Artichoke Pizza in NYC’s East Village: Pizza by the Slice
Of all the amazing pizza joints on New York Magazine’s reasonably definitive Top 20 Best Pizzas of the Moment list this year, only two in all of Manhattan will sell you less than an entire pie. So while we wholeheartedly agree on the inclusion of such Neighborhood Pleasures favorites as Adrienne’s Pizzabar and Jim Lahey’s Co.–as well as Keste, Emporio and Pizza Veloce, by the way–Artichoke Pizza in the East Village has the advantage over them all by being:
- Incredibly delicious
- Available anytime for a pop-by, solo snack of single pizza slice.
OK, make that TWO slices. Because no matter how many times we enter Artichoke Pizza thinking one “fold” will do us just fine, we can never decide between our two usuals, and wind up just getting both.
Artichoke Pizza’s signature creation… the Artichoke Pizza!
First, their namesake slice, their true masterpiece, the Artichoke. With its rich and creamy spinach, cheese and artichoke topping, this pizza is not for the faint of stomach–really, it’s like eating dip for dinner–but the firm and crispy crust supports all the gloppy goodness, and we promise you that, once tried, the craving for more Artichoke pizza will always be with you.
That said, pizza purists may want to stick to the Margherita, with its remarkably fresh cheeses, basil and tomato sauce (not too sweet; not too acidic). Beautifully charred and unusually well balanced, this pizza rivals Brooklyn’s legendary Di Fara’s for best “regular” slice in New York City. Artichoke’s Sicilian slice is also first-rate, though the opinions about the Crab slice tend to cause divisiveness among the faithful.
The decor is classic East Village Pizzeria; the slices are anything but.
Before you go–and if you’re any sort of pizzaficiando, you should go, and as soon as possible–note that Artichoke Basille’s Pizza is not a pretty place. There’s nowhere to sit (unless you count the stoop in front of that building, two doors over); the place is almost always packed, so the precariously narrow counter can be a stressful perch; and the decor? Well, you kind of need to see the portrait of the three Kennedy brothers yourself. But the counter guys, all of whom hail from Staten Island, love to chat it up; the pizza prices are still pretty low, considering it’s been over a year now of non-stop praise and hype; and even though the wait can be long, everyone always seems happy at Artichoke Basille’s Pizza. The pizza is truly that great.
Artichoke Basille’s Pizza and Brewery
Artichoke Basille’s Pizza and Brewery is located in NYC’s East Village on East 14th Street, between Second and First Avenues, and is open from 12:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and until Midnight on Sunday.
Posted in NYC Dining, Other Neighborhoods |
