Owner Aims to Keep Nick's Pizza and Clam Bar a Local Staple

Is it safe to say that with the unseasonably warm weather that summer in Smithtown has arrived? 

Nick’s Pizza and Clam Bar owner Ed Zimmerman thinks so. 

“We have people come in all the time and say, ‘we’re so happy to see that you’re open because it means that the weather is changing and summer is here,’” he said. 

Zimmerman bought Nick’s in 2009 and while he typically opens the last week in March or first week in April he said he would have opened sooner if he could have predicted the warm weather would come as soon as it did.

While living in Nassau County Zimmerman would pass by Nick’s daily en route to Setauket where he owned a liquor store and would stop in often to eat. Zimmerman admitted that the eatery always intrigued him and when his wife said she knew the owners and that they wanted to sell, he jumped at the opportunity to take it over.

Since 1969 Nick’s has been a Smithtown summer staple, a place where people would sit outside and relax over all things seafood and pizza – from pies to slices, baked clams to mussels. 

Zimmerman said the tradition and the outdoor scene is what makes Nick’s special and when he purchased the eatery he wanted to keep it the same as it always has been.

“We’ve tried to keep everything the way it is. We made some changes to the menu, nothing major but the same theme,” he said. “[We have] good food for a reasonable price [and] people could eat outside and enjoy the weather.”

While keeping the menu options along the same lines as they always have been Zimmerman said another important aspect of the eatery has remained consistent – the staff.

The entire staff from last year has returned, according to Zimmerman, including head chef Mario Tarquinio, Amanda Roubal, Pedro Moran and 12-year Nick’s veteran Leo Fernandez.