pizza

Out along the the yellow subway line in Brooklyn, where alphabet city seems to extend, with avenues J and U (and probably LMNOP) stands Di Fara Pizza. A relic from a different time, a vestige of Brooklyn’s past. In this predominantly Jewish neighborhood Domenico DeMarco opened this legendary pizza Mecca in 1964. What you’ll probably find most striking and certainly endearing, is that he’s been making the pies here, by himself ever since. Though his large family helps with the peripheral moving parts of the business, Domenico doesn’t let anyone else fold the dough, or cut the basil that garnishes the top of each fresh pie. An artisan, no doubt, a new york slice guru, absolutely, a pizza diva, maybe.

Whatever the label, the pizza here is definitive new york, and has held the title for best slice for decades. Patrons might gripe about the long wait, lack of AC in the summer and balk at the steep price, however these thoughts quickly dissolve after one’s first bite.

Both rectangle and round are excellent, though personally I prefer round. It will also likely come out much quicker. I once visited with some friends, we ordered the Sicilian, only to see one circle after another come out before ours. Any way you slice it, the pizza here is spectacular. Feel free to order with pepperoni(the good stuff here), and add peppers in oil that adorn the table and you’re set to go.