Sad news. Sal of the Upper West Side's Sal and Carmine's has died. We received a report over the weekend from Josh G. that the neighborhood favorite was shuttered due to "an emergency." And now today comes word from Alex Belth of Bronx Banter as to the state of that emergency:
Sal died late last week. I’ve been eating their pizza since I was a kid. Sal and Carmine. Two short, taciturn men in their seventies, though they look older. I never knew who was Sal and who was Carmine, just that one was slightly less cranky than the other. These are the kind of men that don’t retire but are retired.
Coming on the heels of the Newsweek story I just linked to, this couldn't be a sadder and more timely illustration that the great, longtime pizzamen slinging everyday (yet exceptional) slices are treasures we're quickly losing.
Our condolences go out to Sal's family, friends, and fans—and to Carmine, the business partner Sal took on in the '90s. He will be missed.
According to Bronx Banter, Sal's funeral was yesterday, and the shop reopens today.
What a heartbreaker. Sal and Carmine's has long been and still is my favorite my favorite joint for a slice in Manhattan. Funny how much I'll miss Sal, when even I never managed to learn who was who behind the counter...
This has been my neighborhood favorite for many, many years. The last time I was home in New York Sal and I had a great conversation, which those of you who frequented the place will know was an achievement. This is sad, sad, sad. Hopefully Carmine will keep the place going and pass on the torch to a younger pizzaiolo. I love that Alex, like the everyone else I know who frequented the place, never knew which one was Sal only that one was less cranky than the other.
Very sad news. I have fond memories of Sal and Carmines and their pizza is truly exemplary. One quibble, though, comes from my northern correspondent and S&C devotee Barn, who wrote to me:
"As one who lived in the neighborhood in the early 60's, I can assure all concerned that Carmine was there from day one."
Having not been around back then, I'm inclined to believe him. Can anyone else confirm or deny?
Carmine has been there from day one, actually wanted to mention this yesterday. And he is not just a business partner, he is Sal's younger brother. Sal's grandson, Carmine's nephew, has been working at the shop now for a couple years. Passing the baton.
Oh no! Sal (Carmine, too!) was such a nice man- it took a while, but once he recognized you he always had a friendly story or a wave when you passed by the store. He will be greatly missed. And I've always said that Sal & Carmine's is the quintessential New York pizza. Not fancy, not gourmet, but pure greatness. Sal & Carmine's is and always will be the best in NY. RIP Sal!
So Sad, I grew up in the building where Sal and Carmine's is, I was eating their pizza since the womb, so sad. Sal was fantastic, he would always greet me in Italian and he even told me all the places to go in his home town of Sorrento when I was in Italy. What was always so great about Sal and Carmine's was that you could always tell who made the pizza. He will be missed.
It always was just Sal and Carmine - since I was a little kid. Used to be on Bwy (94/95). Went there with my friends every day in the late 60's for lunch in JHS. Even after moving uptown and 20+ years later, they would both greet my mother like an old friend when she would stop in for her 1-2x/year visit for a slice. They even remembered me when I stopped in a couple of years ago, after at least 30 years!! Great guys, legendary pizza, the REAL (and long gone) Upper West Side at it's best.
I've been going here since it was just Sal's and located by Symphony Space. When that one closed, I was relieved to find it re-open right around the corner from where I lived (saving me 5 blocks) as it took over the space from a vain attempt at a slice place from a few neighborhood guys (one of whom went on to start the local video store). Anyway, the place had character -- not in the decor which stayed the same as the neighborhood guys (in case anyone wondered about those posters) -- but in the guys behind the counter. And a slice is always good for four or five glasses of water an hour later.
Sal will certainly be missed. And Carmine...my condolences.
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13 Comments:
What a heartbreaker. Sal and Carmine's has long been and still is my favorite my favorite joint for a slice in Manhattan. Funny how much I'll miss Sal, when even I never managed to learn who was who behind the counter...
James Boo at 2:31PM on 06/02/09
I have been dreading this moment.
simon at 3:08PM on 06/02/09
This has been my neighborhood favorite for many, many years. The last time I was home in New York Sal and I had a great conversation, which those of you who frequented the place will know was an achievement. This is sad, sad, sad. Hopefully Carmine will keep the place going and pass on the torch to a younger pizzaiolo. I love that Alex, like the everyone else I know who frequented the place, never knew which one was Sal only that one was less cranky than the other.
RIP
itshissong at 3:11PM on 06/02/09
RIP, Sal.
Best slice place on the Upper West Side, if not the whole of Manhattan.
JoshNY at 3:36PM on 06/02/09
S&C really is the best slice in UWS. Sad news for the food and NYC community today.
Koreanita at 4:40PM on 06/02/09
Without a doubt the best pizza in Manhattan. Sal will be terribly missed.
bistro at 7:50PM on 06/02/09
Very sad news. I have fond memories of Sal and Carmines and their pizza is truly exemplary. One quibble, though, comes from my northern correspondent and S&C devotee Barn, who wrote to me:
"As one who lived in the neighborhood in the early 60's, I can assure all concerned that Carmine was there from day one."
Having not been around back then, I'm inclined to believe him. Can anyone else confirm or deny?
Celeriac at 12:09PM on 06/03/09
@Celeriac: I'll ask Ed Levine here, but seeing as how I pulled that info from a post he wrote here on Slice, he might not be able to confirm or deny.
Adam Kuban at 12:25PM on 06/03/09
Carmine has been there from day one, actually wanted to mention this yesterday. And he is not just a business partner, he is Sal's younger brother. Sal's grandson, Carmine's nephew, has been working at the shop now for a couple years. Passing the baton.
simon at 12:52PM on 06/03/09
Oh no! Sal (Carmine, too!) was such a nice man- it took a while, but once he recognized you he always had a friendly story or a wave when you passed by the store. He will be greatly missed. And I've always said that Sal & Carmine's is the quintessential New York pizza. Not fancy, not gourmet, but pure greatness. Sal & Carmine's is and always will be the best in NY. RIP Sal!
SmokedMeat at 1:03PM on 06/03/09
So Sad, I grew up in the building where Sal and Carmine's is, I was eating their pizza since the womb, so sad. Sal was fantastic, he would always greet me in Italian and he even told me all the places to go in his home town of Sorrento when I was in Italy. What was always so great about Sal and Carmine's was that you could always tell who made the pizza. He will be missed.
andrewwk at 9:58AM on 06/04/09
It always was just Sal and Carmine - since I was a little kid. Used to be on Bwy (94/95). Went there with my friends every day in the late 60's for lunch in JHS. Even after moving uptown and 20+ years later, they would both greet my mother like an old friend when she would stop in for her 1-2x/year visit for a slice. They even remembered me when I stopped in a couple of years ago, after at least 30 years!! Great guys, legendary pizza, the REAL (and long gone) Upper West Side at it's best.
senyc at 1:02PM on 06/09/09
How sad.
I've been going here since it was just Sal's and located by Symphony Space. When that one closed, I was relieved to find it re-open right around the corner from where I lived (saving me 5 blocks) as it took over the space from a vain attempt at a slice place from a few neighborhood guys (one of whom went on to start the local video store). Anyway, the place had character -- not in the decor which stayed the same as the neighborhood guys (in case anyone wondered about those posters) -- but in the guys behind the counter. And a slice is always good for four or five glasses of water an hour later.
Sal will certainly be missed. And Carmine...my condolences.
nachoTaco at 1:18PM on 06/12/09