Chris James/Pioneer
Philip Custino, executive chef and partner of Falcone’s Pizzeria and Deli stands in front of deli goods and a list of the top ten reasons to get whacked. Falcone’s, owned by Danny Falcone, is located at 6705 North May Avenue in Oklahoma City.

Falcone’s Pizzeria and Deli is a great little place to grab a slice of pie, calzone or deli sandwich whenever you are on the northwest side of Oklahoma City. It is located at 6705 N May Avenue.

I ate at Falcone’s on Thursday, Jan. 12. The food was great, and the service was fast and friendly.

When you first enter the restaurant and the Italian food aroma hits your nose, you know you are at the right place.

The entry area has shelving filled with imported dry pastas, sauces, olive oil and other Italian delicacies that customers can purchase and take home to cook. They also have a good variety of imported deli meats and cheeses.

The dining area of the restaurant has both tables and booths available for seating. The walls are decorated with movie posters from movies like “The Godfather” and “Scarface” that are signed by the actors and directors. There also is a more secluded part of the dining area that has all sorts of signed baseball memorabilia.

Falcone’s has great New York style pizza sold by the big slice. The crust is thin, crisp and tasty perfection. The sauce is not too tangy and not too sweet. The toppings and cheese are good and they put plenty on each slice.

While the pizza is awesome, it isn’t the only star on the menu. Falcone’s has the best fried mozzarella in Oklahoma City. The mozzarella is imported and not frozen.

Falcone’s has cold dishes, like antipasto salad and insalata di polipo (octopus salad) and deserts like Italian ice, tiramisu and, of course, cannoli.

My personal favorite at Falcone’s is the chicken parmesan sandwich. It is, as the name suggests, a sandwich filled with a breaded chicken cutlet, marinara, and topped with mozzarella cheese. If you like chicken parmesan on a plate, you’ll fall in love with it on a sandwich.

The location on north May Avenue was the first location opened by the owner Danny Falcone. At one time there were locations in Bricktown, Bethany, Midwest City and Edmond, but with the recent economic downturn, the Falcone’s on May Avenue is the only one left. It also will be easier to maintain quality with only one location.

Recently, a new partnership was struck between Danny Falcone and Philip Custino. Custino was the owner of three successful Italian restaurants in the early 1990’s called Custino’s. In fact, a slice of Custino’s famous lasagna is served with garlic bread at Falcone’s now for only $5.

I got to talk briefly with Custino after my meal. He had been retired, but seemed obviously happy to be back in his element.

Overall, Falcone’s is an awesome little restaurant, and has been one of my favorites ever since I first ate there. With the Custino partnership, it will only get better.

Rating: A+

To contact Chris James, email pioneerphotog@occc.edu.