Di Fara, Midwood

Address: 1420 Avenue J at E 15th Street
Purchase: 1 regular pie, 2 cokes in bottles
Cost: $20 for the pie, $2 per coke
Payment: Cash Only
Pizza Rating:


Finally made it out to Midwood to get a taste of some of the most famously delicious pizza in New York—Di Fara's. We got there a little before 6:00 on a Wednesday and just beat the crowd. Watching the pizzaiolo Domenico de Marco (Domenic) in his slow and steady pizza-making routine was half the fun. The man is a New York legend.

Di Fara's regular pie features delicious thin crust, just perfectly charred on the bottom, flavorful tomato sauce, and sliced mozzarella. After the pie came out of the oven, Domenic swirled some olive oil all around, topped it with grated parmesan for some extra tang, and finally scissored off some fresh basil before handing it over. Pizza making is a methodical process, and Di Fara's is perhaps the most methodical of all the pizza places we've reviewed. It really shows in the final product. All of the flavors combined to form one of the most delicious pies we've ever had.


The famous old storefront.




After winning best pizza in NYC as many times as Di Fara's has, you can charge $4 a slice no matter how deep in Brooklyn you are.


Domenic making our pie.


Before the crowd arrived.


Time to enjoy!


40 weeks hungry!

Lucali (Update!)

Address: 575 Henry Street at Carroll Street
Pizza Rating:


We are officially updating our rating of Lucali to the full five pizza rating because we just really like that place. We've been back a few more times, most recently while my parents were visiting for graduation, and those calzones are just to die for—ricotta, mozzarella, our favorite fillings (basil and garlic) and their delicious pizza sauce to dip. The wait can be a pain, even with their complicated call ahead but no reservations policy, and the service is often a little distracted, but the pizza is totally worth it. Don't forget, it's BYOB, and the corking fee is $4. Now if only they had cannoli...

Read our original review of Lucali here.


Most recent visit to Lucali—large calzone for us, basil and pepperoni pie for Mom and Dad.

Grimaldi's, DUMBO

Address: 19 Old Fulton Street, Under the Brooklyn Bridge
Purchase: One regular with garlic, One regular with riccotta, and half sausage, One bottle Chianti.
Cost:$75 including tip. One large pizza is $16.
Payment: Cash Only
Pizza Rating:


Finally Grimaldi's! After many recommendations, we made the trip to DUMBO for one of the most famous pies in the city, in honor of AJ's birthday. Lincoln and Andreas joined us, which made standing in line outside in the 40˚ for 45 minutes waiting for a table a little more fun. When we finally got a table, it was perfect. The menu is simple, no crazy preconceived combinations of toppings, you just choose your own. And since they come with a delicious crushed tomato sauce, the most exquisite mozzerella, fresh basil and grated parmesan, it doesn't really need anything. The crust is thin and crispy, without being brittle or charred, probably the result of the super-fast cooking time in the coal burning brick oven. We all agreed to give it five stars—not because it's Plato's ideal pizza, or even the best pizza I ever expect to have in New York, but just because it was really freaking good. Don't pass it up—just remember your hat and gloves!


Yep, that's the line.


We made it to the front!


There they are, making pizzas!


Check out that coal-burning oven.


So hungry.


Don't miss the view of Manhattan right down the hill! Bellissima!