Alfio “Alfie” Muto (1941-2017) was an Italian immigrant and restaurateur who opened Alfie’s Pizzeria in Richmond Hill in 1974. His establishment has gone on to serve the community for more than 50 years. Recognized as an outstanding eatery, Alfie’s Pizzeria has won the hearts, accolades, and loyalty of Queens residents for more than four generations.

Muto was born in Catania, Sicily, on an orange farm owned by the Muto family. He immigrated to the United States in 1969 at the age of 28, arriving in New York City with his wife, Nicole, and their two children, Rossella and Luigi. Before opening his pizzeria, Muto worked for a period at a factory job. The recipe for the pizza dough came from his hometown in Sicily, and it is still largely the same one used by the restaurant today.

When Muto retired in 2004, his children took over the family business. On September 15, 2024, Alfie’s celebrated its 50th anniversary, and the enduring local institution was inducted into the New York State Historic Business Registry. In honor of Muto’s longtime service to the community, a co-naming ceremony was held on June 8, 2025, to name the intersection of 117th Street and Myrtle Avenue, about 60 feet from the pizzeria’s entrance, as Alfie’s Way.