Custino's

[ctchandler]

I have been waiting all day for somebody to save me the embarrassment of asking this question. But it appears it's not going to happen, so would somebody please tell me where Custino's restaurants were located in the area. In the 90's I was eating out every day but I guess my senility has taken over again and I don't remember. For those of you that haven't read the article in the Oklahoman, Danny Falcone and Phil Custino have formed a pasta partnership at Falcone's Pizzeria and Deli at 6705 N May Ave. I'm not sure if this is the right place for this but I had to ask and I don't believe the 90's belongs in the "Nostalgia" group.
Thanks,
C. T.

[MadMonk]

Wasn't it on N. May, south of Hefner? Maybe I'm thinking of a different Italian place.

[ctchandler]

Madmonk,
I believe that is Papa Dio's.
C. T.

Wasn't it on N. May, south of Hefner? Maybe I'm thinking of a different Italian place.

[MikeOKC]

Madmonk,
I believe that is Papa Dio's.
C. T.

I remember the one on North May - wasn't it on the east side of May just south of Wilshire?

[SoonerQueen]

It was on N May, south of Wilshire in the old Taco Bell location. We used to get food from there all the time.

[tuck]

It was in the current Chelino's spot on North May. So Custino is resurfacing?

[MikeOKC]

It was in the current Chelino's spot on North May. So Custino is resurfacing?

They were in the old Chelino's at 59th and Brookline and also the old Taco Bell location south of Wilshire. Just not at the same time.

Yes, Phil Custino and Falcone are teaming up at the present Falcone's location. They're already serving the classic Custino's lasagne.

[Martin]

there was a custino's just north of i-240 and western where twitty burger was originally. i could have sworn that there was another italian food place in that same spot in the mid 80's but i can't remember the name for the life of me. -M

[bluedogok]

The old Taco Bell on N May that SoonerQueen and MikeOKC posted up is where I remember them being located.

[Martin]

they grew to have multiple locations... i'm not sure which one was the original, but i'm pretty certain it wasn't the southside one. -M

[ctchandler]

This isn't very important, I was just curious as to why I couldn't remember it, but it appears most of us have limited memories of his places. OH well, I'm sure his food was good. Time will tell (since memory obviously doesn't).
C. T.

[RadicalModerate]

I guess that I can't understand why (The Original) "Falcone's" (just north of the tire place by Wilshire?)--the third best Authentic New York Style Pizza Place in OKC (right after Perri's and that old converted house in Nicoma Park) can't make it in this market . . .

In fact, I'm sure that I can't understand why.
No guessing involved.

(Probably has something to do with his New York Attitude that lent "Authenticity" but pissed off the Entrenched Edmondite Powers That Be or Were. I seem to recall it involved AwningSignage. =)

Of course, I've been wrong before . . .

Hope that the NEW! IMPROVED!! Lasagne includes a layer of nothing but mushrooms and a layer of nothing but basil.
That would even make The Sopranos happy.

[Larry OKC]

Because the pizza was really bad? I have heard all the NY style hype over the decades and if my experience at Falcones is authentic NY style pizza, then NY can keep it. i was there within days after they had opened and the feature story was in the Oklahoman. great atmosphere/decor...OK prices on SOME items (outrageously high on others)...food was tasteless...had pizza a rice ball thing and something else that I cant recall right now...all of it tasteless and disappointing to say the least...haven't been back since then but the pic in the paper looked very tasty and would like to try the lasagna (never made it to Custino's when they were around).

[kevinpate]

RadicalModerate, maybe it is that third best thing. I know that my third favorite bbq place rarely gets visited, maybe 1 out of every 9 or 10 Q runs ... at best. And it's right fair q on its own. However, my 1st and 2nd choice tend to get 60/30ish % of my business. Number 3 is good. The other two are better. Might be Falcone's battle as well.

[Larry OKC]

To clarify, i was looking forward to Falcones based on the story in the paper and was really wanting to like it

[Steve]

Falcones was good in the beginning, but he over-expanded and did it too fast, losing all control of quality. I saw it go downhill first hand, both at the Edmond store and in Bricktown.

[Hawk405359]

If you want to give true NY style pizza another try, there's New York Pizza and Pasta in Edmond if you can make it out there. It's on second street west of Bryant, near the new Half Price Books location. I've had it and it was good. I didn't try Falcone's in the beginning, so I can't compare, but I liked NY Pizza and Pasta better.

[soonerguru]

Because the pizza was really bad? I have heard all the NY style hype over the decades and if my experience at Falcones is authentic NY style pizza, then NY can keep it. i was there within days after they had opened and the feature story was in the Oklahoman. great atmosphere/decor...OK prices on SOME items (outrageously high on others)...food was tasteless...had pizza a rice ball thing and something else that I cant recall right now...all of it tasteless and disappointing to say the least...haven't been back since then but the pic in the paper looked very tasty and would like to try the lasagna (never made it to Custino's when they were around).

Falcones is not representative of good NY pizza. Not by a long shot.

[Steve]

I was a New York kid until age 11, and yeah, I'd have to agree with Soonerguru. A couple years ago Falcone and another small pizza place that opened at the same time, Gaetano's, both came close to being decent comparisons to NY pizza. Gaetano wasn't a good business guy, however, and he had to close up (also had health issues). Falcone over-expanded and lost control of quality.
Now, that said, the best one going in my opinion is NY Pizza on Second Street in Edmond. It also has a set up that is pretty close to what you might experience in a suburban New York pizza place (too spacious, too clean for a Manhattan pizza joint!)

[soonerguru]

I was a New York kid until age 11, and yeah, I'd have to agree with Soonerguru. A couple years ago Falcone and another small pizza place that opened at the same time, Gaetano's, both came close to being decent comparisons to NY pizza. Gaetano wasn't a good business guy, however, and he had to close up (also had health issues). Falcone over-expanded and lost control of quality.
Now, that said, the best one going in my opinion is NY Pizza on Second Street in Edmond. It also has a set up that is pretty close to what you might experience in a suburban New York pizza place (too spacious, too clean for a Manhattan pizza joint!)

Agree with NY Pizza, but the one in Edmond isn't as good as the original in Norman, which frankly is a New York pizza joint. The one in Edmond has been ruined by all the people in minivans requesting ranch dressing with their pizza and asking them to "make it like Hideaway." I thought it was really funny one night when this woman who stepped in asked them, "Why don't you make it Chicago style, with a deep dish?" I couldn't contain myself and said, "The name of the restaurant is New York pizza. They make New York pizza here." Geez, so glad I don't live in Edmond!

[bluedogok]

Now, that said, the best one going in my opinion is NY Pizza on Second Street in Edmond. It also has a set up that is pretty close to what you might experience in a suburban New York pizza place (too spacious, too clean for a Manhattan pizza joint!)

There is a place in Downtown Houston that we ate at after a baseball game that definitely reminded me of a NYC pizza joint. They are their own unique places.

[Larry OKC]

The Gazette said (presumably the original location) for Custinos was at May & Wilshire.

"In my three restaurants here, I prepared over a million trays of lasagna. I'm ready to make a million or so more." Custino said.

[Steve]

Agree with NY Pizza, but the one in Edmond isn't as good as the original in Norman, which frankly is a New York pizza joint. The one in Edmond has been ruined by all the people in minivans requesting ranch dressing with their pizza and asking them to "make it like Hideaway." I thought it was really funny one night when this woman who stepped in asked them, "Why don't you make it Chicago style, with a deep dish?" I couldn't contain myself and said, "The name of the restaurant is New York pizza. They make New York pizza here." Geez, so glad I don't live in Edmond!

I was born and spent half my childhood in New York; I've been back repeatedly as I have family there. Sure, there are people in Edmond who are probably oblivious to what New York pizza might be. But all things considered, the Edmond NY Pizza is about as close as it gets considering we simply don't have the same water supply (which is a factor in crust texture, quality). For what it's worth, I was never as big a fan of Falcones as I was of Gaetano's. But when Gaetano's went away, Falcones was it for a while...

[metro]

I was a New York kid until age 11, and yeah, I'd have to agree with Soonerguru. A couple years ago Falcone and another small pizza place that opened at the same time, Gaetano's, both came close to being decent comparisons to NY pizza. Gaetano wasn't a good business guy, however, and he had to close up (also had health issues). Falcone over-expanded and lost control of quality.
Now, that said, the best one going in my opinion is NY Pizza on Second Street in Edmond. It also has a set up that is pretty close to what you might experience in a suburban New York pizza place (too spacious, too clean for a Manhattan pizza joint!)

I'd have to say Papa Angelo's in Bethany is the best NYC style pizza.

[Steve]

Forgive me - I've not been there. I've heard a couple things about Angelo's - not enough. That good it's worth a trip to Bethany?