As It Appeared In The Queens Courier

Ask any local resident and you will get a different answer about where to get the best pizza in Queens. But Mario Pantelidis isn't worried.After a year in business on Bell Blvd. in Bayside, Pantelidis, co-owner of Caldo Pizzeria, is already planning for a future of expansion and Caldo's #2 and #3. He said the secret is not just in the sauce."It's quality control....and our personality," "we don't give up." And, along with his partner and family member George Dallaris, he doesnt take no for an anser. Even if customers were cautious at first about buying pizza from a man with a Greek last name, that only lasted"until they taste it. Now everyone keeps coming in- Greeks, Italians, Koreans, Chinese," which is the pleasure of doing business in Queens. But his heritage does show up pn the menu. Caldo has expanded the definition of traditional pizzeria food to unclude Gyros and Souvlaki along side the listing for Ziti, Meatball Heroes, and pizzas with various toppings , including the Caldo Special (six topping subject to customer's taste).And his wife Gigi, who is Italian,has had her influence as well. Her uncle,Angelo Rosselli, is the owner of My Cousin Vinny's restaurant and has been in the pizeria business for 30 years. It was Rosselli who taught Pantelidis how to make pizza, and he has also offered suggestions for the business since then because"you can never be perfect at it. You always can learn more,"Pantelidis smiled. He added that he did lose control of the dough once or twice in mid -flight when he was still learning, but tossing a pizza dough into the air is still essential. "You throw it up in the air and the douh starts expanding" to create just the right size and just the right thicknes. And from striving to make things just right to donating pizzas for charity and school functions,Pantelidis said that the real key to surviving in Queens is being a good neighbor and treting your customers right. "We try our best to satisfy. The customer is always right because if we make them happy, our customers will keep coming.We want to keep them here as steady customers and we want them to know that we appreciate their business." Caldo Pizzeria delivers free no matter the size of the order and is open from 11a.m.-10p.m. Mon-Sat and ,12-9p.m. Sundays.

Review by Tamara Hartman