Philomena's Pizza Owner, Heading To Italy, Announces NYC Pop-Ups

SUNNYSIDE, QUEENS – Philomena's owner and pizza-maker, Dave Acocella, was floored when he saw the Queens community line up in front of his pizza joint as he prepared to close up shop last week.

“I always thought that people hated me because I was taking so long to make the pizzas,”Acocella told Patch. "I’m very thankful to be so well-received here.”

The beloved Sunnyside pizzeria closed on Friday after Acocella announced that he will move to Naples, Italy, to open up another pizza place.

In an Instagram post announcing his departure, dozens of people showed their appreciation for Philomena's and congratulated the owner for the move.

Pizza ran out four hours earlier on the pizza joint’s last day. But those who missed their chance to eat Acocella’s creations still have a chance to grab a slice this year.

“I’ll do a series of pop-ups in the neighborhood so that way I can give people my pizza once again,” Acocella said.

The owner said he will come back to New York City during the holiday season to carry out the pop-ups.

Acocella is planning to head to Naples in November to finalize a location for the new pizzeria.

He made the decision to move abroad in July after a former co-worker reached out to him with the idea of moving to Italy to open a pizza joint together.

Acocella said 2022 was the pizzeria’s best year ever, but he was feeling overworked since he was the only pizza maker in the joint. He said he’s looking forward to opening up shop in the place his family emigrated from.

“I consider Naples to be the birthplace of pizza,” Acocella said. “For me to go to Naples as a New Yorker, a nontraditional pizza maker, is going to be a challenge, but I’m up for it.”