If there was one food staple seriously lacking from my childhood, it was good pizza. Growing up in the Poconos, we were extremely limited when it came to restaurants in general, and trying to get a decent slice of pizza was like trying to will my freckles to vanish: a hopeless feat which I refused to give up on nonetheless. Every time a new pizza place opened up, my family and I would order a pie with restrained excitement. But our fragile hopes were inevitably smothered by bland, greasy pie after bland, greasy pie.
Occasionally, my mom would make her own pizza from scratch, and while it was delicious, it still wasn't quite like the kind you get from a great pizzeria. There's just something about the crisp crust, the cheesy, stringy mozzarella, that savory pizza smell, that the DIY method simply can't emulate. In this rare circumstance, even my mom agreed that sometimes, homemade just doesn't cut it; sometimes, you have to go out to get the real thing. Fortunately, we knew where to find it: New York City.
One of my favorite things about visiting the city as a kid with my family was the pizza--we always made it a point to grab a slice at some point during our trip. And the amazing thing to me was, we couldn't seem to go wrong. Every slice I devoured fulfilled my highest expectations. Many have speculated about the secrets behind NYC's iconic pizza. Mario Battali attributes at least part of it to the city's tapwater; others believe it's all in the oven (though I haven't seen a concensus on whether coal-fired beats wood-burning). Whatever the reasons, I think it's safe to assume that New York City has the best pizza in the world--or at least outside of Italy.
Since I know live in the heart of Manhattan, I'm always on the lookout for A) the best pizza I can ever hope to taste, and B) the best pizza I can ever hope to taste that's under $2. The former has proved easier to find than the latter. So far, I have found one place that's in the running for part B: Libretto's Pizzeria, an unassuming, brick oven pizzeria located in Midtown on 3rd Ave between 36th & 37th. It's one of those places that, when I walk past and get a whiff, my body involuntarily starts moving towards the door: I feel like a cartoon character following a visible stream of scent.
Libretto's is a small, brick establishment with a long, glass enclosed counter featuring an array of pies with different toppings. I like this place because they're friendly, fast, and a plain slice only costs $2. You can also get three small flavorful garlic knots for a buck. Libretto's offers much more than this of course: you can get whole wheat crust, specialty pies (Gus is a sucker for the Penne a la vodka), and your typical Italian staples (antipasto, salad, pasta, etc.) But I think it's a great quick stop to grab a cheap and delicious slice.
So, my question to my readers is: What's your favorite NYC pizzeria? Do you think you found the best slice for the cheapest price? Offer your two cents.
P.S. Check out this great pizza site!
3 comments:
It's been forever since I've had a cheap pie. Right after moving to Brooklyn, I celebrated my birthday at Lombardi's (soho). Their slice blew my mind; it ruined me. Give me that taste for 2 bucks, and you've got my first born.
Haha, I've been dying to go to Lombardi's! Gus keeps telling me we're going to make a trip soon. How is the pizza out there in Montana? Do they have bison as an optional topping?
I've said it before and I'll say it again...Artichoke makes the best pizza ever made by a mortal. It's a bit more than your $2 limit, but it's worth every penny.
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