Teodoro Osteria & Bar opens in Oyster Bay

When chef German Rizzo first contemplated opening a restaurant on Long Island, Oyster Bay was his top choice. In fact, the intimate storefront that was Autentico captured his heart. But, since that wasn’t available, he shifted his sights to Glen Cove and, in 2024, opened Plado Tasting Bar in the old Riviera Grill spot.

Last year, Autentico, a perennial Newsday Top Italian, closed very quietly — chef-parter Francesco Pecoraro’s regular annual summer break never ended — and Rizzo tried again. This time, with new partner Giuseppe Gregorio, he was successful and Teodoro Osteria & Bar opened in October.

Rizzo is a native Italian (from Turin, in the country’s extreme northwest) but, at Plado, he cooks in a loose, pan-Mediterranean style. ("Plado" means "plate" in Esperanto, the "universal language" created by L. L. Zamenhof in 1887.) At Teodoro, he is zeroing in on the cuisine of Rome.

"Roman cooking is underrated in America," he said. "And it is so good."

The city and its region (Lazio) are famous for four pastas you’ll find here. Rizzo makes classic tonarelli cacio e pepe and bucatini Amatriciana, but mixes up the carbonara by stuffing the guanciale-egg-pecorino mixture inside fresh agnolotti. He’s very proud of his gnocchi alla Romana (semolina dumplings baked with tomato sauce and provolone) even though he’s not selling a lot of it.

Roman specialties also include braised carciofi alla Romana (made here with tender, stem-on artichokes), supplì al telefono (rice croquettes stuffed with mozzarella) and porchetta d’Arricia (roast pork that, here, is served with Brussels sprouts).

Not specifically Roman, but equally tempting: stuffed zucchini flowers, branzino al forno, braised short ribs with mashed potatoes and broccoli rabe and rabbit alla cacciatora which, Rizzo said, "everyone is ordering. It’s crazy!"

You’ll also find nine individual pizzas, from a simple La Regina Margherita to one with porcini-mushroom spread, mozzarella and brie and fresh truffles. Pizzas range from $19.50 to $26.50. Starters here from $13 to $26, pastas from $19 to $27, mains from $28 to $44.

There’s a small but well-conceived wine list plus cocktails.

Rizzo, Gregorio and partner Alessandro Saba, who runs the dining room, gave the decor a light freshening, making it a bit more modern without losing the idiosyncratic charm that was a big part of Autentico’s appeal. They had a genius idea when it came to the name: "Teodoro" is Italian for Theodore (the village’s most famous resident) but also namechecks Theodoric the Great, the Ostrogothic king who ruled Rome from 493 to 526,

Teodoro, 124 South St., Oyster Bay, 516-588-9017, teodorony.com. Open every day 3 to 10 p.m.