The Village Pizzeria

I was out in San Francisco this weekend and I went out for some pizza with my brother. We were celebrating his promotion to shift manager at Park Chow and it was long overdue for him to make his debut on the blog. His pick was The Village Pizzeria on Clement and Arguello. This place is well known for their pizza and they pride themselves as "The Brooklyn Pizza That Moved West!" When I lived in SF I used to frequent this place and so in a way it was like coming home. The place is pretty chill (like everything in SF). They have a standard gas oven and even have some cool black and white photos of Brooklyn and Coney Island on the walls.
The Village offers two different crust choices, Neopolitan and Sicilian.
In reality though, there is no choice. You have to go with the Sicilian. We ordered a whole plain pie. 12 slices, $19.00. After about 20 minutes the pie arrived piping hot and looking awesome. Thick crust slices, especially the ones that you get at an average NY pizzeria, are often denser than a brick and have a flavorless crust. Not this pie. The crust was perfectly baked and was nice and airy. It was very reminiscent of the pie at L&B Spumoni Gardens. The sauce had great flavor and the sauce to cheese ratio was good. No fresh mozzarella here but the Village Pizzeria claims to use the best Wisconsin mozzarella available. I must say it was tasty. My brother and I really enjoyed the pie and I enjoyed the company too. I can't wait for him to visit me so that I can take him to Grimaldi's for some coal oven pie and some Brooklyn Lager!

Pizza in Vancouver

Daena and I arrived in Vancouver this morning. After checking in at the hotel, we wandered around the neighborhood and stumbled upon a place called Lombardo's. How could we resist pizza in Canada! The Pizza Tour's first stop outside of the US. The place was quite nice and quiet and they have a gas fired brick oven. We ordered a medium Pizza Margherita (30cm diameter) Bring on the metric system! The pie was very good and definitely satisfied our hunger. The sauce to cheese ratio was way too low for my liking and perhaps a bit more fresh basil would have been nice but otherwise it gets a thumbs up. I'm a long way from NYC but it is always great to have some pie. Vancouver is beautiful thus far. Tomorrow we set sail for Alaska!

The Original Patsy's

Life is better with pizza. Finally made it to the original Patsy's on 117th street and 1st Ave. This is the only Patsy's with a coal oven and it is far superior to the chain of Patsy's located throughout the city. Patsy's has the hallmarks of an old school NY pizzeria; exposed brick wall and framed photos of celebrities eating their pizza. Perhaps the coolest thing on the wall is a large painted portrait of Frank Sinatra. I thought it would be more crowded but I guess not many people make the trek up to Harlem for great pizza. At least not on a weekday during lunch. Brian and I ordered a plain pie. There is only one size and it costs $11. We got the pizza pretty quickly and we both agreed that it was great.

Two things make this pizza unique. The ultrathin crust and the tomato sauce. The crust was a little on the underdone side but still had that great coal oven char on the underside and edges. The tomato sauce was probably the simplest I've had yet. No signs of any italian seasonings. Just great fresh tomato flavor. After finishing our pizza, we asked about the mozzarella. It wasn't clear on the menu, but it turns out that their basic cheese pie is made with grated whole milk mozzerella and if you want the fresh mozzarella (who wouldn't) you have to specifically order it. So, it looks like we'll be visiting Patsy's again for another pie soon. If you don't have the time to enjoy a whole pie, you could always stop by for a slice right next door. $1.50 for coal oven slices. Brian and I were tempted for more but we decided to hold off until next visit!

Frank Pepe **

I know this is a NY pizza tour but for the coal oven I make exceptions. Daena and I were visiting friends up in Massachusetts and on our way home we stopped for lunch at Frank Pepe. It is in New Haven's Little Italy on Wooster Street. I heard about this place from my friend Cate who has been there several times. We were excited to try this place and we were curious to see how Connecticut pie would stack up against NY. We arrived at about 12:30 (1 hour after they opened) and we were seated right away. The place is filled with booths and we were assigned booth 22.

Frank Pepe's was built in 1925 and it definitely has an old feel to it but it is kept in great condition. High ceilings provide great ventilation from the heat of the oven and also make the place feel big. As we walked to our booth we passed the giant coal oven which occupies the entire back wall of the pizzeria. You know its huge because the handles of the pizza peels are about 10 feet long. Even in a relatively small working area, the pizzaiolos make it look easy as they slide the pies in and out of the back of the oven. After we sat down we were given a menu which was printed on a piece of paper. Pizza only. In addition to this menu, Pepe's menu is also right on the wall. We didn't really need a menu because we knew we were going to get a large tomato pie with mozzarella ($13.80). We ordered our pie and waited. The smell of pizza filled the air and we watched as each pie was brought from the oven area to an area where the servers cut the pie.

The anticipation was palpable and we finally saw our server walk over to the large cheese pie and slice it up. We knew it was ours and we were ready for it. The pizza was really big. The crust was awesome and really crispy. The tomato sauce was light and had a great fresh flavor. The cheese was also good but I'm not sure if they use fresh mozzarella here. Also, I thought that the sauce to cheese ratio was too low. Regardless though, this pizza was excellent and we came pretty close to polishing off the large. My only criticism of this place was actually the way that the pizza was sliced. After watching the servers cut the pizza it looks like they rotate the pizza and cut with no particular timing such that each slice is a different size and some are not even triangular. They do it so fast that I couldn't tell if there was a method to their pizza cutting madness. In the end it didn't matter and it even gave the pie a character of its own. After eating this pizza, our hands were blackened from the coal crust and we were ridiculously full.

On our way out we snapped some photos of the coal oven and talked briefly to the manager. If you are there, make sure to check out the photos on the wall. We really liked the ones of Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton eating pie. Also, I recommend the root beer as it perfectly complemented this pizza. When we left, the line outside Pepe's was growing. We walked over to an Italian pastry shop next door called Libby's to check out their stash of cannolis. They looked awesome but we had no room for dessert. So it looks like I'll have to get my fix back home at Ferrara's. If you are ever in New Haven and want great pizza, stop by Frank Pepe and you won't be disappointed.

Luzzo's

Next stop on the tour was Luzzo's. It's on 1st Avenue between 12th and 13th. I heard about this place from my friend Emilie and she said it was great. She was certainly right. This place doesn't advertise how great their pizza is. They take a more modest approach and so you won't find it draped with banners that proclaim to serve the planet's best pizza and it won't be packed with tourists.
Luzzo's has a coal oven and makes traditional Naples style pizza. They use mozzarella de bufala (mozzarella made from buffalo milk) and place it in large drops onto the sauce. The crust is thin, not crispy, but perfectly charred in a way that only a coal oven could produce. The sauce is simple, sweet, and tasty. The buffalo mozzarella is very creamy. Overall, the pie was light and delicious. It is a very unique pizza and we found the combination of the coal oven crust with the mozzarella de bufala cheese to be perfect.
As a bonus, this place is very charming. Dae and I felt like we could have been eating in a small cafe in Italy. One side of the place is lined with small booths and the other side with small tables. Exposed brick covers one of the walls, giving Luzzo's a very rustic feel. The service was excellent. All servers and Pizzaioli are Italian, along with many of their patrons.
This place also serves up more than just great pizza. Dae and I tried the Italian cheese fondue as an appetizer and were not disappointed. It had a combination of smoked mozzarella, parmesan, and goat cheese and was served with some great crispy toasts. We definitely can't wait to go back. In addition to a 16" pizza ($19) we want to try the Gnocchi Alla Sorrentino. We knew this place was going to be great because when we walked in we spotted Furio (from the Sopranos) having dinner by himself in a booth in the back.
With Luzzo's under my belt, there are only 3 more coal oven joints to try. Stay tuned!

L&B Spumoni Gardens

Finally made it out to the BK with my friend Brian for some L&B. Had to have their famous squares. We sat outside to take in all of the sights and sounds of Bensonhurst. Thankfully we went with a half pie and not a whole pie (which could easily feed a family of 8). This pizza is very unique. Unlike most other joints, L&B puts their sauce on top of the mozzerella. The sauce is really good and definitely adds character to this pie. As a finishing touch, they sprinkle some parmigiano cheese on top. For a square pie the dough is really nice and airy. Nothing like the doughy sicilian slice you will find at nearly every sliceria in the city. The crust was nice and well done. My only complaint is that I think the dough was prebaked earlier in the day and then rebaked once the cheese and sauce were added. So the crust was not as fresh tasting as it could have been. I don't know if this is always the case or not. I guess I'll have to see next time I'm there. Brian and I did pretty well and managed to devour 4 slices each along with a pitcher of root beer. We saved some room for spumoni but never got any as we had to bail to avoid getting caught in a thunderstorm. Overall I liked this place and I would definitely go back for more squares.

Angelo's

My friend Brian and I hit up Angelo's after work several months ago. It's on 57th between 6th and 7th. This place is coal oven too. We weren't sure what we were going to get but it was pretty good. The pizza was very reminiscent of Patsy's. Nice and crispy crust and a good sauce to cheese ratio. Not only was the pizza like Patsy's but the decor and the menus were a carbon copy of Patsy's. It was as though Angelo's bought a Patsy's pizzeria and converted it to Angelo's. The place was very quiet and there was no wait for a table. Overall, the pie was good.

Lombardi's

It's the first pizzeria to open in NY. 101 years old. Coal Oven cranks out some awesome pie. This place was my number 1 for so many years. I raved about it to anyone who would listen. You just couldn't beat it. The crust was perfect. The coal oven roasted red peppers were the best I've ever had. The first picture here is from a trip with my friend Kevin in the pre expansion era (B.E.). I'm sad to report that the pizza has changed. The crust is thinner, the pies smaller, and the cheese and toppings more sparse. Just look at the picture from the post expansion era (A.E.). This is not an anomaly either as the last several times I have been here the pizza was sub par. Ever since expanding, things have changed. Don't get me wrong, this place still serves some relatively good pie but not as good as it used to be. I'll always hold a special place in my heart for Lombardi's but my ride down to Spring St. will be less frequent. If you do go, try to go on a weeknight when it is less busy and the pies tend to come out perfectly charred.

Totonno's Upper East

This place keeps moving up the list of favorites. The crust is always crispy from the brick oven and the sauce is really flavorful. Daena really likes the house salad here. Also, on Monday nights you can get a large pie and a pitcher of beer for $25. Great deal! I have yet to try the original Totonno's in Brooklyn but I have plans to visit this summer.

Patsy's Upper East

After a long day in the lab I needed a fix. Daena and I went to Patsy's on 69th and 2nd. The pie was great. Tangy sauce and crispy crust. Patsy's has definitely changed their pie over the last year and for the better. The last several times we have eaten here we have really enjoyed the pizza. The service is quite bad but who needs service once your pizza has arrived to the table!

Grimaldi's Pizza

I have to start with my current favorite. This place is awesome. Too good to really describe with words. You'll have to wait for a table but it's so worth it. Coal oven makes for the perfect crust and the fresh mozzarella is superb. I recommend the roasted red peppers as they are awesome too. There is a great view of the oven from the tables and so you can watch your pie as it is being made. When you are done you can walk to the waterfront and take in the manhattan skyline. If you have room (which you probably won't) you can try the Brooklyn Ice Cream factory right on the pier.

Hello Everyone...

This site is long overdue as anyone who knows me will know that I love pizza and I rarely go out for pizza without my camera in hand. So, as a tribute to my favorite food I plan on documenting my visits to the plethora of great New York pizzerias. Some are old, some are new, and all are tasty. I hope you enjoy this as much as I will. Lets grab some pie!