NWR: Pizza and bagels in NYC

L

Larry Stein

Larry Stein
My 19 year old daughter is making her first visit to NYC in June. She's only going to be there for a couple of days before going back to DC and her Summer job. She already has the deli thing set. Katz's and Russ & Daughters. A friend of hers works at R&D and is going to save her a seat at the counter.

Where should she go for pizza and for bagels?

She's staying on E. 34th just off 3rd Ave.
 
NYC is undergoing a pizza renaissance.

Only a couple of years ago, the new young guns included Motorino, Keste, Company (Co.) and Artichoke Basil.

Now, to those, add Roberta's, Speedy Romeo, Emily.

Franny's has terrific pizza and is a fun place too. Lucali's is reputed to be great also, but I haven't been yet. Jay Z and Beyonce eat there a lot, I'm told, and they're also made to wait in line, allegedly.

Marta is the new(ish) pizza restaurant from the Danny Meyer group (Union Square Cafe, etc.).

If she doesn't mind waiting for hours, Di Fara is outstanding.
 
John's of Bleeker Street is still the pizza I'd want on my deathbed.

For bagels you want to go uptown, to Absolute Bagels.

Be prepared to stand in line at both places, if it's prime time. There are few places natives will suffer lines, but those are two of them.
 
originally posted by Asher:
NYC is undergoing a pizza renaissance.

Only a couple of years ago, the new young guns included Motorino, Keste, Company (Co.) and Artichoke Basil.

Now, to those, add Roberta's, Speedy Romeo, Emily.

Franny's has terrific pizza and is a fun place too. Lucali's is reputed to be great also, but I haven't been yet. Jay Z and Beyonce eat there a lot, I'm told, and they're also made to wait in line, allegedly.

Marta is the new(ish) pizza restaurant from the Danny Meyer group (Union Square Cafe, etc.).

If she doesn't mind waiting for hours, Di Fara is outstanding.
Click to expand...

I've never really waited at Di Fara's all the times I've been there, but those were midweek visits not during the prime of lunch.

Di Fara's would be my first choice, though it is a schlep. Nice tp see some love for John's from Coad. I love the pizza there, but I also prefer reheat slices to fresh pies.

Asher's list is excellent, as is Robert's suggestion of ROberta's.

As for bagels, that's always an argument. I personally liked H & H best before they closed. Now I like Essa Bagel, but for a more traditional experience, she may also want to try Bagel Hole, in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
 
I've had the pizza at Marta, and I would score it 89.975 (the East German judge give it only 5/10). Good, very good even, but not worth the wait or the price.

If she's in the Washington Square area, Bagel Bob's (yes - that is how they spell it) has pretty good bagels. No wait, either.
 
Larry, a lot depends on what she really likes and how much patience she has for traveling, standing in line, and so on.

There's more to NYC than pizza and bagels, you know, even if we do have the best of both.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Larry, a lot depends on what she really likes...

There's more to NYC than pizza and bagels, you know, even if we do have the best of both.
Click to expand...

True (although not sure there is a 'best' pizza), but think of all the other things she could be seeking out on her trip to Nyc. I'm sure Larry is praising the skies that she appears to be focused on deli, pizza and bagels!
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Larry, a lot depends on what she really likes...

There's more to NYC than pizza and bagels, you know, even if we do have the best of both.
Click to expand...

True (although not sure there is a 'best' pizza), but think of all the other things she could be seeking out on her trip to Nyc. I'm sure Larry is praising the skies that she appears to be focused on deli, pizza and bagels!
Click to expand...

Rahsaan you'd be correct.

She's fully aware that the city has a lot more to offer food-wise. She only has a short amount of time and although she has had some pretty good takes on pizza and pastrami here, she wants to experience the real thing.

Don't laugh too hard at this comment. Near me, Speederia does a pretty good job on NYC pizza (owner is from Brooklyn). On the other hand, The Refuge comes *this* close to Katz's on the pastrami front. That's not just my opinion. Folks I know who eat on a grand scale (grand does not always mean high-end, but often does and I respect their palates) feel the same.

Please note that I made no mention of Bay Area bagels. Supposedly, there are a couple of places in SF that are making real bagels, but when they charge $3 for one, I just wanna slap them upside the head.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Larry, a lot depends on what she really likes and how much patience she has for traveling, standing in line, and so on.

There's more to NYC than pizza and bagels, you know, even if we do have the best of both.
Click to expand...

andrew knowlton says philadelphia for pizza.

that said, one of the best pizzas i've ever had was in san francisco at tony's in north beach.
 
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by Asher:
NYC is undergoing a pizza renaissance.

Only a couple of years ago, the new young guns included Motorino, Keste, Company (Co.) and Artichoke Basil.

Now, to those, add Roberta's, Speedy Romeo, Emily.

Franny's has terrific pizza and is a fun place too. Lucali's is reputed to be great also, but I haven't been yet. Jay Z and Beyonce eat there a lot, I'm told, and they're also made to wait in line, allegedly.

Marta is the new(ish) pizza restaurant from the Danny Meyer group (Union Square Cafe, etc.).

If she doesn't mind waiting for hours, Di Fara is outstanding.
Click to expand...


I also prefer reheat slices to fresh pies.
Click to expand...

Just when you think you know every horrible secret in your friends' various closets...
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
I also did a double take on that one.
Click to expand...

I also prefer stale baguettes to fresh-from-the-oven loaves.

I also prefer Spaghettios to fresh-made pasta with meatballs.

I also prefer Banquet frozen boxed fried chicken to that weird fresh stuff.

It all starts to make sense.
 
originally posted by Chris Coad:
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by Asher:
NYC is undergoing a pizza renaissance.

Only a couple of years ago, the new young guns included Motorino, Keste, Company (Co.) and Artichoke Basil.

Now, to those, add Roberta's, Speedy Romeo, Emily.

Franny's has terrific pizza and is a fun place too. Lucali's is reputed to be great also, but I haven't been yet. Jay Z and Beyonce eat there a lot, I'm told, and they're also made to wait in line, allegedly.

Marta is the new(ish) pizza restaurant from the Danny Meyer group (Union Square Cafe, etc.).

If she doesn't mind waiting for hours, Di Fara is outstanding.
Click to expand...


I also prefer reheat slices to fresh pies.
Click to expand...

Just when you think you know every horrible secret in your friends' various closets...
Click to expand...

If you were on Facebook, you would've seen the big discussion about this some time ago, Herr Cod. I love the crispness of a reheat slice and the overall texture of the slice better than from a fresh pie, which is goopier and suffers from the dreaded tip drip.
 
Allow me to second Absolute Bagels though it's a bit of a trek.

And I'll put in a strong negative vote for Black Seed Bagels.
 
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