Dockside Pizza
780 Bay Walk
Ocean Beach, NY
631-583-0303
Dockside Pizza adjacent to the Island Mermaid.
In a seasonal beach community like Fire Island, year-round shops are a little hard to come by. Ocean Beach’s only year-round market, Dockside Pizza, has served tourists and residents 12 months out of the year for decades. Previously known as Mermaid Market, the shop is located adjacent to the Island Mermaid Restaurant and Bar at the intersection of Ocean Breeze and Bay walks.
Proprietor Travis D’Arienzo took over management of the space from Island Mermaid owner Scott Hirsch seven years ago and installed a 4,700-pound Morello Forni pizza oven from Italy in 2019. The superheated oven, one of only a few of its kind in the tri-state area, cooks pizzas in just 180 seconds.
Meat lovers pie.
“During the summer, we focus on our pizza and deli business,” said Travis. “In the off-season we bring in all the essentials you’d find in a grocery store.” Toiletries, paper goods, basic housewares, milk, and eggs and among the items sold from Columbus Day through the spring.
What sets Dockside apart from other pizza spots in town is its custom-made 12-inch pizzas with a wide assortment of available toppings. Signature pies include caprese, barbecue chicken, veggie, meat lovers, and chicken bacon ranch. Over 35 toppings can be combined to make an almost endless assortment of custom pies as well.
A friend and I recently sampled three signature pies: the caprese, the meat lovers, and the chicken bacon ranch. While we enjoyed all three, the caprese – with ricotta, cherry tomatoes, garlic pesto, and mozzarella – was the favorite pie for both of us. The flavorful pesto, consisting of basil, crushed garlic, and other seasonings, paired delightfully with a generous helping of fresh mozzarella. We couldn’t resist finishing the whole pie right away. The crust was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and not overcooked. The pizzas here are about 2 inches smaller than a standard New York-style pizza and are cut into six slices instead of eight.
The friendly Dockside staff.
We also loved the chicken bacon ranch pie, also known as the CBR. We agreed that sometimes on pies like this the ranch or bacon can be overpowering, but on this pie all three ingredients were added in perfect portions. The ranch was tangy and the bacon crispy but not burnt. The diced chicken was thick and juicy. Although we had planned to save some pizza for another meal, we also couldn’t help but finish the CBR pie in one sitting as well.
The meat lovers pie featured marinara sauce, mozzarella, sausage, meatballs, pepperoni, and bacon. Ham and chicken can also be added or substituted if desired. The meat toppings were generously applied and very flavorful – especially the meatballs and sausage.
A full-service deli during breakfast and lunch, Dockside offers an assortment of sandwiches and salads (their macaroni salad is a personal go-to dish I enjoy with barbecues at home), as well as snack items, beer, and other beverages. For those who eat gluten-free, cauliflower crusts are available on all pizzas.
Stop in and see Travis and his team all year on Ocean Breeze for breakfast, coffee, and sandwiches daily. Their delicious Dockside pizza will be available daily through Columbus Day Weekend – then transition to Pizza Fridays during the winter – a much welcome treat for workers and year-round residents alike who stick it out through the winters on Fire Island.
