Any idea just how many pizza ovens in NYC are heated with coal?
Mahalo,
E.J.F.
Dear E.J.F.,
I know you've emailed a couple times about this, and my apologies for the delayed response—things have been busy at the Slice–Serious Eats office. Anyway, off the top of my head, here are all the ones I can think of. Readers, if I've forgotten any, do let me know in the comments.
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
ALL KNOWN COAL-OVEN PIZZAS IN NEW YORK CITY
- The Bronx -
Tosca Café
4038 East Tremont Avenue, The Bronx NY 10465
718-239-3300
- Brooklyn -
Grimaldi's
19 Old Fulton Street, Brooklyn NY 112101
718-858-4300
Totonno's (the Coney Island original)
1524 Neptune Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11224
718-372-8606
- Manhattan -
Angelo's
117 West 57th Street, New York NY 10019
212-333-4333
Arturo's
106 West Houston, New York NY 10012
212-677-3820
Carbone
331 West 38th Street, New York NY 10018
212-290-2625
John's (Greenwich Village)
278 Bleecker Street, New York NY 10014
212-243-1680
John's (Times Square)
260 West 44th Street, New York NY 10036
212-391-7560
Lombardi's
32 Spring Street, New York NY 10012
212-941-7994
Luzzo's (coal and wood combined)
211 First Avenue, New York NY 10009
212-473-7447
Patsy's (East Harlem -- the original)
2287 First Avenue, New York NY 10035
212-534-9783
Patsy's (Chelsea)
318 West 23rd Street, New York NY 10011
646-486-7400
Patsy's (Lenox Hill)
206 East 60th Street, New York 10022
212-688-9707
Patsy's (UES)
1312 Second Avenue, New York NY 10021
212-639-1000
Patsy's (Union Square)
67 University Place, New York NY 10003
212-533-3500
Patsy's (UWS)
61 West 74th Street, New York NY 10023
212-579-3000
Totonno's (Second Ave. and 26th Street)
462 Second Avenue, New York NY 10016
212-213-8800
Totonno's (UES)
1544 Second Avenue, New York NY 10028
212-327-2800
- Queens -
Bella Via
47-46 Vernon Boulevard, Queens NY 11106
718-361-7510
Sac's Place
25-41 Broadway, Queens NY 11106
718-204-5002/3
I always thought the John's in Time Square was brick-oven but not coal. I could be wrong though. The best "evidence" I could find is this chowhound comment. I think it's worth doing some investigation.
I'll investigate at the earliest opportunity, but I seem to remember going in there with the idea that the oven was not coal-fired and then being suprised that it was. And when I asked Mr. Ed Levine about it, he assured me that the Times Square John's was coal fired. I know. Hard to believe. The Chowhound comment should be taken with a grain of salt; it presumes that any place with a coal oven will produce pies with a nice char to the crust. This is not the case. I have eaten at many a coal-oven pizzeria that have not used the oven to its fullest char-inducing extent. —The Mgmt.
Amazing. That's good to know. Every time I go to John's in Times Square I'm convinced it's not as good as Bleeker, but maybe it's all in my head. Next time I go I'll assume it's the best pizza in the world and we'll see how I feel afterwards.
John's at Times Square has 4, and their location at 64th betw. 1st and York has one too. Congrats Adam on all the publicity and popularity, you guys deserve it.
@Matty: Well, the Times Square John's doesn't seem to char the pies as much as the Bleecker Street one. I'd guess because it's mostly tourists going to that one and they probably get complaints. I know that's the case with the Manhattan Totonno's. The one on 26th mentioned to us that they used to get so many complaints about "burnt" crusts that they started holding back on the char. @Nick: Duh. Gargh. I totally forgot about Angelo's on 57th, probably because I've never thought it was all that remarkable. I *did* know it had a coal oven. I'll have to check if its other location is coal. @ToddB: Thanks for the tip on the one at 64th. I was unsure about that one and the person who answered the phone when I called didn't seem to know anything. Pizzerias with coal ovens should make sure their entire staff knows -- especially staff members who deal with the public -- so they can trumpet it at the drop of a hat.
what is the advantage of coal fired? does it give a smoky taste, as a good steak grilled over charcoal does, as the fat dripping into the fire imbues the meat with vaporized grease?
come on people what about brick oven gallery? they have what is said to be the oldest operating brick oven in the city coal / wood north 8th st and havemeyer 11211 kenny is the owner
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8 Comments:
I always thought the John's in Time Square was brick-oven but not coal. I could be wrong though. The best "evidence" I could find is this chowhound comment. I think it's worth doing some investigation.
capndesign at 11:58PM on 03/02/07
I'll investigate at the earliest opportunity, but I seem to remember going in there with the idea that the oven was not coal-fired and then being suprised that it was. And when I asked Mr. Ed Levine about it, he assured me that the Times Square John's was coal fired. I know. Hard to believe. The Chowhound comment should be taken with a grain of salt; it presumes that any place with a coal oven will produce pies with a nice char to the crust. This is not the case. I have eaten at many a coal-oven pizzeria that have not used the oven to its fullest char-inducing extent. —The Mgmt.
Adam Kuban at 3:59AM on 03/03/07
Amazing. That's good to know. Every time I go to John's in Times Square I'm convinced it's not as good as Bleeker, but maybe it's all in my head. Next time I go I'll assume it's the best pizza in the world and we'll see how I feel afterwards.
at 8:02AM on 03/03/07
Angelos on 57th is coal oven...... I only know because I smoke next to the bags of coal when they are delivered in the morning.
Slice Nick at 3:05PM on 03/03/07
John's at Times Square has 4, and their location at 64th betw. 1st and York has one too. Congrats Adam on all the publicity and popularity, you guys deserve it.
Slice toddb at 6:40PM on 03/03/07
@Matty: Well, the Times Square John's doesn't seem to char the pies as much as the Bleecker Street one. I'd guess because it's mostly tourists going to that one and they probably get complaints. I know that's the case with the Manhattan Totonno's. The one on 26th mentioned to us that they used to get so many complaints about "burnt" crusts that they started holding back on the char. @Nick: Duh. Gargh. I totally forgot about Angelo's on 57th, probably because I've never thought it was all that remarkable. I *did* know it had a coal oven. I'll have to check if its other location is coal. @ToddB: Thanks for the tip on the one at 64th. I was unsure about that one and the person who answered the phone when I called didn't seem to know anything. Pizzerias with coal ovens should make sure their entire staff knows -- especially staff members who deal with the public -- so they can trumpet it at the drop of a hat.
Adam Kuban at 1:15AM on 03/04/07
what is the advantage of coal fired? does it give a smoky taste, as a good steak grilled over charcoal does, as the fat dripping into the fire imbues the meat with vaporized grease?
Slice brian murphy at 12:24AM on 03/08/07
come on people what about brick oven gallery? they have what is said to be the oldest operating brick oven in the city coal / wood north 8th st and havemeyer 11211 kenny is the owner
Slice ben at 2:02AM on 03/08/07