Image: Sal & Mookie’s

Sal & Mookie’s brought New York style to Mississippi in 2007.

With authentic New York pizzas and a Little-Italy themed menu– plus an ice cream shop in the heart of the restaurant– it was a style and an experience the area hadn’t seen before.

Combining Dan Blumenthal and Jeff Good’s commitment to high-quality family dining and desire to give back to the community, Sal & Mookie’s was named “Best New Restaurant” by Mississippi Magazine.

“I love pizza,” said Chef and Co-Owner Dan Blumenthal, “always have! And I wanted to bring real New York style pizza to Mississippi. The huge pies, authentic toppings, the brick-lined ovens, flavorful crust… all of it! So collaborating with my corporate chef, Jon Pixler and I worked on a dough recipe and red sauce until we felt we got it right. It took the better part of a year.”

To round out the research, Blumenthal, Good and the team flew to New York for a pizza-eating marathon. They visited a dozen famous New York pizzerias and ate more pizza than they care to discuss.

“What we had created in Mississippi from memory and research was true to the originals we were eating,” Blumenthal said. “We were ready to go!”

All of the pizzas on Sal & Mookie’s expansive menu are named after New York landmarks and people: the Central Park, Empire State, Freedom Tower, Meat Packing District, 4-Train and the Gambino, to name but a few.

“Our pizzas are like no other you have ever tried,” said Jon Pixler, Chef and Head Pizzaiolo. “All of our toppings and ingredients are either handmade from scratch or are the absolute best quality we can buy.”

In addition to pizzas, Sal & Mookie’s offers gourmet paninis and hot subs, classic Little-Italy style pasta and appetizers including award-winning wings, and flame-grilled burgers like the Bobby Flay, Statue of Liberty and the Turkey Lurkey.

When it comes time for dessert, the restaurant has an entire ice cream parlor in the middle of the restaurant where they make an almost endless variety of splits, shakes, malts, floats and scoops.

With ice cream, Mookie’s Mocktails, Wikki Stix to play with (ask to have your creation put on the wall!) and pizza, Sal & Mookie’s is a kid’s paradise.

“When Dan and I dreamed this up, we wanted to provide a place where parents would love to take their kids,” Good said. “But too often, family-oriented restaurants serve mediocre food, or give sub-standard service, or are just ‘too kiddy’ for adults to really enjoy. At Sal & Mookie’s, our food is top quality and the experience great for everyone. We offer local and regional craft beers, a fully stocked bar, and custom cocktails like the Bada Bing and the Mookarita. I’ve never seen adults so happy to be out with their kids.”

The commitment to families shows. Since opening in 2007, Sal & Mookie’s has been consistently named the best restaurant for families by Mississippi Magazine and Parents & Kids.

See the Sal & Mookie’s menu here