The Pizzeria opens eighth Long Island location in Yaphank's The Boulevard

The Pizzeria planted its eighth Long Island outpost in Yaphank on June 10, betting that The Boulevard’s apartments, hotel rooms and retail traffic can support another sit-down dining room. The new restaurant at 311 Boulevard E. brings pizza, pasta, cocktails, outdoor seating and an indoor-outdoor bar to a 322-acre corridor off William Floyd Parkway that is still building out its identity.

The opening is more than another restaurant debut. It lands inside The Boulevard, a mixed-use, master-planned lifestyle community that developers say combines retail, restaurants, apartments, townhomes and a Hilton hotel. In real-estate descriptions, the project includes 535 rental apartments, a 146-unit Home2 Suites by Hilton, a two-building Chelsea Senior Living complex and a 400-unit Country Pointe Meadows condo development. The retail district, The Shoppes at The Boulevard, is expected to reach 300,000 square feet and is anchored by a 197,000-square-foot Walmart Supercenter, giving The Pizzeria a built-in customer base that is already changing how Yaphank functions as a destination.

For nearby residents, the practical details are straightforward. The Pizzeria’s Yaphank location is listed as 311 Boulevard E., Yaphank, NY 11980. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The menu covers dine-in, takeout and drinks, and the company said the restaurant is its first location where events can also spill into the outdoor bar area. The Yaphank site is also the brand’s second-largest location behind Babylon, with more total seating once the outdoor spaces are fully set up.

The company’s expansion into eastern Suffolk reflects how far The Pizzeria has traveled since brothers Paul and Dan Saccoccio and childhood friend Cliff Weinstein opened the first location at Smith Haven Mall in July 2020. Since then, the chain has added restaurants in Bay Shore, Lindenhurst, Islip, Bayport, Babylon and now Yaphank, making this its easternmost Long Island location. About 55 employees were brought in for the opening, with most of the pizza staff coming from other Pizzeria locations.

The broader message for Suffolk is that The Boulevard continues to gain momentum as a dining and shopping corridor rather than a single project in transition. Brookhaven approved the master plan years ago, construction began in 2014 on the former Parr Meadows Race Track site, and earlier development estimates said the buildout would continue through 2026. With another recognizable brand now open near Walmart, Yaphank has added both jobs and another reason for shoppers, hotel guests and commuters to stop and stay.