By Joe Palumbo III
I sat down with Richard Iavarone, the son of owner Josephine Iavarone of Josephine's Pizza & Restaurant located at 132-04 Cross Bay Blvd. in Howard Beach. The restaurant is now celebrating its second anniversary. I asked Rich Iavarone to tell me about the business and how it was started.”My mom came here from Italy when she was 16 and has been working hard ever since. She has always had a passion for cooking and was always really good at it,” Iavarone said. “She always talked about opening a business where she could cook for others. So two years ago she decided to take a shot and open Josephine's Pizza and Restaurant.” The key to the success, said Iavarone, is that the restaurant is family owned and operated. “Both my sisters, Antoinette and Celia, as well as myself work at the restaurant. We stand true by my mother's business etiquette of always satisfying one customer at a time,” he said.His mother's recipes are the specialties of the house, Iavarone said.”My mom really does have amazing old school recipes and absolutely takes pride in the food she prepares,” he said. “She sincerely wants every person to enjoy everything served every time.”All the food is delivered fresh and made on premises, from real homemade soups to her famous grandma pizza, chicken marsala and rice balls. She also has her own personal old school recipe for a must-try whole wheat pizza.So How's Business in regards to Josephine's Pizza & Restaurant? They do it all, from catering parties to making homemade zeppoles and fresh cannolies right on site. Reach Josephine's Pizza & Restaurant at 718-641-2775.
