Rocco’s Pizzeria serves up Fresh Pizza and Attitude
by Chaiel Schaffel
The smell of a fresh pie in the oven perfumes the air inside Rocco’s Pizzeria in Vineyard Haven. A family restaurant, Rocco’s has been serving up top-quality pizza for ages. This Week on Martha’s Vineyard sat down with Chef Chris Pantalones and asked him what he thought on a variety of Pizza-related topics. Here’s what he said:
This Week: What’s the strangest request you’ve ever gotten for pizza toppings?
Chris Pantalones: That’s a tough one. Yesterday, actually, someone called in with something really weird, like peanut butter, chocolate, and pineapple. I ran next door, because they sell chocolate there and put it on a pizza. It was delicious!
TW: If you had to be trapped in an elevator for an hour with any one musician, who would it be, and why?
CP: Bono, from U2. I once worked at a Pizza restaurant down in Miami that was super strict about not serving any customers past closing. He was the last customer that night, and I still didn’t serve him. The busboy there was pulling on my shoulder, saying “Bono! Bono!” I would really love to apologize to him now. I’ve been trying to start something on Facebook or Youtube to start something and talk to someone.
TW: Would you say that “Love” is one of the ingredients in your pizzas?
CP: Would I say that?! Absolutely!
TW: If you could make pizza anywhere in the world, except for here, where would you go?
CP: I’ve been thinking about that if I were to relocate. I have friends in London, and they have shops and restaurants on every corner, but they don’t really have our style of pizza.
TW: What’s the best thing about working at a pizzeria?
CP: We’re always busy, the pizza is great, and it’s a family thing. Plus, it’s super inexpensive. We eat pizza all the time, and you’d think you’d get sick of it after eating it so much. The funny part is that even after all this time, it’s still delicious! I haven’t gotten sick of it yet.
TW: What would you say is your most ordered topping?
CP: Probably pepperoni. Pepperoni and cheese seems to be the favorite.
TW: Are you ever tempted to just eat someone’s order, and then make it again and serve it to them?
CP: I’d say it’s happened before. Sometimes I’ll just be making burgers, (I don’t make burgers very often,) and the thought will just go through my mind, “I need to have one!” and I’ll just take one and make another. So yeah, I guess it does happen.
TW: If you needed to leave one ingredient off of all of your pizzas, what would it be?
CP: Anchovies. It’s gross. Smells up the pizzas, we have to wash the paddle, and we all get a little sick. The worst topping on a pizza is anchovies. I could say pepperoni, because it’s very time-consuming to put it on there, maybe, but I think it’s anchovies.
MORE INFO:
Rocco’s Pizzeria
Tisbury Marketplace Vineyard Haven
508-693-1125
