Popular Nanuet Establishment Celebrates 27 Years With New Menu Items

is a great place.

It’s been family owned for 27 years by John Mandara and his cousin, Tony Criscuolo, and John’s brother Michael was also involved back in 1984.

John Mandara attended St. John’s University for Accounting, but wound up at their current Nanuet location after working for his dad, Alphonso, at the elder Mandara’s restaurant in Queens.

“We found this location,” said Mandara of the seven dining room, 200-seat eatery. “We were interested in doing pizza on one side, sit-down dinners on the other. Thank goodness it’s been successful.”

Home of the popular fresca pie of Sicilian sized crust and fresh vegetables, there’s a secret to success, or longevity, if you will.

“Customers become family,” said Mandara, describing a clientele base that comes from, yes, Nanuet, but also nearby New City, Pearl River and northern New Jersey.  “After busy Friday nights sometimes, people will say to us ‘you really know what’s good.'”

Harold Meck from North Yonkers works in Tarrytown—on the other side of the Hudson River.  He doesn’t let that deter him, though. He crosses the Tappan Zee Bridge once a week in the winter, three times a week in the summer and he’s been doing so since 1984.

“They (Posa Posa) opened in August (of 1984), I started coming in October," said Meck. He asks me, “Have you eaten yet? You’ve got to try their pizzas.”

Meck favors Posa Posa because they have great food and a liquor license. Many times he has a slice of pizza pie or two prior to his lunch, “which today will probably be just a salad"—and that’s exactly what he orders.

“I’ve been here for parties, with friends, all of it.”

Take a peek at the vast menu and you can’t and won’t blame him. Everything you can want is here, including many dishes that are approved as part of the Steps to a Healthier NY Restaurant program, of which Posa Posa is a proud member.

“We’re also working with the local Parent-Teacher Association on a menu for teens,” said Mandara. That list includes warm grilled chicken salad, whole wheat penne with grilled chicken, chicken del rei (grilled chicken topped with cold arugula salad) and more.

As for other popular dishes, chicken caprese and linguine Julianne are often ordered, as well as the favorites, the bowtie Michelangelo of grilled chicken with bowtie pasta, peas and onions in garlic and oil, and veal Posa Posa, three veal cutlets and sliced mushrooms with pasta or salad. There are a variety of veal, beef, pork, seafood, and pasta dishes galore, in addition to traditional soups and desserts.

Posa Posa has also started serving gluten-free pastas and pizzas.

“One customer told me,” said Mandara, “he had no idea how many people were affected by the disease. They (the gluten-free offerings) are actually pretty good items.”

Posa Posa also offers on-site party rooms, and offsite catering.

Posa Posa Restaurant & Pizzeria, 121 Rockland Center - Route 59, (845) 623-7050, Monday - Saturday 11 am - 10 pm, Sunday Noon - 10 pm, www.posaposa.com