Word has come down that World Pie, a bona fide Hamptons institution has closed and has been sold. Before the pandemic dinner and lunch were served seven days a week until midnight. Their many pizzas cooked in their famous brick oven were loved by everyone who loves great thin crispy crusts and the bar was a wonderful meeting place to have a beverage and watch a game.
In the Summer you would walk by and perhaps see Christie Brinkley and family eating outdoors, sampling something off the prized dinner menu and tasting a choice wine. Many folks loved the way the pizzas were presented on stands and sliced. It was the go-to place for a dinner after a fundraiser, a show, movie, or a long drive from the city to have a late dinner. And now it is gone.
Sadly, a fire back just before Memorial Day 2015 closed the restaurant down for the whole 2015 summer season. Owner Michael Mannino reported said at the time, “Had it been January or February it would have been better, but luckily no one was hurt, it (happened before) one of the busiest weekends of the whole summer.” Another fire broke out in April 2018 in the chimney but World Pie reopened within days.
Things were wonderful until the pandemic hit. World Pie as did all restaurants had to go to takeout orders and when they were allowed to safely seat folks first outdoors and then indoors it had state regulated limited hours. Help also became a problem this season.
The location was actually the space of the original Bobby Van’s and had that authentic belt driven fan system that Truman Capote himself often publicly commented about. The story goes that Philip Mannino, the father of the original owner, Michael Mannino, owned O’Malley’s in East Hampton (among other locations) for 25 years. In the late 1990’s Michael opened World Pie looks to be on a similar establishment where folks could count on being served long after most other venues in the Hamptons were closed. I stood on the northwest corner of Main Street, Bridgehampton for 22 years and served the Hamptons community with honor and valor.
What people will perhaps miss most about the closing of World Pie was the buzz you felt when you entered the place. It had a cheery, upbeat positive vide. The main room seating with the booths and tables gave it an upscale saloon atmosphere. The room had an energy, a spirit, a soul, and wonderful spacing. The food was always served timely and the pizzas among the best in the Hamptons.
World Pie will be missed, because it was always world class good, always opened seven days a week, and always friendly. And as time goes by good friendly placed are harder to find.
