Downtown Lunch: Finding Decent Pizza South of Lombardi’s
Midtown workers shouldn’t have all the fun, so to even the score, I’ve brought on Daniel Krieger as an official Downtown Lunch Correspondent to write up some of the tasty stuff you can get in the lower half of Manhattan. He’s a great photographer (ensuring good food porn), but more importantly he is a lover of cheap, unique and delicious eats (or as I like to call it- Midtown Lunch’ish food.)
I chipped my tooth on a bagel I bought from Fairway earlier this week. The bagel was a little bit stale but I didn’t actually chip it on the bagel, it was the action of my bite missing the bagel and crunching my teeth together. Cosmetically you can’t see anything and I’m still handsome as the devil but I can feel a little rough patch when I run my tooth over it.
What does this have to do with pizza? Nothing. I just like to up date you guys as to how I’m doing. Ok now for the post.
Heading south, once you pass Lombardi’s on Spring Street, are there any good pizza joints in downtown Manhattan? I’ve eaten at a few places and have to say the answer to that question is a tough one. I’ve found one place where you can get a really nice slice. “Baby” is a terrible named pizzeria, and the photo of the baby with the pizza on the menu looked like George W Bush’s face the first few times I saw it. I’m not there for the name or the menu cover though, I’m there for the pizza. Try the pesto slice with fresh mozz, it’s got a wonderful crust, chewy in the middle and a bit crunchy on the bottom. The vodka slice was too oily (as you can see by the grease stained plate in the photo) but damn tasty. I don’t actually eat pizza all that often for lunch but I have to say this is the best I’ve had downtown. At $3 a slice, they aren’t cheap but 2 will make you nice and sleepy for a post lunch nap in your cubicle.
For a better deal though try swinging by Albella Ristorante where they have a large cafeteria style restaurant that delivers a small cheese pizza for $5.75. It’s actually quite large for a personal pizza, and for a dollar extra you can get a topping. How is it? Well it’s not like Lombardi’s or Johns but it’s a decent pizza and for under 6 bucks you can get a salad and share them both between two people.
And since we’re on pizza I have to recommend one of the best I’ve had in Brooklyn. Everyone has heard of Lucali’s by now in Carroll Gardens, but there’s another spot to check out named Luna Rossa which is on the very end of Court street before you hit the BQE. I know this isn’t lunch and it’s definitely not midtown or downtown, but that’s one of the best pies I’ve had.. perfect crust! PERFECT! Ok settle down Krieger
Baby, 225 Park Row (nr. Worth), 212-608-5888
Albella Ristorante, 10 Reade Street (btw. B’way+Lafayette), 212-267-5900
Photos and post by Daniel Krieger
Posted by Daniel Krieger at 10:00 am, September 12th, 2008 under Jury Duty Lunch.
15 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
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15 Comments
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Yeah it was pretty good, but I definitely dabbed it with a few napkins first.
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Oh, don’t let people know that about Fairway. The only one in Queens will be within walking distance (Manhattan walking distance, i.e. less than 5 minutes) from my mom’s and I won’t be able to switch her loyalties if she knows they sell stale food. Chipped teeth add character!
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Yeah, I agree about chipped teeth. You’re now handsome as the devil with a little punk rock for good measure!
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where is there a fairway opening in queens?
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Good to see you venturing further afield and bringing Daniel into the fold.
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There’s a Fairway opening in Queens? SPILL IT THERE BLONDIE!!! or uhhh Brownie gets it!!! =P
BTW, DK, disappointed. Adrienne’s is awesome pizza. http://feistyfoodie.blogspot.com/2006/09/adriennes-again.html
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It’s not set in stone and not in the heart of Queens, but they are considering a move to Douglaston, beneath the Toy R’ Us you see off the LIE. It would be a dramatic and much-needed improvement to the neighborhood, and has easy access from the LIE and Cross Island.
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Blondie – replacing the Waldbaum’s that’s currently there? I hadn’t heard that – thanks.
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@Blondie: your incorrigible, Daniel here is trying to educate us and you comment-jack this to be about a food retailer? Tsk tsk…. you deserve a good spankin’
Back on track… so Daniel how is the tooth? My favorite teeth hole filler as a kid was a tie between Ritz crackers and ‘nila Wafers.
The real question is: how come I never end up in the Cash Cab?
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Dear Daniel,
That first slice looks scrumptious. I wish we had such things in Midtown. That second pizza, not so much. You can keep that downtown. You know I got nothing but loves for you, chipped teeth and all.
XOXO -
No wait…. Pecan Sandies! That’s the ticket.
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Pizza Italia’s(on stone st) grandma pie is unbelievable, puts something like adrienne’s to shame.
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Pizza Rustica on 2nd btwn 43rd and 44th is FANTASTIC.
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Second vote for Pizza Italia on Stone street. Best slices south of Wall St.
Whatchu talkin bout oily? That square slice looks perfect to me! Damn that looks good…