Hill Top: Il Porto, Pizza and More!

by Keith Flanders

Last time we dined at Il Porto they were in the midst of receiving a delivery of fuel for the pizza oven. It was quite a sight, watching them shovel a truckload of hardwood down into the basement, and they certainly put it to good use, turning out extraordinarily good thin-crust pizzas ranging from the traditional (margarita, marinara, bianca) to the more cutting edge (one of my favorites, the Al Diavolo, features broccoli rabe, sausage, hot cherry peppers and fresh mozzarella). There's even a "dessert" pizza called the Wallabout, an unusual assemblage (for a pizza) which includes Nutella spread, toasted pinenuts and marshmallows. Although I haven't personally sampled the Wallabout, a trusted source assured me it's an unusual winner. If its "traditional" pizza you're looking for (i.e. thicker crust, by the slice, etc) they do a fine job of that as well, selling it from the takeout side of the establishment which connects to the airy, high-ceilinged dining room/bar area. And they deliver in the area.

What I found interesting and appealing about Il Porto is that besides top-notch pizza and pasta dishes, like the deceptively simple and delicious Penne Il Porto which features shrimp and asparagus in a traditional pink vodka cream sauce, the menu also embraces that New York City standby known as brunch, which few diners I think would normally associate with a brick-over pizza restaurant. As a parent of two children who quite literally would eat nothing but pizza or pasta outside of the house, I found it challenging to please them on a Sunday morning while at the same time satisfying my own craving for eggs & bacon. The solution lay a short walk "north of the highway," and I urge you to try Il Porto for its eggs Benedict, omelets, and especially a tender, tasty amazing something called crabmeat pancake, which comes with eggs and a mesclun salad, making it at $9 one of the most delectable brunch values I've ever found.

Il Porto
37 Washington Avenue
718-624-0954
Dinner: every day, 4PM - 11PM
Lunch: Mon-Sat 11AM - 4PM
Brunch: Sundays 11AM - 4 PM

--Keith Flanders lives (and dines) in Wallabout.