A viral video, a Dave Portnoy review, and a backstory shaped by survival have put Phil’s Pizzeria in Syosset in the spotlight, but beyond the buzz, the story of owner Anthony Laurino and his shop is what really stands out.
Phil’s Pizzeria has been serving Long Island for nearly two decades. Laurino opened the restaurant roughly 20 years ago with two partners. The name “Phil’s” came from another location they owned at the time, which led them to keep the title.
Over the years, the partnership ended, and Laurino has been running the shop on his own for the last five years.
“Honestly, the last five years by myself are when I’ve seen the most success,” he said. “I wasn’t able to have the freedom that I have today.”
Like many small businesses, Phil’s faced hardships during COVID-19.
“It was horrible. It was just really terrible,” Laurino said.
The restaurant received help from the Barstool Fund, which supported struggling small businesses during the pandemic. Laurino said that support made a major difference.
“Without being funded… I don’t know if we’d still be here today,” he said.
The funding helped him keep his staff and manage payroll during a time when many restaurants were forced to close.
That connection to Barstool came back years later in a big way.
Source: LI Press
