New York pizza legend Andrew Bellucci dies at 59

News

by Olivia Land

June 1, 2023 | 10:39 a.m

A prominent New York City pizza chef has died, less than a year after he was forced to rename his Pizza Queen restaurant to settle a bitter dispute with a former business partner.

Anthony Bellucci died overnight, his restaurant, Anthony Bellucci’s Pizzeria, Advertise on Instagram early Thursday.

“Rest in peace my friend. Thank you for all the lessons you taught us about your life’s passion for PIZZA,” the emotional post read.

Pie Astoria said it would close Thursday, in honor of the late owner.

As a chef and entrepreneur, Bellucci, 59, is known for taking the adage that one gets a little dirty on one’s hands.

After making a name for himself by renovating Lombardi’s on Spring Street in Manhattan in the early 1990s, his career was cut short by misappropriation of funds from the law firm he previously worked for.

Bellucci then spent 16 years driving taxis before returning to the slide game by moving to Kuala Lumpur with restaurateur Michael Hellmann in 2013.

Bellucci Pizza opened on 30th Street with Leo Dakmak in 2021.

One of their specialty pies, the pepperoni-filled “Sonny Supreme,” is named in honor of his former cellmate, Colombo boss John “Sonny” Franzese.

“I only have one goal,” he told The Post at the time.

“It became the first chip shop to bear a Michelin star.”

Bellucci and Damac’s partnership was short-lived.

Within months, Bellucci completely broke away and opened Bellucci’s Pizza just eight blocks away.

He changed the name of the new restaurant to Andrew Bellucci’s Pizzeria last summer as part of a settlement when Dakmak reportedly sued him for trademark infringement.

Andrew Bellucci’s pizzeria did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.