What do you get when you mix a beautiful Saturday afternoon, a visiting food-loving Aussie (by way of London), and a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge? With the proper catalyst (in this case, a Slice editor), your result is lunch at Grimaldi's Pizzeria.
Located at 19 Old Fulton Street, almost directly under the historic bridge, Grimaldi's is the place to stop for a post-journey meal (provided you walked from Manhattan to Brooklyn). And so it was with our weekend excursion to this coal-oven shop in the, uh, Brooklyn Heights? DUMBO? Vinegar Hill? section of the BK.
When you visit Grimaldi's, expect to wait on line* (see photo, right); reservations aren't accepted here. Don't worry: The queue moves quickly. We waited only ten or fifteen minutes. (You don't put your name in; the host asks how big your party is and then accommodates your group accordingly.)
After being seated at the red-checkered-tablecloth-bedecked table nearest the pizza oven, the three of us (Slice E&P Adam K., his friend L.W., and Aussie-on-holiday E.N.) settled on a large half-pepperoni–half-mushroom pie (see photo, above). As we waited for our food in the large yet cozy—and very packed—dining room, we pored over the framed photos of famous folk who have eaten there that adorn the walls. Not long after spotting Frank Sinatra and Bill Cosby, among others, our pizza arrived, steaming from oven temperatures easily in the range of 700 to 800 degrees.
It would have been difficult to surpass the quality and flavor of the first slice (from the pepperoni half) I ate. The crust was pleasingly chewy and crisp, the cheese is probably the best-quality fresh mozzarella in the city, and the pepperoni was spicy and top-notch.
Such was not the case with the second slice, this one from the mushroom half. Whereas the crust on the pepperoni slice held up fairly well (there was some sagging at the tip), that of the mushroom slice was disappointingly soggy with no discernable crispness whatsoever. I can't say whether this was the result of an inattentive pizziola failing to turn the pie for even cooking or whether it was just the crust reabsorbing steamy moisture from the hot sauce.
Perhaps it was a little of both, as the crust on the mushroom side suffered from slight undercooking. This is my one complaint about Grimaldi's: The quality is inconsistent. It seems as if, in the rush to feed so many mouths, the cooks there take the pies out too soon. And that's a shame. Ingredients like the ones they're using deserve a better crust. Still, when I've asked for "well-done" pies, the pizzas have been some of the best I've eaten.
And now we segue to dessert. Just down the street from Grimaldi's is the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. On a nice day (or even a rotten one), you have to go there for dessert. (You don't have room for it after eating pizza? Pfft. It's ice cream. It melts around whatever's in your stomach.) Operating out of an old fireboat house on the Fulton Ferry Landing, the ice cream shop serves up a small range of dense, creamy, hard-packed ice creams.
You'll have to wait in line here, too, but, like the queue for pizza before, it moves fast. You can eat your icy treat while you take in views of Manhattan and/or wait for the NY Water Taxi, which you can take back to Manhattan, if that's where you need to go. But while you're in these parts, why not head up to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade? Just walk back up Old Fulton, take a right on Columbia Heights, and then watch for the promenade entrance on your right when you get to Orange Street.
ugh, grimaldi's... we order it weekly at the office and i'm sooo tired of it. i just take it for granted, i know.
i tried to get ice cream last week from the ice cream factory but they were not yet open... now i know it's safe to sneak out of the office for a scoop.
Toppings such as mushrooms, tomatoes and other moisture laden vegetables will almost always diminish from the crispiness of crust. The added moisture is most definetly the culprit from my experience.
Knowing the amount of water that's released from mushrooms as they cook, I should have thought of that. I'm sure that's what contributed to the sogginess.
it's a shame anyone would eat grimaldi's once a week without fail! luckily and unluckily i don't work weekends, so no ice cream for me during lunch until it warms up a bit, i guess.
Damg. I wish I could eat Grimaldi's once a week—and on the company's dime! Some people don't know what they've got! Maybe the Ice Cream Factory is only open on weekends during the off season. Who knows!
actually, last night, i went to grimaldi's (inspired by this post, of course). and afterwards, i went to the ice cream factory. it was open and says it is open until 10 pm every night.
Grimaldi's seemed to us seriously overrated: minimal tomato, mediocre ingredients, overblown, chewy crust. Perhaps we were there on an off day, but if you want a serious slice, you have to make the trek to Midwood for Difara's.
I just sent an email about my visit to Lombardi's in Philly. FYI, they now have there own website that covers both the NYC and Philly branches. Also wanted to ask if you knew anything about flyingpizza.com They supposedly do a 2nd day air delivery of NYC pizza anywhere for a reasonable price. However, I've never heard of the place. The website says it comes from Eddie's Pizza in NY, which I've never heard of. Have you? It seems a little suspicious since they say their pizzas are kosher. So I'm thinking that the owners may not be that Italian. Just a guess. Any info?
We did the walk across the bridge to Grimaldi's the day after Valentines day. there were no lines and our pizza came out very quickly, maybe too quick. My opinion, the crust was soggy. The sauce and the rest of the ingredients were top notch. Over all it was very good and I will go back, but I still think that Lombardi's on spring st. was better. Next time in NY, I will probably give Difara'a a shot. Heard it is the best.
I lived two blocks from Grimaldi's and fail to see its charm, or how anyone who really knows New York pizza could grade it better than a tourist trap. Go to the original Totonno's on Neptune Avenue for quality pizza, or Sam's Restaurant on Court Street for wax-paper quality pizza. Note to tourists and Manhattanites from the Midwest whose knowledge is limited to what they read about in Time0ut New York: Neighborhood pizza places served slices on wax paper with or without paper plates. Both spots, which date from 1924 and 1930 respectively, do not sell by the slice, and are run by descendants of original Italian owners. Most pizza places today are owned by Greeks, Asians or others whose employees are not schooled in the art of pizza making. Which is all fine and dandy for a buck seventy-five a slice, but the authenticity isn't there. Noto bene: Visiting a friend in Hoboken once I ordered from Grimaldi's Hoboken--one of the worst, coldest, soggiest pizzas ever. I really expected much better.
"...probably the best-quality fresh mozzarella in the city?" They have empty buckets of Polly-O all over the place. You really think that Polly-O is the best quality mozz to be put on a pie within all of NYC?
Thanks for commenting! Your comment has been accepted and will appear in a moment.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it pleasant. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
Print
When you visit Grimaldi's, expect to wait on line* (see photo, right); reservations aren't accepted here. Don't worry: The queue moves quickly. We waited only ten or fifteen minutes. (You don't put your name in; the host asks how big your party is and then accommodates your group accordingly.) 
It would have been difficult to surpass the quality and flavor of the first slice (from the pepperoni half) I ate. The crust was pleasingly chewy and crisp, the cheese is probably the best-quality fresh mozzarella in the city, and the pepperoni was spicy and top-notch. 
Perhaps it was a little of both, as the crust on the mushroom side suffered from slight undercooking. This is my one complaint about Grimaldi's: The quality is inconsistent. It seems as if, in the rush to feed so many mouths, the cooks there take the pies out too soon. And that's a shame. Ingredients like the ones they're using deserve a better crust. Still, when I've asked for "well-done" pies, the pizzas have been some of the best I've eaten. 
You'll have to wait in line here, too, but, like the queue for pizza before, it moves fast. You can eat your icy treat while you take in views of Manhattan and/or wait for the NY Water Taxi, which you can take back to Manhattan, if that's where you need to go. But while you're in these parts, why not head up to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade? Just walk back up Old Fulton, take a right on Columbia Heights, and then watch for the promenade entrance on your right when you get to Orange Street. 
16 Comments:
ahh grimaldi's. i think the best time to go is during the week when there are fewer lines. i have a low tolerance for waiting for pizza.
Slice tien at 5:42PM on 04/26/04
ugh, grimaldi's... we order it weekly at the office and i'm sooo tired of it. i just take it for granted, i know.
i tried to get ice cream last week from the ice cream factory but they were not yet open... now i know it's safe to sneak out of the office for a scoop.
Slice janelle at 5:57PM on 04/26/04
Toppings such as mushrooms, tomatoes and other moisture laden vegetables will almost always diminish from the crispiness of crust. The added moisture is most definetly the culprit from my experience.
Slice toddb at 10:36AM on 04/27/04
Knowing the amount of water that's released from mushrooms as they cook, I should have thought of that. I'm sure that's what contributed to the sogginess.
Adam Kuban at 11:50AM on 04/27/04
janelle, it's a shame that anyone would take grimaldi's for granted.
i think the ice cream factory was open about a month ago, on a weekend though.
Slice tien at 1:52PM on 04/27/04
it's a shame anyone would eat grimaldi's once a week without fail! luckily and unluckily i don't work weekends, so no ice cream for me during lunch until it warms up a bit, i guess.
Slice janelle at 4:13PM on 04/28/04
Damg. I wish I could eat Grimaldi's once a week—and on the company's dime! Some people don't know what they've got! Maybe the Ice Cream Factory is only open on weekends during the off season. Who knows!
Adam Kuban at 5:33PM on 04/28/04
actually, last night, i went to grimaldi's (inspired by this post, of course). and afterwards, i went to the ice cream factory. it was open and says it is open until 10 pm every night.
Slice tien at 5:46PM on 04/28/04
i smell a conspiracy.
Slice janelle at 7:22AM on 04/29/04
Grimaldi's seemed to us seriously overrated: minimal tomato, mediocre ingredients, overblown, chewy crust. Perhaps we were there on an off day, but if you want a serious slice, you have to make the trek to Midwood for Difara's.
Slice Pie Maven at 12:04PM on 08/08/04
I just sent an email about my visit to Lombardi's in Philly. FYI, they now have there own website that covers both the NYC and Philly branches. Also wanted to ask if you knew anything about flyingpizza.com They supposedly do a 2nd day air delivery of NYC pizza anywhere for a reasonable price. However, I've never heard of the place. The website says it comes from Eddie's Pizza in NY, which I've never heard of. Have you? It seems a little suspicious since they say their pizzas are kosher. So I'm thinking that the owners may not be that Italian. Just a guess. Any info?
Jack
Slice Jack at 1:34AM on 08/21/04
We did the walk across the bridge to Grimaldi's the day after Valentines day. there were no lines and our pizza came out very quickly, maybe too quick. My opinion, the crust was soggy. The sauce and the rest of the ingredients were top notch. Over all it was very good and I will go back, but I still think that Lombardi's on spring st. was better. Next time in NY, I will probably give Difara'a a shot. Heard it is the best.
Slice aaron at 10:54PM on 03/03/05
I lived two blocks from Grimaldi's and fail to see its charm, or how anyone who really knows New York pizza could grade it better than a tourist trap. Go to the original Totonno's on Neptune Avenue for quality pizza, or Sam's Restaurant on Court Street for wax-paper quality pizza. Note to tourists and Manhattanites from the Midwest whose knowledge is limited to what they read about in Time0ut New York: Neighborhood pizza places served slices on wax paper with or without paper plates. Both spots, which date from 1924 and 1930 respectively, do not sell by the slice, and are run by descendants of original Italian owners. Most pizza places today are owned by Greeks, Asians or others whose employees are not schooled in the art of pizza making. Which is all fine and dandy for a buck seventy-five a slice, but the authenticity isn't there. Noto bene: Visiting a friend in Hoboken once I ordered from Grimaldi's Hoboken--one of the worst, coldest, soggiest pizzas ever. I really expected much better.
Slice Mitch at 1:17AM on 08/06/05
These lines are long. I hear there are less lines if you go earlier like 11:30.
Raghetti at 2:51PM on 04/05/09
"...probably the best-quality fresh mozzarella in the city?" They have empty buckets of Polly-O all over the place. You really think that Polly-O is the best quality mozz to be put on a pie within all of NYC?
floppy at 9:19AM on 04/12/09
@floppy: Perhaps things have changed since then. This was written in 2004 and Grimaldi's has switched hands since then.
Adam Kuban at 1:00PM on 04/12/09