Best Pizza Contender: Di Fara's
Slowly but surely, I am eating my way through Brooklyn's best pizza. First was Totonno's (fab), then came L&B (won't rehash that debate), and now we have Di Fara's. (To give you a full view of pizza eating experience, you should know that among other well-known spots, I've been to Manhattan's Una Pizzeria Napoletana (lovely) and Lombardi's (good, but maybe not amazing) and also Grimaldi's (disappointing trip, haven't been back to re-evaluate).
First, I must report on a most tasty celebrity sighting. No sooner had we walked up to Di Fara's, than Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri walks out. This may seem obvious, but there's nothing that makes you feel more like you've chosen an appropriately old-school spot than having a "Sopranos" cast member sighting. But about that pizza ...
The owner of the shop, Mr. DeMarco knows he's good--very good--at what he does, and he's right. He knows that customers will endure a stifling hot store (interior room temp must have been hovering near the 100 mark) for their turn at a perfect pie, handmade with love. He knows that the oven smoke filling the restaurant and burning the eyes is all part of the payment. He knows that bussing one's table is small penance. He knows that eventually everybody will leave happy, and despite what I had read elsewhere, he does smile!
The pizza is otherworldly, and unlike other pies, it's not one ingredient that makes it good--it's the combination of many good ingredients. The building blocks are fresh dough and a light but flavorful tomato sauce made in the back from canned San Marzano tomatoes. Watching Mr. DeMarco work may be half the fun. Every pizza gets the same slow-motion attention, which includes meticulous hand-slicing of regular and buffalo mozzarellas, and a dusting with the much sharper grana padana.
What emerges from the oven (gas? electric?) a short while later is a bubbling pie, edges crisped, bottom browned. But, Mr. DeMarco isn't done yet. He labors to the herbs in the windowsill and, scissor in hand, he tops his creation with fresh basil and/or thyme. Though his son was on hand to help relay orders, nobody touched the pizza but him and nobody complained about the wait. We managed to land two pies in under 45 minutes, and that was without much of a line.
All agreed that the cheese ($15) was best for its perfect melding of crisped dough, tomato and rich cheese combo and because the crust better maintained its integrity without heavy and potentially wet toppings. Still, nobody complained about the pie topped with sausage and porcini mushrooms ($22). Though four adults could eat a pie and leave happy, we ordered two, and the happiness followed us home--this is one pizza that almost gets better the second time around.
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Sweet yummy yum yum. 2 pies in 45 minutes? Not bad.
Don't neglect The House of Pizza and Calzones in Carroll Gardens, on Union between Hicks and Columbia. The slices are so-so, but the Grandma Pie is probably the second-best pie I've had in New York, second only to Di Fara's.
Interesting, I've had HoP&C and found their regular pies to be so-so as you said.. I'll have to give it another shot and try the Grandma Pie
Thanks for the tip. I look forward to trying it.
However, you'd be hard pressed to beat Totonno's methinks.
See what happens when you avoid the "nonsense fancypants toppings"?
(Couldn't resist, I now use that line everytime we order pizza.)
We are licking our fingers after finishing the last piece of Saturday's pie (Still great). Both Adam & I think this is the best pizza we've ever had and are continuously talking about how to get more...
Do we call ahead? They may not answer the phone.
Do we get it to go? It may not taste as perfect as in the shop.
Do we jump in the car and make our way back there to wait for 1 hour, get smoke in our eyes, and sweat it out until the pizza is finally laid into our hands (and mouths)? Absolutely.
And, I agree with wdegraw - plain is best! No need for extra toppings at all.
House of Pizza's "Upside Down" pie is also really good. The deep-fried calzone, however delicious, is pushing the limit.
Does anyone else think that the pies from Sal's (Court & Degraw) are pretty darn good?
We had a rotten Sal's experience (so-so pizza, bad service). Haven't ordered from them since.
Sal's pizza was mostly lousy, but - on occasion - it was pretty good. Nevertheless, I caught them recycling old pies for delivery one too many times for my liking. Plus, the service was surly and the sign on the bathroom door announcing a 5 dollar charge for non-customers to use the bathroom was idiotic. As were the signs prohibiting extra parmesan cheese on pizza. What's up with that anyway?
Check out My Little Pizza on Court St. in the Heights. They deliver way south.
Have you tried Fascati? Up Henry near the Brooklyn Bridge. Nothing fancy, but tasty nonetheless. Hoever, it doesn't seem to taste as good delivered (not sure how far south they go) as when I get slices in the shop. My Little Pizzeria (mentioned above) is also good. I am a frequent customer since it takes me about 4 mintes to walk there. Also, the guys are nice and they usually have Mets games on the radio.
Tha said, neither even comes close to the level of DiFara.
Sal's on court st is ok but the waiters smell really bad, a mix of brut & b.o.
I really like Bella Maria, on Third Ave at Carroll St -- just the perfect slice. Not art, like Di Fara's, but pretty darn good for a quick bite. Fascati's is good, too, but I think Bella Maria is actually better.
Hi, I'm new here. I read some things including your bad experience with spumoni gardens and say you need to try again! It made me remember this when you said there's nothing that makes you feel more like you've chosen an appropriately old-school spot than having a "Sopranos" cast member sighting.
On the blog SliceNY you can find this quote:
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In this one, Steven R. Schirripa (Bobby Baccalieri), Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti), and Vincent Curatola (Johnny "Sack" Sacramoni) give much respect to Bensonhurst's L&B Spumoni Gardens...
Schirripa and company had kinder things to say about the food, particularly the pizza, at L&B Spumoni Garden in Bensonhurst.
"It's the best pizza in New York," he raves.
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http://www.sliceny.com/archives/2004/03/sopranos_stars.php
Thought I should add my video.
I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEwZeyDovvQ
Di Fara is the best I have ever had. Im a pizza person. I have the gut to prove it. I was sitting home and Im flipping the channels and I see that Di Fara (Dominick himself) making pizza. So I turn it and found out his place was chosen "The Best Pizza In America" by Bon Appetite Magazine 2008. Go figure, I have been saying this for 11yrs to myself. Who knew?!
Dominick is in his 70's now and makes it all by hand. Buffalo mozzarella and hand grated parmesian cheese with basil he grows in the window of the restaurant.
Support him, let him know what he has been doing since 1964 always brings a smile to our faces and our childrens faces. I dont know how long he can do this by himself but I hope its for as long as he would like.
We love ya Dom..from Naples to Brooklyn
Im 39yrs old and I been going there for 11yrs. You do the math..