Midtown Lunch

Anthony Bourdain described the “utility slice” as the basic NYC pizza aptly and well. Sometimes all you want is just a slice or two of pizza and a can of soda. 2 Bros has since defined this subset by cranking out plain pie after plain pie, with the occasional outlier of pepperoni pies or mushroom pies, and offering pizza at $1. Earlier this year, we saw open pizza wars break out on one block – the revolution of a 75-cent slice. How in 2012 can this be legitimately done? Where are the corners cut? There has to be some kind of clarity shed on the phenomenon of the dollar slice. People love it and line up to get it. We don’t expect greatness for a buck a slice, but compared to the $2 and up slice, it’s a revolution in value. And as with any revolution, there will be winners and losers. Whose slices are Bolsheviks to the deposed Romanovs? Whose crusts lie guillotined and whose comprise the Directoire? Has 2 Bros become the Batista to an up-and-coming Fidel?
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As much as we love a deal here at Midtown Lunch, the trend of cheap pizza has been a little bizarre to watch. Last fall, 2 Bros. popped up just doors away from Indian Newsstand (and pizza joint) Bombay and a price war ensued. Early this week, luncher ‘jonhack’ posted in the forums that Pizza King, Bombay’s pizza joint, was selling slices for 79 cents and that 2 Bros had responded by knocking their price down to 75 cents. As you can see from the photo above, it looks like Pizza King has matched their price. How far will this pizza brinksmanship go?!? Are we looking at 50 cent slices soon? Only time will tell.

Looks like the newest 2 Bros Pizza location (on 6th ave btw. 37+38th.) is in a lunch special price war with the neighboring Indian/deli/pizza place that also serves dollar slices. 6th Avenue Pizza is advertising two slices plus a soda for $2.50 and you’ll notice that 2 Bros hastily changed their sign to remain competitive. For those at home keeping score, Two-N-A-Can, the kittty-corner pizza spot formerly known as In-N-Out (on 6th Ave. and 39th) is still selling their lunch special for $2.75.

This just in from Lunch’er Logan… there was a fire during lunch at the 2 Bros Pizza on 46th btw. 5+6th Ave. It’s not clear whether the fire was in 2 Bros or upstairs on the second or third floors, but at the very least we’re guessing there was water damage to the popular $1 pizza joint. Expect them to be closed for the indefinite future.

UPDATE FROM 2 BROS OWNER ELI: “The fire started in an office on the 2nd floor, and most of the damage is up there. Most of the harm done to our store was from water damage. Thankfully, everyone is OK. We are working on getting the place open as soon as possible. I will have a better idea of a time table by tomorrow. For now, regular customers can check out our newest store a few blocks away at 1015 6th Avenue (Between 37-38).”

New York Comic Con began yesterday, which means tens of thousands of big-time comic fans are descending upon the Javits Center to walk the convention floor and check out panels. Although we have little experience eating in Midtown in costume, we do want your lunching experience to match the fun you have at the convention.

Now, admittedly, the Javits Center is out of bounds, and the immediate area around there can be a wasteland for food … which is where we come in: Super Midtown Lunch! (Who’s imagining Zach in a cape right now? Sorry.)

Here are five spots that are a few blocks walking distance from NYCC.

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2 Bros foray into burgers might have been a misstep, but it doesn’t seem to have slowed down the $1 pizza empire.  Tomorrow (Weds 9/26) a new location of 2 Bros Pizza will open on 6th Ave. btw. 37+38th.  It’s the 9th location of the NYC chain, their fourth in Midtown alone, 5th if you count the Flatiron (the other locations are on 9th Ave. and 40th, 8th Ave. & 38th and 46th btw. 5+6th).

2 Bros. $1 pizza empire has multiple locations in Midtown that attract long lines during prime lunch hours, but it seems their attempt to add burgers to the pies at the 46th St. location (btw. 5+6th) did not fare as well. I liked them just fine, but they weren’t cheap enough or good enough to attract much attention and I never even got around to trying their 5 Guys-esque new menu. Last week, a commenter tipped me off to the apparent demise of Bros. Burgers, so I headed over to investigate.

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It looks as if the 2 Bros. Pizza on 46th btw. 5+6th is now extending the $1 philosophy to breakfast, offering 2 eggs on a roll for just a buck from 7-10:30am. More relevant to this particular site though is their revamped, expanded burger counter menu, which now has more items, toppings and condiments.
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Eater compiled a list of the 10 most “Eyeball Searing” restaurant signs, and 2 Bros Pizza somehow made the list. We’ve never really given their logo much thought, but apparently it’s over the top. (Who knew?) The best part is, that’s not even the most stereotypically hilarious sign in Midtown. That honor goes to the Oriental Noodle Shop.