Feature Photo by RockinFoodie
There are certain pizzerias on Long Island that carry that old-school feel the second you walk in, and Drago’s Pizza on North Ocean Avenue in Farmingville is one of them. Established in 1973, this place has been serving the community for three generations, building its reputation on simple, straightforward food made with fresh ingredients. It’s the kind of spot where tradition still matters, but at the same time, they’re clearly not afraid to play around with newer ideas on the menu.
On this visit, I wanted to keep it real but also try something a little different. So I went with a regular slice, but not just any regular slice, I grabbed one of those slices with the garlic knots attached. That alone tells you something about the place, they’re thinking beyond the standard slice without overcomplicating it. At the same time, I asked what their most popular specialty slice was, and without hesitation, I was pointed straight to the chicken bacon ranch.
The regular slice came out first, and right away, it smelled exactly the way a good slice should. Because of the garlic knots attached to the crust, you can’t really fold it the way you normally would, but once you bite into it, that doesn’t matter. This is one of those slices where you know immediately you’re in good hands. The balance between the sauce, the cheese, and the crust is right where it should be. I scored it an 8.2, firmly in that strong “eights” category, which on Long Island is a very respectable slice.
Then there’s the garlic knots themselves, which are part of the whole experience here. What stood out immediately was that they weren’t overly greasy. That’s important, especially when they’re attached to the slice. You’re getting that classic garlic knot flavor without it overwhelming everything else. It actually works as a complete package, sliced and knotted together, and it feels like you’re getting a lot of food for what you ordered.
The chicken bacon ranch slice is where things really stepped up. Visually, it had everything you want to see: chunks of chicken, strips of bacon, and melted cheese layered into a thick crust. But what makes this one hit is the bacon. It had a strong, almost maple-smoked flavor that came through immediately, but it didn’t overpower the rest of the slice. The cheese melted perfectly into the dough, and the crust had that crispy, crunchy bite that tells you it was done right. This one came in at an 8.5, and it earned it.
What also stands out about Drago’s is just how deep the menu runs. You’re not just walking into a place that does a basic slice and calls it a day. They’ve got everything from a classic Grandma pie and Sicilian to a Brooklyn-style pie and a white pizza. There are more creative options, too, like the Vodka pizza, BBQ chicken, chicken parm pizza and even baked ziti pizza.
Beyond the pizza, the menu keeps going. You’ve got appetizers like mozzarella sticks, wings, rice balls, and chicken tenders with fries. There are salads including Caesar, Greek, and garden, along with calzones, strombolis, and rolls like buffalo chicken and vegetable. They even carry desserts like cannoli and cheesecake, which round out the full pizzeria experience.
At the end of the day, this is exactly what you want from a place like Drago’s. It delivers that old-school pizzeria feel, but it also shows a willingness to push into newer territory with specialty slices that actually work. The regular slice holds its ground, the garlic knot twist adds something different without being gimmicky, and the chicken bacon ranch proves they know how to execute a modern favorite the right way. This is a pizzeria worth stopping for, especially if you’re anywhere near exit 63 off the Long Island Expressway.
