Sicilian-style squares come to Triangle Square

NYC meets O.C. with the opening of Prince Street Pizza’s first Orange County location. The New York pizza brand opened at Triangle Square in Costa Mesa last week to a line of nearly 500 hungry pizza fans.

“We are so happy to finally be open in the O.C.,” said Prince Street Pizza chief executive Lawrence Longo.

Prince Street Pizza owners Dom Morano and his father, Frank Morano, made the Prince Street Pizza name in New York City when it opened in 2012, serving what were dubbed “SoHo slices.” In 2020, Prince Street expanded to Los Angeles, opening a shop on Sunset Boulevard and now has locations in downtown L.A., Studio City, Pasadena, Venice and Malibu as well as in Nevada, Toronto and Miami.

Longo, who is also the founder of the Off The Menu dining app and an operating partner of Irv’s Burgers, Bar Next Door and Sparky’s Sports Bar, said the the opening of Prince Street Pizza, Costa Mesa — the shop’s 12th location nationwide — on July 22 was among the most anticipated for the pizza brand. The grand opening included free pizza slices and exclusive collaboration merchandise from local clothing company Violent Gentlemen Hockey Club.

“The Costa Mesa customers were, I want to say, aggressive and excited about us opening there,” Longo with a laugh. “We gave out over 600 free slices to everybody.”

Longo said Orange County has many good options when it comes to ‘za.

“O.C. has unbelievable pizza,” he said.

But Prince Street Pizza’s signature SoHo squares, which are actually Sicilian-style square pies topped with sauces made from Morano family recipes, are just different.

“All of our pasta sauces are made in house, and I say ‘pasta sauces’ because, truly, that’s what they are,” said Longo. “They are fully cooked sauces. ”

The pizza dough is made using a water filtration process intended to simulate the water in New York, to make sure diners get the same experience on the West Coast as they would eating at the original late night NYC slice and soda shop.

Besides thick, fluffy squares, Prince Street also offers round, thin Neapolitan-style pizzas. Both styles of pies are available whole or by the slice. Original pizzas on the menu include the Green Machine with nut-free pesto sauce, shredded mozzarella and ricotta and the Naughty Pie, made with spicy vodka sauce spiked with prosciutto and topped with pepperoni, mozzarella, ricotta and Zab’s Hot Honey. Earlier this summer Prince Street announced it would open its first drive-thru pop-up on Aug. 8 at the historic former Arby’s space in Hollywood, where the pizza brand will debut a new menu item: mozzarella sticks.

Longo said the location at Triangle Square checked many of the boxes the team looks for when scouting a new location.

“It is the first place you see when geting off the freeway,” said Longo.” It is one of those places that has night life, there is a real neighborhood, and there is a ton of parking.”

Longo also said they are hoping to expand further in Orange County.

“We couldn’t be happier with the support we are getting in Costa Mesa,” said Longo. “We are actively looking for an awesome next location in the O.C.”

Prince Street Pizza is located at 1870 Harbor Blvd., Ste. 104 and open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Delivery is available through Postmates and UberEats.