PrintLombardi's Update
I hadn't been to Lombardi's in a year or so, so when two pizza-crazed colleagues from Minneapolis came to New York this week, I decided they should experience eating at the oldest pizzeria in America. We ordered three pies: a small sausage; a small half-pepperoni, half-pancetta; and a small half-plain white, half–sautéed spinach. All the pies were at least very good, and the white pie was awesome.
The Lombardi's crust is now thin and crisp with very little lip (cornicione, the Italians call it). There's no internal tenderness in the Lombardi's crust currently, but very few coal-oven pies have that anymore (Totonno's in Coney Island being the notable exception).
What made the white pie stand out was the ratio of cheeses to crust. Most white pies are drowning in mozzarella and ricotta. Lombardi's white pie was positively dainty. There was just enough cheese to cover the crust.
We get spoiled in New York when it comes to pizza. While I was commenting about the relative merits of the pies we were eating at Lombardi's, my friends from Minneapolis were moaning with pizza-induced pleasure. They felt they were in pizza heaven in the best pizza city in the world.
Lombardi's
Address: 32 Spring Street, New York NY 10012 (at Mott Street, map)
Phone: 212-941-7994
Website: firstpizza.com
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9 Comments:
Lombardi's is great, but I've never found it any better that Patsy's, which is usually more convenient. I finally got around to trying Una Pizza Napoletana- wow! That was one fine pizza. The restaurant wasn't busy when I visited, and I was treated very well by the staff.
Speaking of pies- Ed... thanks to you, I've been on a pie kick since November. I make regular trips from the UWS out to Park Slope for those magnificent little Trois Pomme beauties... how DO they create such a perfect pie crust?? Clinton St Baking Co has a truly sublime apple pie too.
I'd hate to spoil your diet, but the next time you head out to Trois Pomme, you MUST try their 'oreo' cookies. They are perfection! They remind me a little bit of those old Peppridge Farm Capri cookies, as they have a similar creme filling. $1.50 for three tiny cookies is a bargain!
powermd at 10:10AM on 01/12/08
I'm from the New Haven area, which means my pizza ideal is Wooster Street (Pepe's is my absolute favorite). I really want to try some great NY pizza, but am somewhat overwhelmed by the options. Lombardi's, Grimaldi's, Totonno's, Una Pizza Napoletana, Di Fara's...I want my first impression to be amazing. Where should I go?
Check me out:
The Teacher Learns to Cook
darronvigs24 at 12:03PM on 01/12/08
Go to DiFara. Bring a snack in case there is a large wait, but it's worth it.
It's a great experience, no rush, super relaxed, and not in a busy part of the area.
Prairie at 2:28PM on 01/12/08
I never understood the fuss about Lombardi's...
Despite the fact that I pass by the place nearly every time I'm in the city, I've only ever eaten there once, on a whim, and was thoroughly underwhelmed.
Maybe it was just a bad day :/
fuuchan at 8:37PM on 01/12/08
I agree about Lombardi's. The crust was soggy. The best part of the trip was the rice pudding from across the street after the pizza.
Charlie Fogg at 9:58PM on 01/12/08
I had the same experience last time I visisted Lombardi's. The crust was charred, but yet was soggy. It was just a simple plain cheese pizza, so it wasn't like the toppings would create more moisture in the crust. Maybe I will give it another shot, but Patsy's and Grimaldi's are much better in my opinion.
offthebeatenpath1 at 10:54AM on 01/14/08
Darren, try Una Pizza Napoletana first, then Totonno's in Coney Island, and of course a slice at DiFara. Lombardi's was when it first reopened a phenomenal pizzeria. Patsy's the mini-chain makes a fine pie, but not an inspired one. Grimaldi's served underbaked pizzas the last time I was there.
Ed Levine at 11:55AM on 01/14/08
Thanks for the advice Ed!
The Teacher Learns to Cook
darronvigs24 at 9:41PM on 01/15/08
The first (and last) time I went to Di Fara I ordered two slices, and after waiting a full hour, still had not received them. Thankfully one of the (many) people who cut the line to order additional full pies was sypathetic to my starvation and gave but a slice from a fresh round cheese pie. It was a greasy, steaming mess. Good, but not remotely worth waiting an hour for. Who knows how long I would have actually waited to be served? At one hour there still seemed to be little hope that they would get to my order. I even asked if ordering a full pie would speed things up (no answer from the counter girl). The problem didn't seem to be that the place was too busy, but that their ordering system is totally disorganized, and it seems acceptable to them for people to frequently cut the line. Maybe I was just a little too polite. I only nagged them every fifteen minutes about my order. Bah... I don't need this much trouble to obtain a friggin' slice of pizza. I left, got back on the train, hit Una Pizza Napoletana, which wasn't busy. I was treated well, and received my overpriced, but wonderful pizza within a few minutes. I'll never go back to Di Fara again!
powermd at 9:42AM on 01/21/08