No. 28

28 Carmine St

Got pizza? West Village does.

It is not my intention to scope out every pizza eatery in the Village; it just works out that way.

Sir Fancy Pants recommended No. 28, aka 28 Carmine, on Saturday night after I mentioned 60sBumbleBee and I nearly braved the lines at Grimaldi’s (supposedly the best pizza in the city) but decided against it due to the cold weather. No. 28 was closer and the wait was only 10 minutes.

SFP, 60sBumbleBee, and I were seated in front of the brick pizza oven and its master, away from the overcrowded main dining area. We ordered two 18” pizzas from the 19 combinations. SFP and 60sBumbleBee shared the Pizza Marinara with garlic, red chili peppers, anchovies, oregano, and cappers; I had the Pizza alle Patate with ricotta, potatoes, walnuts, and rosemary, which I also shared with my dining companions.

My pizza came on white crust pizza bread without tomato sauce because (as told by the waitress) the acidity of the sauce ruins the pizza. Potato as a pizza topping was a first for me, an interesting combination with the ricotta cheese and walnuts. It was good, but I would have preferred the crust to be crispier. SFP and 60sBumbleBee enjoyed both pizza selections.

No. 28 is a true Italian pizzeria. From the Italian flag over the entrance to the Italian speaking staff, you feel as if you are getting the real deal without actually traveling to Naples.

My biggest gripe about the restaurant was the cleanliness factor; my silverware and the brim of my wine glass were dirty. Unfortunately for No. 28, spotless utensils and drinking ware is a must, especially if you expect me to refer your establishment to my friends.


DAMAGE ~60 (CASH ONLY)
VERDICT: PASS

Two Boots

201 W 11th St

Say hello to the Hollywood version of yet another pizza joint located in West Village. Two Boots centers itself around pies named after pop culture icons, including Larry Tate, Cleopatra Jones, and “The Dude” aka the Lebowski from The Big Lebowski.

I stopped by on a cold but lovely Saturday afternoon and ordered a slice of The Mel Cooley: sun-dried tomatoes, basil pesto, and roasted peppers on a white pie. The place was small but uncrowded and I managed to nab a seat inside the New Orleans Mardi Gras themed interior.

The pizza was average and definitely not worth bragging about. The crust was crispy, but I would have preferred it slightly crispier; the slice did strike me as particularly fresh. The names of the pies were a bigger deal than the actual pies themselves, as many names are in New York City.

Although I might be back to try their garden slice, which looks like—you guessed it—a garden, I cannot recommend Two Boots. There is much better pizza to be had in the area.

DAMAGE ~ $4
VERDICT: Pass

Lombardi’s

32 Spring St

Yummy, yummy, yummy! A quest for the best pizza in the city is not complete without a visit to Lombardi’s. This was actually my second trip to the nation’s oldest pizza eatery (est. 1897) located in Nolita. I cannot say it took the prize for “best pizza in nyc,” but it definitely tied for third place.

TheStageManager (a friend from out of town) and I arrived on a Friday evening to a 15 minute wait. We took advantage of our spare time and immediately sat at the bar ordering a glass of wine each. About 10 minutes later, a table opened up on the other side of the restaurant. We were led down the dining area, through the kitchen, out the other side of the “U-shaped” restaurant and seated next to the brick wall on the right.

We ordered a medium size pizza with the following 5 toppings: red onions, olives, sliced tomatoes, red peppers, and ricotta cheese. Man oh man, was it delicious. I ate three of the six slices with my fork. I used to have a saying that you know you have good pizza when you have to eat it with a fork; that’s exactly what I had was good pizza.

The restaurant was big for Manhattan; people were not seated on top of each other as you find in many other pizza parlors. The medium size pizza was perfect for two people and the toppings were a delicious combo leaning on perfection. Although the pizza could have been a bit crispier, I enjoyed every minute of it.

The wait was not as bad as I expected; the server was friendly; and the prices were cheap. I cannot wait to go back.

DAMAGE ~ $40 (before tip) CASH ONLY
VERDICT: Go

Bleeker Street Pizza

69 7th Ave South Sigh. How I longed for Bleeker Street Pizza to be more than what it was. The tiny pizza parlor on the corner of Bleeker Street and 7th Avenue was cramped, dirty, and left much to be desired.

I ventured out to Bleeker Street Pizza on a snowy evening after learning the Food Network chose them as the "Best Pizza in New York." I ordered a slice of the Grandma (cheese pizza on a Sicilian crust) and was told to come back in 20 minutes when it was ready. 30 minutes later, I returned and was met by hostility by one of the workers behind the counter; he practically threw my slice at me. I brushed it off, figuring he was having a bad day.

I took the slice back to my apartment in order to “enjoy” it away from the hostile workers or the disgusting restaurant (there were crumbs everywhere). Unfortunately, there was no enjoyment to be had. My fresh-from-the-oven pizza was soggy and cold; I had to reheat it. The tomato sauce was sweet, and I would not be surprised if it was canned. The only thing making my slice bearable was the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar I added.

I have had better pizza in the city, and I have had a better Sicilian slice in the city. Bleeker Street Pizza is NOT the best pizza in Manhattan, and the attitudes of the workers were a major deal breaker.

DAMAGE ~ $3
VERDICT: Pass