Radio City Pizzeria works to appeal to all ages

When you choose to give your restaurant an evocative, New York City-inspired name such as Radio City Pizzeria, the pies you serve had better be both good and authentic.

Check on both counts, guarantees Elias Ghanem II, owner of the restaurant that opened May 21 at 410 S. Rampart Blvd. in Tivoli Village at Queensridge and which serves what Ghanem describes as "gourmet New York-style pizza."

First, Ghanem says, "everything is homemade, from our dough to our marinara sauce we use on our pizza."

Then, Radio City Pizzeria's roster of pies includes not just all of the classic configurations -- available by the pie or by the slice -- but a few upscale ones, too, including a chicken pesto pizza with homemade pesto sauce, mozzarella, tomato and chicken ($3.75 a slice or $17.50 for a whole pie).

Radio City Pizzeria even offers gluten-free pizza crusts and vegan dairy-free mozzarella (on whole pies only), and Ghanem says both have become popular options among customers.

The restaurant's name alludes to Ghanem's mother, who for a time was a Radio City Music Hall Rockette, and the ambience is designed to evoke a classic New York pizzeria.

The goal, Ghanem says, was to make the restaurant "comfortable, where an older customer can come in and sit down and enjoy dinner and get great service and great food, and a high school kid can come in and get a slice.

"Definitely, the vibe we want is (that of) a local pizzeria. Everyone can come back and feel right at home."

Radio City Pizzeria seats 50 indoors and 50 on an outside patio, and reservations aren't necessary but are taken. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Starters: antipasto plate, $9

Salads: Radio City Salad (baby mixed greens, raspberries, Sonoma goat cheese and toasted pecans with a vanilla shallot vinaigrette), $7.50

Pizza: cheese pizza, $3.25 for a slice, $12 for a 12-inch, $16 for an 18-inch (toppings: 50 cents per slice, $1 per 12-inch and $1.50 per 18-inch)

Sandwiches: meatball Parmesan, $8; chicken nastro azzuro (chicken breast, prosciutto, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil on toasted ciabatta), $8.75

Specialty pizzas: white pizza, $13 for a 12-inch and $17 for an 18-inch

Sides: Buffalo chicken wings, $7; homemade garlic Parmesan potato chips, $5

Desserts: Chocolate-covered shell cannoli, $5; New York-style cheesecake, $6

Information: 998-7580

By JOHN PRZYBYS