STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Lee’s Tavern welcomed a special guest Friday morning — Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Florida governor posed for photos with co-owner Diego Palemine and ordered a clam pie, along with the Lee’s Special: sausage, sautéed onions, fresh tomato and mozzarella.
This is not a cardboard cutout of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The special guest at Lee’s Tavern was indeed at the historic restaurant to savor its famed pizza. (Courtesy of Diego Palemine)
“They came in at 10 a.m.,” Diego said, noting the party of eight had originally planned to arrive an hour later. “He was really nice, easy to talk to, very down to earth. He was also very generous with a tip.”
DeSantis left a generous tip as well as a challenge coin as a gift for the Palemine family.(Courtesy of Diego Palemine)
DeSantis’ staff told Diego the governor was in town for press appearances and meetings. Diego laughed about the photo op: “Everyone said it wasn’t real. It wasn’t a cardboard cutout. I put my arm around him for the picture. It’s not every day you meet a governor.”
The visit shines a spotlight on Lee’s Tavern, one of Staten Island’s oldest pizzerias. Located at 60 Hancock St. in Dongan Hills, the no-frills spot has been serving locals since 1940. Known for its clam pie and crisp fried calamari, Lee’s keeps a low profile. It has no sign on the facade and no social media presence, yet it continues to attract generations of loyal customers.
Lee’s Tavern’s clam pie is a masterpiece, by some standards, with its garlicky goodness and clams baked into the cheese.Benanti
Founded by Leroy “Mr. Lee” Moresco, the tavern was taken over by the Palemine family in 1969. It has earned national attention from bloggers, a solid Barstool Pizza Review rating, and even appeared in Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, where it was briefly transformed into Nemo’s Bar & Grill for the shoot.