DINING OUT: A Brooklyn original at Michael’s of Brooklyn
On a recent Thursday night, normally a relatively quiet evening for restaurants, Marine Park favorite Michael’s Restaurant was packed.
The long-time eatery, which began as a corner pizzeria 50 years ago, and expanded to a full-service restaurant plus a catering hall (and a bakery across the street, as well as a purveyor of its own jarred sauces, now available as far away as Hawaii), offers up classic Italian fare with a twist – certainly one reason Michael’s has remained a go-to spot for Italian cuisine for decades.
Another is the family touch. The pizzeria that started the dynasty was begun by the grandfather of Michael Cacace, the current host and chef, who runs the restaurant with his father — who works the front — and uncle, who is also the chef. “At least one of us is always here, usually two of us,” noted Cacace. “That’s not that common, these days.”