PIZZA

[aimerz]

Where is REALLY the best pizza and/or Italian food in Manhattan??

[jonkyo]

It is relative。 Dining in Little Italy has alway put me shoulder to shoulder with Itlaian people. DOes that mean anything? I do not know.

I am planing to scout out one on 9th soon. I had the menu before and it looked like it might be good. The name begns with 'A'. I am sure to find it. I will post a review and let you know.

This might be it:

http://www.lallegriarestaurant.com/me...

And I am sure that menu is kicking around somewhere, and will confirm. The menus one had fresh on premise made pasta. Yum.

[foodwhisperer]

I had excellent pizza at Tre Sorrelle on Reade St. Made in a wood fired oven, crispy and thin. I had the sausage and mushroom pizza. The mushrooms were fresh mushrooms. The pizza was reasonably priced. Individual and large pies. ( the meatballs and spaghetti are good here too).
I had a slice of square pizza at the zagat rated place next to Eileen's cheesecake, sorry I forgot the name ( the name is a #). The square pizza was not all that good, but it looked good. It had low quality cheese on it.
I also recently had the highly rated pizza at Rubirosa. I found it to be not very good.

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Tre Sorelle
61 Reade St, New York, NY 10007

[sugartoof]

I second your experience at Rubirosa. Not very good, if you like flavor.

I also got meatballs that were clearly reheated, and not all the way through, perhaps in a microwave.

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Rubirosa
235 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012

[jonkyo]

the pizza question is difficult to answer. There may not be an answer.

Italian, I recommend Carmine's Upper West Side. It is all there, wine, food, and friendly people.

2450 Broadway
New York
[phone]

have other locations, check their website.

You can never go wrong:

http://carminesnyc.com/

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Carmine's
2450 Broadway, New York, NY 10024

[Motosport]

I always hesitate to say the "best" of anything since all things are different in some way except of course my lovely and talented spouse who is the best in every category now and forever.
There are somethings that are great, just good or downright bad. That's the beauty of Chowhound. You get good advice and guidance then make an intelligent decicion.

[jonkyo]

I rarely eat pizza but am curious of Lombardi's.

You might check into this Middle Eastern Pizza, for if I were in another country, say Italy or anywhere, I might protest the colonization of culinary fare, but since I am in America, any colonizers from abroad are welcome.

I did once put Brooklyn made kimchi on some New York Style pizza, and though people in the room cringed, I had a fabulous time.

Pizza has been done and done again and again. Try some of the newer creole (mixed) styles.

Or just stick to some that really make it good like, Difara's http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/20...

[kathryn]

Lombardi's is OK. Not great and coasting a bit on reputation.

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Lombardi's
32 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

[foodwhisperer]

Lombardi used to be my favorite. I was there recently and the pizza was soggy. Not at all like it used to be. I have not been impressed with any of the "hyped" pizza places. That includes Patsy's in harlem, Kest, John's, Arturo's, Paulino's etc etc all the Brooklyn famous ones. New Park is still good for "regular" old school" pizza. Sullivan Street and Grand Daisy are exceptions and are great Roman style pizza, Co. has very good pizza. and that is IMHO

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Arturo's
106 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012

Sullivan Street Bakery
533 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036

Grandaisy Bakery
73 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012

John's Pizzeria
278 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

Lombardi's
32 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

Patsy's Pizzeria
2287 1st Ave, New York, NY 10035

Co.
230 9th Ave, New York, NY 10001

Keste Pizza & Vino
271 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

Pulino's
282 Bowery, New York, NY 10012

[sugartoof]

Lombardi's sogginess has been an on/of again problem for many years now. You can ask for it well done.

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Lombardi's
32 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

[jonkyo]

Thank you, you have saved me a trip to Lombardi's, and the cash I would have spent there will afford me better pizza at some of the other suggestions above. John's Pizza is great, but it is a slice shop, if I am thinking of the same one.

Pulino's looks great. I actually read an interview in the FT, the Financial Times diner/ lunch with "someone known". They alway give some detail of the restaurant used, along with a list of the items ordered and Price. This one interview...or lunch with --------,they had gone to Puloni's.

It was a while ago, 2 months, so I forgot exactly who was dined and interviewed......oh....yes......the former head of GAP, and now J Crew, forgot his name.

google search quote: J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler Discusses Why Fashion Is Like Pizza ...

http://www.slate.com/.../ft/.../j_cre...
You +1'd this publicly. Undo
Oct 23, 2011 – HOME / FT : Stories from the Financial Times. ... It begins as just a lunch (a nice, two-hour one at Pulino's pizzeria in New York) but later Drexler ...

I plan on checking this place out. Nice location too, and best with large to medium parts or two.

[squid kun]

>John's Pizza is great, but it is a slice shop, if I am thinking of the same one.

John's on Bleecker is not a slice shop. Pies only.

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John's Pizzeria
278 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

[sugartoof]

As mentioned, John's is pies only. I prefer Lombardi's over John's on their best day. Different styles to fit different moods though.

[Pan]

jonkyo, is this really in response to a request for the "best" Italian food in Manhattan? Carmine's? Seriously?

[kathryn]

Two separate questions and impossible to answer.

What KIND of PIZZA? Coal oven? Wood oven? Gas oven? What style?

Neopolitan style? New York-Neopolitan style? Or pure New York-greasy-street slice style? Square or grandma? Do you prefer a crispier crust or a chewier crust? A drier pie or a wetter pie?

Whole pies or slices? Plain or with toppings?

Are you willing to pay any price, go to any neighborhood, wait in a long line?

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/766359
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/816677#6935292
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/381360
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/797162

For best ITALIAN, do you want authentic regional Italian or more contemporary Italian or red-sauce Italian-American?

If you want regional Italian, what region are you looking for?

Do you want more refined or more rustic? Formal or informal? Loud and bustling or elegant and quiet?

Are you willing to pay any price, go to any neighborhood, wait in a long line?

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/788020
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/791093

[aimerz]

I would say as far as the pizza goes, looking for authentic NY style, prefer to stay close to the Theatre District/Times Square...don't care if it's slices or whole pie. Italian...just looking for good casual place to dine with my 20 year old daughter after a show.

[kathryn]

For pizza, I would advise you to leave the Times Square area and go to John's of Bleecker in the West Village (ask for it well done, don't get more than 1-2 toppings, be prepared to stand in line, whole pies only). This is classic coal oven NY style pizza.

For Italian, when do you wish to dine/what date are you coming (restaurants are busy this time of year due to tourist traffic)? How much do you want to spend per person before tax, tip, and any wine/drinks/etc?

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John's Pizzeria
278 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

[Motosport]

John's does have a Times Sq location but I have to agree with kathryn, head down to the W Village. Depending on the time of day you may just walk in and get a table for two.

[foodwhisperer]

I think Becco would fit the bill for good Italian food in the theatre area. As far as good pizza take a quick taxi ride ( 5 minutes) or walk down to Company i.e. Co. really good pizza there. your daughter will be happy and so will you

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Becco
355 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10010

Co.
230 9th Ave, New York, NY 10001

[Motosport]

We went to Becco once "pre-theater". It was good but we've had much better in Manhattan. Dinner was rushed and hectic due to the theater connection. Then again, it's on restaurant row catering to the theater goers.
Much prefer Bocca di Bacco in that area.

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Becco
355 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10010

Bocca di Bacco
828 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

[foodwhisperer]

I have never tried Bocca di Bacco. Becco is the best I know in the theatre district. There are many better Italian restaurants in the city than Becco, but the OP wanted the theatre district

[Motosport]

So many friends ask me for a pre-theater restaurant recs and I always suggest:
Give yourself enough time to enjoy a excellent meal before your show. It's all a matter of getting there 45 minutes earlier.
Becco is the only "Restaurant Row" place we've been to. We were tagging along with friends who go to Bwy shows often. They ALWAYS go to Becco which I don't understand but we went with the flow. It was annoying that we had to march to Becco's time for seating which was not really convenient for us. Then we waited in a crowd for 15 minutes after our reservation time. Dinner felt rushed and chaotic. Not a fine dining experience. The food was very good.

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Becco
355 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10010

[foodwhisperer]

Motosport. Sorry they rushed you . I guess those things can happen. I never was rushed there. I did have to wait on occasion, and the back room is better than the front. I'm glad you liked the food

[PesachBenSchlomo]

My son and I were at John's recently - we were taking a brief tour of my '70s haunts. The pizza was delicious, as I remembered it. The same old decor invoked a wave of nostalgia, even though the astronauts seem to have moved.

However, at 3:00 in the afternoon on a weekday there was a line outside, and inside resembled an assembly line (and here I include the service.) For the first time in nearly 40 years I wished John's had slices, so that we didn't have to gulp our delicious pizza in that factory atmosphere.

As for Carmine's, it's a chain, but it's fun and the food is good. I resent it, though, (at least the UWS one) because it usurped a Chinese restaurant in a state of genteel decay where I enjoyed talking and talking, with good old friends, in comfortable booths, during and after lovely, mediocre meals.

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John's Pizzeria
278 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

Carmine's
2450 Broadway, New York, NY 10024

[Pan]

I have to disagree. The food at Carmine's is not good, in my experience within the last 2 years. And I remember Chun Cha Fu, which I actually thought was good for a few years in between periods of mediocrity.

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Carmine's
2450 Broadway, New York, NY 10024

[PesachBenSchlomo]

I'm sure you're right about Carmine's. I haven't been there since the first few months after it opened, but then it was fun, I promise.

[Pan]

Carmine's did use to be better, though the location that I can state from personal experience used to be better was the one near Times Square (on 44th St., I believe). I didn't go to the UWS location until it was mediocre, and then it got worse.

[coasts]

I like the Mariella's on 57th and 8th. It's probably my favorite casual slice shop in manhattan.

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Mariella Pizza
960 8th Ave, New York, NY 10107

[Pan]

No kidding? I have reasons to be in that area. Would you recommend sticking to a plain slice there, or do you like some of the toppings?