After almost a lifetime in the kitchen, Pete Tineo has finally gotten the opportunity to open his own business, and he's brought his experience, expertise and innovations to Venezia Pastaria and Pizza in Miller Place.

Tineo has worked in pizza places and restaurants all over Long Island. He was a chef at Stony Brook University for 16 years before opening the new restaurant in June after Bella Italia had closed its doors for good.

Tineo teams up with Bob "Pop" Galiardo, a familiar face who worked in the location with past owners and has 35 years experience in the restaurant business, and Peter Matura, the operations manager.

Galiardo wears many hats but is the maître d' and oversees all dining room operations. Matura is also a mainstay from Bella Italia. He graduated from Miller Place High School and is active in the Miller Place Fire Department.

"We want to be that neighboorhood hometown place, people come in they're more than a table number," Matura said. We know who they are and give them quality service and a quality product. We're getting the name out and hoping to sponsor a team in the North Shore Little League this season as well."

Aside from the classic pizza fare, the restaurant has a new menu, unique specials and offers on-site or off-site catering. The menu offers classic Italian dishes along with various steak, lobster and seafood dishes.

"I've cooked in American, Italian and Greek restaurants and at Stony Brook University I had to know how to cook anything [and] everything," Tineo said.

Patrons can either stop by for a slice or walk past the pizza counter back into the dining room, where the walls are decorated with a hand-painted mural of Italy. It can seat around 40 comfortably and is home to birthday parties and the like.

Since opening, the restaurant has seen steady business according to the three men in charge. Tineo, Galiardo and Matura are enjoying the unseasonably warm weather and looking forward to the Spring with foot traffic from Sylvan Park, located right next door.

"When people come in here it's cozy, it's quaint and they're very pleased," Galiardo said. "Business is picking up gradually. In the short amount of time, we've seen a stready stream and the people that have been coming, are coming back.