Brooklyn Pizza Recommendatons

[eileenfon]

I am taking my boyfriend on a tour of Brooklyn because he wants to see where I grew up. Since I moved out over 10 years ago, I was wondering if anyone can suggest a place to take him for a good authentic slice of pizza? I know of Di Fara but I want a backup in case it is closed.

[NYJewboy]

As far as I know, there is only one pizzeria in Brooklyn. I think its on avenue J.

[Scagnetti]

There is NO substitute...

[khuebbe]

My good friend raves about Grimaldi's. Besides which, lots to walk around and see there. My favorite is my local pizza shop - Ganni's on Myrtle and Franklin. mmmm

[jolivore]

Franny's pizza is up a notch. It tastes like they're letting the dough rise longer: it's still thin but more tasty, not just a matzoh. But pricey — oh, my! $18 for so-so sausage, on top of the pie. The place is noisier than a bandbox, and is child-care central on Saturday afternoons. I was there yesterday and the day was beautiful but the garden was closed.

[Tay]

Let's see..... Pricey, so so sausage, noisy, closed garden, all topped offf with screaming children: Maybe it's just me but it sounds like more of a stay away warning than a rec :-}

[jmj]

does anyone else think it's high time for a separate Brooklyn Pizza board? :-)

[Bob Martinez]

A DiFara's board would be more appropriate. I like all my discussion of DiFara's in one place, undiluted by those annoying mentions of other pizza places.

[Scagnetti]

DiFara's... There is no substitute.

[Brklynbobby]

Try J&V Pizza on 18th Avenue & 64th Street in Bensonhurst. They have a great pepperoni pie that is available by the slice.

[MaryC]

I grew up in Midwood w/Difara being the local pizzeria, it is good but at this point is far to crowded and inconsistent in quality for it to be worth the wait. I have lived in Marine Park for the last 20 years, if your looking for a good slice from the local places and N&D on Ave U, Knapp Pizza on Knapp wil do the trick. Not in Marine Park but close by, L&B on 86th has great square (regular slice nothing special). Tortonno in Coney Island is always good and sits amid the sights of Coney Island that are always good to take in on a nice day.

[Tay]

MaryC
Forget Totonno's Try Casa Bella's Brick oven margarita pie. (Cropsey Ave and 26th Ave) Yummy and served w/o attitude. :-}

[MaryC]

Thanks for the tip, I attempted to go to Tortonno's this past weekend put the wait was going to be well over an hour so we passed, it's good to know that an alternative is out there. I'll definately give it a try.

[Tay]

It's not Totonno's or DiFara's level, but we've had a number of things, EG: Heros, pizza, calzones. Everything was delivered hot and fresh and pretty good. Certianly much bettter than L&B's

[JFores]

If you just want a really good plain NY slice that is by no means special or done differently, but is still very good then go to San Marco's in Williamsburg. It's near the Lorimer L Train stop.

[MikeNYPT]

I guess the Real question is WHERE in Brooklyn did you grow up?
I'm sure he'd appreciate seeing where YOU liked to eat Pizza while growing up, instead of dragging him to the "Hip/Famous" place NOW. (Unless you grew up in Midwood eating DiFara's)
I did, in fact, grow up eating slices at DiFara's while walking home from Midwood H.S....Maybe I was too young to appreciate them then...Or maybe I'm just not a Sucker for the Hype..(I think his slices are pretty Oily...GOOD, but Oily). My personal Favorite was my Local Pizza Joint "Korner Pizzaria" on East 3rd & Church Avenue...It's the Pizza I grew up with, conjures up good memories, and Good Slices :)

[eileenfon]

I grew up in Marine Park and yes Di Fara was a regular occurence in my household. Not trying to be trendy, just asking for more recent reviews.

[Tay]

"a place to take him for a good authentic slice of pizza? "
I have to agree with Mike 's point (above) "Good/Great" pizza and nostalgic pizza from the neighborhood pizza joint can, and in most cases, probably are, very different experiences. If the OP wants to show her bf the pizza she grew up on, she should take him on a tour of the neighborhood. I swear, DiFara's is starting to take on the "Woodstock Syndrome" It seems that, growing up, everyone supposedly ate there . When I was a kid, pizza was obtained from the local pizzaria. No one traveled to get it.For most of us, there was no such thing as gourmet, thin crust, fresh mozz etc pizza We did not scoot all over the borough and it was pretty much considered one step above fast food.

[Scagnetti]

My experience as well. I don't EVER remember going to a pizzeria that I couldn't walk to in less than 15 minutes.

[Tay]

Agreed. Most neighborhoods offered a couple of pizzaria's. Even 15 min is stretching it to the outer limits.

[MoxieBoy]

To MikeNYPT: Such a coincidence...My first 16 years I lived on E 13 Street by Ave K, two blocks from DiFara, then the next 14 years I lived at Ave C at E. 3rd St...two blocks from Korner. Gotta admit...I was hooked on the Korner pizza, but back in the sixties, DiFara wasn't the icon Mario is now...the pizza on the corner of Ave J at E 13 St was the neighborhood manna. Mike...you have good taste. Tell Natalie at Korner the next time you see her (she was there since 1970 when I moved into the neighborhood) HI! for me.

Great recs...but different pizzas (and Korner's sicilian is an inch and a half thick...about four times the thickness of DiFara's).

[frankbooth]

Difara, L&B Spumoni Gardens (for squares and CLASSIC brooklyn hang).

lucali, anthony's, and house of pizza and calzone a distant second to the previous 2 classics...

[Geo8rge]

There really is no substitute for DiFara in Brooklyn. Franny's perhaps; It is in park slope which is usually part of a Brooklyn tour. If Difara was closed the Jewish places near by might be interesting. There are a number of places that do the standard NY pizza very well, search the boards for past posts.

[boccalupo]

House of Pizza and Calzone on Union btw. Hicks and Columbia. Regular slice is good. Even better is the fresh mozz. and prosciutto slice if they have it. Also good are the "upside down" sicilian and the grandma slice.

[JFores]

Lucali's, but that place has been more packed than Di Fara lately. A distant third if Totonno's, but that has been spiraling into a pile of flaming wreckage for a bit; I can't say how it is since the last time I tried it was around a year ago.

[chow_gal]

Can't get slices there; pies only.