L&B Spumoni Gardens facts for kids

A yummy slice of Sicilian-style pizza from L&B Spumoni Gardens.

L&B Spumoni Gardens is a famous pizza place and restaurant in Brooklyn, New York City. It's located in the Gravesend area. This popular spot started before World War II as a small stand selling ice and a special Italian dessert called spumoni.

By the mid-1950s, it grew into a full restaurant. Today, it's super well-known for its delicious Sicilian pizza and refreshing ices. You might have even seen it on TV shows like Man v. Food or The Zimmern List with Andrew Zimmern! Many people, including food critics, think it's a must-try Italian-American restaurant in Brooklyn.

The Story of L&B Spumoni Gardens

Starting with a Dream

The person who started L&B Spumoni Gardens was Ludovico Barbati. He came to the United States in 1917 from a town called Torella dei Lombardi in Italy. He had a dream of creating something special.

From Wagon to Restaurant

In 1938, Ludovico Barbati began selling pizza. He didn't have a big store yet; he sold his pizzas from a horse and wagon! This was a common way to sell food back then.

A year later, in 1939, he bought an empty piece of land on 86th Street. This new spot was where he started making his famous spumoni and other cool ice treats.

By the middle of the 1950s, his small stand had grown a lot. It became the L&B Spumoni Gardens we know today. The location had a factory just for making spumoni, a busy pizzeria, and even a small luncheonette, all in one place! It's been a popular spot for generations of families ever since.

Images for kids

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  Two slices of thick, delicious Sicilian pizza from L&B Spumoni Gardens.