The best pizza ever made in NYC, and therefore the world, was the pizza at the original Motorino in Brooklyn, before it closed due to the building falling down. And, at least up to the the time it closed, the New York Times agreed with that statement (as did every resonable person who had actually visited).
In, for my money and dollar for dollar and pound for pound, that Motorino was the best restaurant of any kind that has ever existed in New York City. And therefore the world.
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When I moved to the upper east side near York Ave. in the late 60's, pizza was something made in small shops and sold by the slide - very cheap and not great.
One evening I ran into a friend I knew in the Navy who also lived in my neighborhood and while walking around looking for some place to eat, we saw a new restaurant with the crew of workers being fed pizza. It was early evening and we were taking in the scene and tall slender guy motions us to come to the door. He said, "hungry?" We sat down and were given some pizza that tasted great and unlike NY pizza, it was thick and had real flavor. The guy who invited us in was Larry Goldberg. We then got the story - he had dated a gal who was the cook for a Chicago pizza place and he got her recipes, came to NYC and as they say - the rest is history.
When New York magazine featured Goldberg's pizza - getting in the door was a long wait. I loved Goldberg's pizza.
Make my own now and use a wood burning smoker - great!
Neapolitan pizza is not the same as other pie-like or puffy crusted pizzas Americans seem to prefer. While I love a good Chicago deep dish, few things can compare with a wood-fired Neapolitan pizza with minimal toppings. Here in Portland, OR - Cathy Whims' Nostrana makes a great one. Many years ago, I had the pleasure of a NYC Una Pizza. Glad he's back!
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Will give it a try but definitely skipping the small plates. Contra and Wildair are a joke; food for young people dipping their toes into fine dining who don't know any better. Our meal at the former was laughably bad.
For those who grew up in Westbury, NY in the '60, there was only one pizzeria you needed to talk about - Franks. There's still a really good pizzeria there, but people would come from all over the island to go there and I'm sure I'm not the first person who has written about it.
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There are just two types of pizza: great and good enough!
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@ BillW NYC
I would add a third: the one to be thrown away after the first bite.
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If this pizzeria was so successful for a long time, why did it move so many times?
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My understanding was that Mr. Mangieri moved his restaurant to San Francisco because he wanted to do more mountain biking. That's the kind of thing you can do when you have a very successful restaurant.
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Cuz it's mediocre at best. Not enough cheese or sauce, too doughy. It can't touch John's Pizzeria of Bleecker Street the best pizza in NYC.
John’s? Really? Maybe 20 years ago. Want by far the best pizza in NYC? Go to DiFara in Midwood. I live in upper Manhattan and drive there every 4-5 weeks it’s so good. Dom’s getting older, so go while he’s still making the pizzas.
"...a burrata-and-cheese appetizer"? Is this what the menu lists as "Burrata with tomatoes"?
We miss the restaurant, we miss seeing Anthony in front of the pizza oven, and we miss the pizza. It was, and will always be, the best pizza in San Francisco!
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So happy to have had Anthony and his wonderful pizza in SF. So sorry to see him leave. Delicious pizza. Talented and gracious chef. Wishing him the best in his new endeavor.
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I like thin crusted pizza also. The pizzas do not look good. It is like they make bread and put stuff on it. Sorry.
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Pizza napoletana always has a thicker crust than pizza romana...That is part of what defines pizza napoletana. Sorry.
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As the saying goes, once you had one pizza, you have had them all. I like pizza thin crusted, with a variety of ingredients, but absolutely no tomatoes. I would not want to eat the pizza handled by the heavily tattooed hands and arms of Mr. Mangieri.
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Yeah in Evanston they put some Ragu on a Ritz top it with Cheez Whiz and there's your pizza. Always served by pink unblemished arms.
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You meet one mid westerner, you've met them all.
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this has got to be the cleanest and, meanest, razor-cut satire I have ever read.
I've had pizza all over, to my tooth, the best were from Naples, Capri and Anthony's......his pies are world class. I hate the queue to get in but a small price to pay, cheaper and easier than flying to Italy. As for his tats; his body, his life, his business.....now shuffle along.
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