Three Brothers Pizza Cafe Wins National Award

Since 2009, Three Brothers Pizza Cafe on North Long Beach Road has served the Rockville Centre vegan community. The Italian restaurant/pizzeria offers a comprehensive menu for the specific diet. Now, they are finally getting some recognition for it. 

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently named the restaurant's Seitan Bacon Ranch pie the best vegan pizza in the country.

“Topped with grilled seitan, tempeh bacon, tomatoes, and Daiya mozzarella drizzled with vegan ranch, it’s no wonder this pizza was named the very best,” reads the award announcement on PETA’s website.

The search for the best vegan pizza was truly nationwide. Finalists hailed from Virginia, Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco and Minneapolis, according to the website. 

According to a 2009 New York Times article, those who follow a vegan diet avoid all “animal-based” foods. This includes meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and dairy products.

Jay Astafa, son of owner Andy Astafa, created the vegan menu after he switched to the diet three years ago, according to the restaurant’s website.  

Three Brothers offers two separate vegan menus. Its vegan brunch menu, served every Sunday from 11 a.m. - 3p.m. features items like tofu benedict, tofu omelets and scrambled tofu, according to their website. 

The regular vegan menu features appetizers such as mozzarella sticks (made with Daiya mozzarella), buffalo soy drumsticks, and oyster mushroom “calamari."

Twelve vegan pizzas are available at Three Brothers. On top of the award winning pie, they also offer a Seitan Buffalo pizza, a margarita pizza and a pesto tofu pizza. Vegan pasta and sides round out the large menu, according to the website. 

Three Brothers also offers a full menu of non-vegan items. 

“We are a place that caters to all people, but it is our vegan menu that brings people from all over,” its website states.

*Messages to Three Brothers Pizza Cafe were not returned.