NYC hidden dining gems: Rocco’s of Roc Beach is worth the trek

One of my favorite party questions is, “What would your last meal be?” For me, that answer is chicken parm, but having grown up eating it regularly, my standard for the Italian-American classic is high. One of my favorites in the city is all the way down in the Rockaways at Rocco’s of Roc Beach.
If you’re wondering whether it’s really worth it to trek all the way to the Rockaways for Italian food when the options in New York are seemingly endless, the answer is yes — yes, it is.
Going to the Rockaways in the winter is one of my favorite pastimes and I’d encourage you to do the same — it’s like having the best beach in New York to yourself. Don’t forget to give yourself a gold star for supporting local businesses that dare to stay open year-round.
Rocco’s of Roc Beach is owned by Joanne and Vincent Cotrone. The couple wanted to fill a gap they felt was lacking on the Peninsula: a homey, old-school Italian joint. Thus, in May 2021, Rocco’s of Roc Beach was born. The eatery’s Italian-born chef Bruno makes everything from scratch — the bread, pasta, mozzarella, gelato, you name it.
I popped into Rocco’s of Roc Beach on a chilly Tuesday night and was shocked to see how busy it was, even in the off-season. Since I made the trek all the way down there, I wanted to try a wide variety of dishes despite dining alone. I started with Rocco’s salad (lettuce, provolone, salami, olives, tomatoes, onions and banana peppers), followed shortly by a Diavola Rosso pizza, made with fresh mozzarella, Parmigiano, Calabrian chili and hot soppressata.
Both my server and Vincent (who goes by Vinny) encouraged me to order a pie. Not only were they voted the best pizza in Queens by the Queens Chamber of Commerce in 2023, but they’re home to the only coal brick oven in the Rockaways.
I had a fond appreciation for the house salad having proper cubes of sharp provolone mixed throughout, but it goes without saying I had more exciting dishes ahead. The pie is easily large enough to share between three people and the crisp crust made evident the coal brick oven. The mix of Calabrian chili and spicy soppressata made this heat aficionada one happy camper without sending her over the edge. What I especially appreciated was that they didn’t skimp on the meat toppings, and the $21 price was a friendly reminder I wasn’t in Manhattan anymore.
After a slice of ‘za, I saved room for the main event: the chicken parm. And not just any chicken parm, but a chicken vodka cutlet Parmigiana served alongside house-made rigatoni. Call it a simple change, but the swap of traditional marinara for vodka sauce somehow took my last-meal-worthy dish and made it even better.
Don’t tell the local Italian joint from my hometown, but Rocco’s of Roc Beach might just be the exact chicken parm dish I request when my time is up. It was covered in a blanket of bubbly mozzarella and had a cheese pull so intense that it made me wish someone was at the table with me solely so they could bear witness to the beauty I was seeing. The chew of the homemade pasta, which was cooked al dente and coated in vodka sauce, was the perfect accompaniment. I got through about half of the massive portion before waving a white flag, but I was excited at the prospect of having leftovers.
My server then convinced me to order dessert and, wanting to try the house-made gelato, I wasn’t a hard sell. I went for pistachio gelato and an espresso martini. You’re likely going to be full after any meal at Rocco’s, but don’t skip the gelato. It’s as creamy as it is on the streets of Florence or Rome. At one point, I took a spoonful of the pistachio gelato and added it to my espresso martini for a self-made boozy affogato. Maybe they should add it to the menu and call it the Kaitlyn special.
But Rocco’s is not just chicken parm, homemade pastas and award-winning pizza. The eatery has an expansive menu, with veal dishes, spicy shrimp rigatoni and even pecorino pasta tossed in a cheese wheel. What makes Rocco’s a standout in a sea of Italian restaurants in New York is the service, which takes you back to the old red sauce joints of yore.
“Rocco’s slogan is ‘Welcome to the family!’” says Vinny Cotrone. “And when you dine here, you will understand why.”
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