One pizza in NYC to rule them all
I hope this is the right place to post. I'm going to be NYC for a day visiting Columbia and staying with someone in western Manhattan. They have offered to take me out to a pizza place of my choosing (I'm on the dole and am privileged to have their hospitality). I understand the big three to be Una Pizza Napoletana, DiFara's, and Totonno's.
When I was employed and stationary I was a regular at Apizza Scholl's in Portland, so I have been pretty spoiled. What would you suggest I select out of these three? Which is the most true to New York? Which is the most delicious? (I think the which is most true to Italy question is already answered by Napoletana).
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15 Comments:
You should totally check out this post on Slice:
Visiting New York City? 7 Must-Eat Pizzas You Should Try
Raphael at 11:07PM on 08/07/08
Thanks for the link. That's an impressive spread, and it informs me more that Totonno's is an NYC style, but where does that leave Di Fara?
twitch at 11:41PM on 08/07/08
Di Fara is also New York–style. Definitely go. What dates are you visiting? UPN might not be an option. I believe he's closing after this weekend and taking the rest of August off for vacation.
Adam Kuban at 3:34AM on 08/08/08
Either the 9th, 10th, or 11th. Are Totonno's Coney and Di Fara Midwood open for lunch?
twitch at 9:08AM on 08/08/08
No need to trek out to the far reaches of Brooklyn to experience the quintessential NY slice. You will already be on the Upper West Side, get thee to Sal's and Carmine's on Broadway between 101st and 102nd. This is the real deal. As I mentioned in the linked thread, these guys have been doing it for well over 30 years. They are old, grumpy, arthritic, and make their pies the same way they always have.
I will admit that I've never been to DiFara's, but this is only because I don't have to. If you're interested in a touristic exploration of Brooklyn, then by all means, go. Personally, if I'm going to haul myself out to BK, which takes over an hour by subway from Columbia, I'd rather go to Coney Island. Much, much more to do once you get out there, and the original Totonno's is out there too. (More on Totonno's below.)
My impression is that DiFara's, while I'm sure is very good, has been hyped up to the extreme over the last few years by people who are either sentimental for what used to be and is en route towards extinction, or who never experienced NY pizza in the first place and are searching for what they are told is "authentic." DiFara's for them is emblematic of a lost past. If you go to Sal's you have it right there, in living breathing real life, without the hassle and long travel times. You'll have to bring your own basil though if you absolutely must have it. While I was annoyed at first by this post, I think there is much truth in what he says about the hype factor, and how DiFara's recognition may be overblown.
Finally, some notes on places like Totonno's, Lombardi's, Grimaldi's and UPN. While the first three are NY institutions and have been here for about a century each, I don't consider them NY pizza. They are Italian pizza being made in NY. They use sliced fresh mozzarella, placed sparingly over a thin wash of sauce. Real NY pizza is made with shredded whole milk low moisture mozz which should uniformly and generously cover the sauced area of the pie. NY pizza doesn't have basil on it either. It should be oily enough so that when you fold the slice (which is how NY pizza is eaten) there should be at least a few drips of bright orange oil dripping off it. Again, all those pizzas are great, but they are not NY pizza. UPN is a newcomer, but they fall into this category. This is Napoli pizza.
Thanks for bearing with me. Just the $.02 of a born and raised NYer who takes his pizza (probably way too) seriously.
simon at 9:29AM on 08/08/08
You will spend about 6 hours getting pizza from DiFara's if you're staying in midtown manhattan. It's incredible, but make sure you have plenty of time to get to midwood. I would hit Grimaldi's, Lucali, or Lombardi's instead.
UPN is criminally expensive and Totonno's is even further than DiFara (but Coney Island is a spectacle and getting pizza won't take as long).
z911empire at 9:35AM on 08/08/08
UPN: Closed from 8/11 to 9/11.
Adam Kuban at 1:17PM on 08/08/08
@simon -- totonno's doesn't use basil. i'm pretty sure they use marjoram in their sauce but no basil.
@twitch -- like everyone else said, if you decide on difara set aside a big chunk of your day because you'll be waiting a long time. totonno's should be open for lunch on weekends but i would call to make sure (718.372.8606). it's at least an hour train ride but if the weather is nice you can check out coney island (it's 2-3 blocks from the boardwalk).
sloppy at 2:20PM on 08/08/08
I wasn't talking about about basil used to season the sauce, so much as the fresh basil used to garnish Neapolitan pizza. Which I love btw. But doesn't appear on a NY slice. DiFara's does it, but that is an exception, not the rule.
simon at 2:37PM on 08/08/08
i see (and agree). totonno's doesn't have the fresh basil garnish either.
sloppy at 4:13PM on 08/08/08
L&B Pizzeria.
Doctorted at 10:52PM on 08/08/08
New York–Neapolitan vs. New York–style
http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/01/a-list-of-regional-pizza-styles.html
Di Fara is New York–style but more eccentric in using a mixture of different cheeses, and garnishing the pie with olive oil and freshly cut basil at the very end. So it's not your standard New York–style pie.
Di Fara (no possessive) is very good but very difficult to compare to Totonno's or UPN. Any serious connoisseur of pizza in NYC needs to visit all three in addition to Patsy's of East Harlem.
I like them all but go to UPN the most because it's in my neighborhood.
kathryn at 1:34AM on 08/09/08
I hate Patsy's. Their crust is tough. Another over rated spot.
simon at 10:27AM on 08/09/08
I'm not involved enough to stake a claim about the pure New Yorkness of DiFara, but it is the best pizza I've ever had in my life, and I know many others who say the same.
jas126 at 12:23PM on 08/11/08
During my last visit to UPN I walked out. The crust of the pizza at the table next to ours was all bubbles from rim to center, pushing cheese from a good 70 percent of the surface area. The egomaniacal pizzaiollo/proprietor, who ostensibly takes great pride is his attention to purity and authenticity and is capable of producing a beautiful pizza, ought to be ashamed of himself. That pie should never have left his kitchen. And fearing that I might end up paying top dollar for a near topless pizza (other nearby pies also appeared to be bubbly), I walked out.
danyoung at 12:54PM on 08/11/08