Am I even allowed to do a richNY/poorNY comparison on Pizza in Manhattan? Even though there have been more reviews of pizza in New York than I can count, I’m going to go ahead and offer my opinion on two great pizzerias in the city. For this special entry, I had to call in backup: The Purveyor of Pizza himself, my friend A (who really is a pizza expert.)
poorNY
If you have never gotten Joe’s Pizza over on the West Side downtown, you are missing out. Easily accessible and wallet-friendly, Joe’s is some of the best pizza I have ever had. The ambiance is very casual, just a pizza counter and a few tables if you can snag a seat, but don’t go for the customer service (if Joe lets you use the bathroom, you know you’re lucky). Joe’s slices are hefty wedges of delicious crispy crust of a medium thickness slathered in delicious sauce and cheese. Disclaimer: if you’re a toppings-kind of person, be forewarned that Joe’s toppings are not all that grand, as they’re generally afterthoughts. The kicker is the sauce, which A tells me is so good because it’s so simple: you can really taste the fresh tomatoes.
The ambiance and the no-nonsense approach to punching out pizzas indicate why Joe’s is so good. The pizza is almost always fresh and hot right out of the oven, unlike other pizzerias that might toss in a slice to reheat it. “Joe’s has kind of perfected the slice,” says A. “You can tell by the ambiance that the focus is just on getting a fresh slice out of the oven, which you almost always get.” Joe’s is the model of true, delicious New York Pizza, and at $2.50 for a nice-sized slice, it makes the perfect lunch on the go or after-drinking snack.
Joe’s Pizza
7 Carmine Street (at 6th Avenue)
$
richNY
Both my friend A and I are lucky enough to have lived in Italy, and equally lucky to have both tried true Napolean pizza in Napoli. There, the pizza is messier than we’re used to: olive oil dripping off of thick, doughy chunks that you either have to rip or cut apart – Italians eat personal pies, no such thing as slices.
That experience can be replicated in Manhattan, with a little bit of an investment. This week’s richNY is probably the most expensive pizza I’ve ever eaten, but it’s worth it, since it sent me right back to Italy. Una Pizza Napoletana is a snug little restaurant that you have to walk by slowly to catch. They don’t take reservations, they’re only open Thursday through Sunday, and it’s a tiny place with only a handful of tables, but it’s got a great vibe. I came across Una Pizza when looking for a place to grab a bite with A, and when we noticed two things – there were no prices on the menu, and their hours were from “5 pm ‘til we run out of fresh dough,” we were intrigued.
To be fair, their pizza is expensive. I was shocked when we discovered that our personal pizzas were $21 each! Luckily, it was worth it. I ordered the Marinara, delicious thick crust smothered in olive oil and sea salt, fresh garlic, basil, and fresh sliced tomatoes. A ordered the Margherita, which is the Marinara but with buffalo mozzarella. To die for. The pizzas, which had a smoky flavor from the brick oven, were super fresh and surprisingly filling, not to mention nostalgic.
Una Pizza Napoletana brings pizza back to its roots by elevating it to the level of an entrée you would order in any other restaurant. The care that they put into their pizzas there – and the fact that that’s all you can order! – really shows their dedication to deliciousness. You might wonder if the nose-up attitude is deserved (no prices on a menu is always snobby) but if you’re in search of an authentic Italian pizza and you have a few dollars to spare, this place is perfect. This place is not for those in a rush: don’t forget about Slow Food, the Italian movement started by Carlo Petrini that focuses on enjoying your food while you eat it. It’s a great venue for a leisurely date with a bottle of wine.
The good news is, you don’t have to choose between the two pizza joints because they’re such different experiences. According to A, “When you pit New York versus Naples, I think the contest ends in a draw.”
Una Pizza Napoletana
349 East 12th Street (Between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
$$$
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The New York/Naples juxtaposition is a good one. The quality of the za gets exponentially worse with every square mile from either city. (Ever try ordering pizza in Omaha? They replaced Mozzarella with Pepper Jack. There's just no recovering from something like that).
ReplyDeleteI imagine early Italian immigrants learning quickly that the sloppy Neapolitan pies from the old country wouldn't fly with the fast pace of New York. Joe's has managed to craft a slice that can reasonably be taken on the go, but without sacrificing the attention to quality that far too often comes with it. It's worth an extra walk if you're anywhere near the village, and worlds better than other local offerings (I'll never be able to respect Famigilia).
It's nice to see someone demanding a little accountability from pizzerias. Thanks for the spreading the message!
Gotta be careful of those Omaha slices.
ReplyDeleteThe post's international qualities make it far more relevant and credible than the average "Top Slice in NY" ranking. You're factoring in the Gigante's in Florence, the thin pies in Barcelona, and those that shall not be named in Munich.
Great post, and quite the window into A's daily journey for a great slice.