that runs the fine George Martin restaurants. And the family-style spots star with hefty antipasti for two, eggplant rollatine, stuffed peppers, mozzarella in carrozza, St. Peter's fish piccata, and the outstanding strip steak al forno, covered with cherry peppers, onions and provolone.
In Long Beach, Nick DiAngelo is at 152 W. Park Ave., 516-889- 3366; in Merrick, at 33 W. Sunrise Hwy., 516-379-2222.
La Famiglia also has a couple of branches, one in Smithtown and the other in Plainview. As the name suggests, La Famiglia goes in for sizable servings, whether you're ordering a chopped salad or rigatoni with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and olive oil.
Chicken La Famiglia means the addition of onions, peppers, sausages and potatoes. The restaurant's specialties also include jumbo meatballs, stuffed artichokes and veal and eggplant Parmigiana.
In Smithtown, La Famiglia is at 250 W. Main St., 631-382- 9454; in Plainview, at 641 Old Country Rd., 516-938-2050.
Amici in Massapequa makes friends with sirloin steaks finished with mushrooms, olives, peas, potatoes and tomato sauce. Precede the beef with crostino Napolitano, toasted bread with mozzarella, peppers, tomatoes and anchovies. Calamari salad, endive and Gorgonzola cheese salad, perciatelli puttanesca, red snapper marechiaro and linguine with clam sauce buttress them.
Amici is at 4348 Merrick Rd., 516-799-4100.
Look for Joan Reminick's Dining Deals restaurant reviews, now in Wednesday's Part 2 Food section.
