As someone of Italian background who has grown up in SI, the land of great Italian food, hands-down Villa Monte has been my favorite place for real Italian food for years. My immediate and extended family all feel the same way.
Yes, it is extremely casual. The wait staff are local teens, half the place is a pizzeria, & it is noisy. But this is part of what makes it great. It is a genuine, local Italian restaurant with no frills, offering the best Italian cuisine on the Island, esp. for the price!
It not only serves typical Italian-American cuisine but also real Sicilian cuisine like escarole and beans, sauteed broccoli rabe in garlic and oil, etc.
Staten Island by far has the best Italian food of all the boroughs, and this is the best on the Island!!
Pros: food, value, local feel
more