STATEN ISLAND — Another famed Staten Island pizzeria is making its way across the harbor.
The Castleton Corners pizza spot Joe & Pat's plans to bring its thin-crust pies to open an East Village outpost later this year, Eater New York reported.
Joe & Pat's will take over the former Lanza's Restaurant space at 168 First Ave., near 10th Street, with a 50-seat restaurant and full bar the pizzeria expects to open within six months, owner Casey Pappalardo said.
"It’s going to be the same pizza, the same quality of ingredients we've been serving," he said.
Pappalardo noted that other family members operate pizzerias around Manhattan, but this one will be the first with the Joe & Pat's name to open outside of Staten Island.
"I always wanted to go to Manhattan," he said. "It's the Big Apple. It's a whole different ball game."
The news has some longtime customers excited that they won't have to venture to the outer borough for a pie anymore.
"There’s a lot of people who come from the city to Joe & Pat's, and they’re all really excited that they don’t have to make the trip," Pappalardo said.
His family opened Joe & Pat's almost 60 years ago at 1758 Victory Blvd. and it has regularly been ranked as one of the best pizzerias in the city.
It's the second highly rated pizzeria to venture to Manhattan after Denino's Pizzeria opened up a West Village outpost last year.
