Fire Destroys Totonno’s

(NBC News Coverage from Saturday, March 14, 2009)

A Saturday morning fire rushed through the legendary Totonno’s Pizzeria. The restaurant was a mainstay in the Coney Island community and people traveled from far and wide to get a taste of the Napolitano style pizza with ingredients imported from Italy. For 85 years, the pizzeria had been serving the pizza by the pie in its old-style dining room located at 1524 Neptune Ave near West 14 St.

Members of the community spoke to NBC news reporters on the scene and expressed the devastation they feel at the loss of Totonno’s. Based on the damage, there is no talk at the moment of rebuilding the famed establishment.

This is a very sad day for original Brooklyn-pizza lovers and we offer our sympathy to the owners and workers of Totonno’s, because while no one was hurt in the blaze, watching the building go down with all of the memorabilia and original decor must have been heartbreaking.