An interesting item recenly appeared in New York magazine calling Franny's the best pizza in New York: What, exactly, is New York pizza? That's a charged question in a town where pizza partisans—and that means everyone—love nothing more than arguing the merits of this crust, that cheese, or a sauce that's seen livelier days. And there's no easy answer. The sad truth, although it mostly goes unsaid, is that New York pizza isn't what it used to be. The great dynastic names live on, some deservedly, some not, in the coal-fired collective memory, generating long, nostalgic lines and self-perpetuating word-of-mouth,... More

In today's edition of amNY, Josh Lichtman reviews Franny's, the new wine bar–pizzeria on Flatbush Avenue. Because of amNY's limited online presence, I can't link you to it, but here's a PDF of the page the review appears on. Some highlights: With a long vibrant dining room, soft lighting and good jazz, Franny's is an ideal spot to unwind. Along with Manhattan style—more Madison Avenue than Flatbush Avenue—Franny's also has Manhattan prices....The main attraction is the individual pizza ($9-$14), cooked in an Italian wood-burning oven. While I love the fresh toppings, the crust is too soft and lacks the flavor... More

A Preliminary Assessment Clockwise from bottom left: A tomato, mozzarella, and fennel-sausage pie ($14); a tomato-and-mozzarella pie ($10); Franny's window signage; our friend "N" digs in. (These photos look like ass because the lighting was dim and I didn't want to arouse suspicion with flash photography.) Last night was opening night at Franny's, the latest entity participating in the rapid gentrification of Flatbush Avenue from Saint Mark's Place to Sterling Place. While I have no opinion on the oft-touchy subject of affluent renewal-and-replacement, I do have a mad interest in pizza and so wasn't that upset to see a wood... More