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steve h.
Oct 2, 2010 06:35 PM
Interesting thread (started in March, 2007).
Since the original post, I firmly believe that San Francisco has bowed to Naples and its tradition of wood-fired ovens and simple, yet high quality, ingredients. I like that.
Replicating a New York-style pizza in San Francisco doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Still, Tony Gemignani at Tony's Pizza Napoletana claims to have a New York-style pizza. Tony also bought out the shop next to his North Beach place. The new shop has a coal-fired oven just like Lombardi's and other NYC places. I'm a fan of what Tony has accomplished. I haven't tried the annex yet. I'll get around to it sometime down the road. New York-style pies are just not that high on my pizza radar.
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Tony's Pizza Napoletana
1570 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133›2 Replies-
re: steve h.
Robert Lauriston
Oct 2, 2010 07:31 PM
I tried the New York-style pizza at Tony's, it's a take on Ray's-style pies. Have not had the coal-oven one yet.
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I like 'Za. Hyde Street, Russian Hill. Thin crust that is flexible enough for a fold but with the proper crunch on the bottom and no big pillowy edge. Good toppings, too. Sometimes there's a bit too much sauce. Maybe more Boston/Providence than New York, but it's the real deal, East-Side pizza-wise.
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re: Sallie
dhoffman1421
Jun 4, 2007 10:27 AM
No mention of Amici's? Pickings on the Peninsula are slim so if anyone has recommendations for NY style I would love to hear them. TIA!
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re: foodiegrl
ChowFun_derek
Jun 6, 2007 10:12 AM
I hope that was an aberration!!! I have NEVER had cheddar on any pizza I have had there... (but I usually order the "New York"...I'm from Brooklyn originally)
In S.F. so far,... this is the closest to a NY pizza that I have found...but always looking) in fact I just returned from a visit to Brooklyn today..and still remember my Grimaldi's pizza fondly...sadly couldn't make it to DiFaras or Totonnos, this trip...
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Escape From New York
There is one on Haight (in the Haight) and one on Polk (in Russian Hill)
People who are actually from New York understand that New York pizza is not about gourmet anything -- it is the fast food, artery-clogging, thin crust goodness that seems nearly impossible to find outside the city, itself, let alone outside the tristate area. Escape From New York comes very close to what you can expect to find as you walk out of the subway in the Village, see two or three pizzarias, put your nose in each of them and chose where you're going to have lunch based upon which of those three smells the best.
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re: whiner
ChowFun_derek
Mar 10, 2007 10:07 PM
Sorry Whiner..I have to disagree...the only thing "New York" about their pizza is the name!
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I've been eating a lot of Lanesplitter lately. The three locations are not equal.
The pizza is best at the Temescal restaurant. Which is also the most like an
actual restaurant. Greasy and crispy. If they're playing, as they often are, that
Greatest Hits album from AC/DC, it's possible that asking the waitperson to
change it to something more pleasant will work. I've had varying success with
this.The San Pablo x University branch is mostly a bar with some tables thrown in.
The three big tables are disturbingly close to the bathroom. Personally, I like this
location better but "bar with some tables thrown in" isn't everyone's idea of a good
time. The pizza is never quite as good here. Cooler oven? Less-patient chef?
But the beer selection is better: normally they've got the entire Moonlight Brewing
catalog on tap. Last week their cask ale was Moonlight's Bombay by Boat IPA. Mmmm!
If it's beer AND pizza you're looking for together, this is the place.The San Pablo x Marin location is take out / delivery only and the pizza is almost always
undercooked. That's fine if you're eating it at home and can crisp it up a bit, not so
good when we take it back to the office for lunch. But if you pick it up from this
location, the giant-sized plain is only $10. -
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foodiegrl
Mar 6, 2007 08:28 AM
RE: Arinell's, here's a story to vouch for its appeal to a New Yorker -
On our way back to BART from a celebratory dinner at Chez Panisse, My husband stopped at Arinell's and bought a slice. After his first bite of folded-crust heaven, he bought another. We can't go anywhere else for pizza now (well, excpet New York, or course).›21 Replies-
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re: peterme
Obviously, "bad pizza" is a matter of opinion.
I have two questions, though.
1. For leoj, "it has wheat flour in the crust"... as opposed to what? I'm pretty sure I've only ever had pizza crust made from wheat flour.
2. Since I've never been to New York, I don't know the true meaning of "New York style" pizza. Is it customary for them to pre-bake the pizzas, and then reheat them to order? If so, I will probably not be a fan of New York pizza, b/c I think there is nothing like a freshly baked pizza straight out of the oven! Reheating is ok for leftover pizza at home, but certainly not would I would want or expect from a good pizza place.
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re: chemchef
Robert Lauriston
Mar 7, 2007 09:28 AM
The standard Ray's-style fast-food NY slice is cut from a whole cheese pizza that may be warm or cold depending on turnover. Any toppings are added, then it's reheated in a gas deck oven. Depending on turnover, you may be able to order a hot plain cheese slice that doesn't need to be reheated.
That's pretty much what Arinell's does, except they often have pepperoni and combo slices as well. Again, they may be hot out of the oven, cold, or anywhere in between depending on turnover.
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re: Robert Lauriston
Famous Ray's or Ray's Famous?
:)
Many places will have a certain number of by the slice options with toppings baked on, but anything they don't already have they will add during the reheat. Depending on how cold the pizza looks, sometimes it tastes better, or comes across less oily if you take a slice without the reheat. I also like the East Coast style of having slices of Italian susage on the pizza instead of who knows what you can get out here.
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re: leoj
ChowFun_derek
Mar 7, 2007 07:57 AM
The Arinell's in San Fran. has never produced either a good slice or whole pie when I have tried it....I have given up...unless there is a special time or pizziaola I should be looking for...
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re: leoj
Robert Lauriston
Mar 7, 2007 09:26 AM
Whether Arinell is "close to N.Y. style" depends on which of numerous NY styles you're referring to.
It's a fair rendition of your average greasy Ray's-style fast-food slice.
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re: leoj
Robert Lauriston
Mar 7, 2007 10:10 AM
My Arinell's slices usually have a tablespoons or so of grease pooled on top and running off onto the plate. That's not necessarily a bad thing, in fact it's one of the things that homesick New Yorkers often cite among its desirable qualities.
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re: ChowFun_derek
Robert Lauriston
Mar 10, 2007 09:34 AM
The two seem to me to make identical pizzas. Though to me it's second-rate junk food (just like Ray's) so I may be missing some fine points.
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re: Robert Lauriston
There aren't "fine" points I think, it is more that you just have a taste for the style, which totally works for me. Some points missed at places throughout the land, but not in NYC- 1) sauce has taste but not too sweet. 2) Crust has some crisp and some chew, and also is not tasteless 3) Cheese gets browned and isn't super gooey and there isn't too much (reheating tends to ensure this) 4) toppings can be as meh as anytwhere else, but usually sausage is pretty good.
Also "Ray's" isn't a chain, that's part of my joke above- it has turned into kind of a "brand" where lots of places use some variation of "Famous" "Original" and "Ray's"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray'...
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Gioia's. Gioia's. Gioia's. But never on a Sunday. Try the mushroom. (The toppings are baked on, not applied after baking and heated so you get no raw 'shrooms.) My husband is from New York and we went on a taster and Gioia's it is.
Hopkins just east of Monterey in Berkeley. Few seats at a counter. Bench outside.
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I saw your posting and ordered a half-sausage half-pepperoni pie from Haystack to be delivered. Ugh. It's nothing like any of the NY pie I remember from my years in NY and NJ. It had a thick puffy crust and a completely different cheese combination and flavor than my memories. It was certainly not the fold-lengthwise wet consistency to which I'm used.
The closest that I've been able to find in San Francisco is Village Pizza; one on Clement at Arguello, another on Van Ness near Bush. (There might be more locations.)
Meh; what I really want is an all-night NY pie place - this posting has made me hungry.
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re: Miss Misha
Zach Georgopoulos
Mar 6, 2007 08:32 AM
The Village Pizzeria menu that came with my last delivery only references the Van Ness location, and one at Taraval between 21st & 22d -- no mention of Clement St. or Alameda.
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re: NoeMan
ChowFun_derek
Mar 5, 2007 10:44 AM
It's true the New Yorker is different...thinner crust, scorched a little...
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re: NoeMan
ChowFun_derek
Mar 6, 2007 06:46 AM
I get it unsliced so that I can reheat/crisp it on my pizza stone....
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re: NoeMan
osho
Mar 28, 2007 11:42 AM
My better half is from the East Coast, and she had this craving for NY style pizza. After reading the recommendations about Haystack, we went and had the "New Yorker" pizza.
Nowhere near the real thing - is her verdict. My personal favourites are Delfina and Pizza Orgasmica, BTW.
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re: osho
Robert Lauriston
Mar 28, 2007 11:53 AM
I like Pizzeria Delfina's pizza, but it's nothing like anything I've had in New York.
They call it "Neapolitan-inspired" but the crust is crisper, thicker, and not cooked in a wood pizza oven.
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re: Robert Lauriston
shortexact
Mar 28, 2007 12:10 PM
Agreed. Their pizza can also be quite "droopy" in the center of the pie. The pizzas are quite tasty, but not my all-around favorite, and don't strike me as all that NY-like really, either.
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Zion
Mar 4, 2007 08:37 AM
exactly. Im looking for real new york style. greasy, cheesey thin crust heaven...looks like its between Gioia, Lanespitter, PITS and Arinell....
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