Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pizza, New York Style
Once the domain of countless first-rate pizzerias, Manhat-
tan's pizza offerings have noticeably dropped in quality. The
proliferation of national chains into the market has lowered
standards. Still, there is plenty of good pizza to be found.
Don't be tempted by imitations; when it comes to pizza,
search out the real deal. Here are some of the best:
DiFara Pizza , 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn, at E. 15th St.
( & 718/258-1367 ). DiFara's is ballyhooed in local publica-
tions as the best pizza in the city. And though the exterior is
nondescript, looking like your basic neighborhood pizzeria
and the interior is cramped, and to be kind, somewhat
unkempt with bits of congealed cheese, olive oil, sauce, and
crust from a generation of diners still on the tables, DiFara's
lives up to its reputation thanks to the zeal of owner
Dominic DeMarco, who, for over 40 years, has made every
pizza himself. Stooped but determined, DeMarco, in his
own deliberate way and using top ingredients, crafts each
pizza finishing with hand-grated Parmesan cheese, a few
dollops of extra-virgin olive oil, and then, using scissors,
hand cutting fresh basil onto the pie. The result is a work of
art, but one that might test your patience. Expect to wait an
hour for a pie, maybe a bit less for a slice. But after one
taste, you will know it was worth it.
Grimaldi's Pizzeria, 19 Old Fulton St., between Front and
Water streets ( & 718/858-4300; www.grimaldis.com). If you
need incentive to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge,
Grimaldi's, in Brooklyn Heights, provides it. In fact, the pizza
is so good, made in a coal oven with a rich sauce and home-
made mozzarella, you might run across the bridge to get to
it. Be warned: It can get very crowded at dinnertime.
John's Pizzeria, 278 Bleecker St., near Seventh Avenue
South ( & 212/243-1680 ). Since it has expanded from this
original location—there are now three—the once-gleaming
luster of John's has faded slightly, but the pizza is still a cut
above the rest. Thin-crusted and out of a coal oven with the
proper ratio of tomato sauce to cheese, John's pizza has a
loyal following. Though the quality at all the locations is
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