The New York Perspective, Part 1

by Sabatino Covollo

For the first installment of the New York Perspective, I hunted down the top five New York style pizza places in the Greater Charleston area. There were many pizza joints that claimed to have the best New York style pizza around, but five restaurants proved to be a slice above the rest. All five of the pizzeria’s that are rated in this article will satisfy your deepest cravings for true pizza, the way it is made in the core of the Big Apple. As a matter of fact, they were so hard to rank that I was forced to rate them on these five different points of criteria:

A) Taste and appearance of a plain cheese slice.

B) Taste and consistency of the sauce.

C) Crust construction and taste.

D) Specialty product.

E) Affordability.

Why should you trust me when it comes to New York Style pizza? A very long time ago, I was a young lad growing up in a small Italian community in the East Bronx, with a pizzeria literally in my backyard. Starting when I was 16, I worked in that same pizzeria for almost 8 years through high school and college. Initially, the job consisted of mopping up and cutting toppings such as meats and vegetables. When I moved up to the ovens the owners said I was getting a raise. However, my wage did not increase, see to get from the prep area to the ovens there was a concrete step up, therefore a raise. Working next to a 500 degree oven in August was never the highlight of my summer breaks, but after a few years the owner’s let me put my hands in the dough for the first time and then it all seemed worth it. From that moment on, I was taught how to make pizza the right way. I learned that the three most important aspects of making New York style pizza are experience, ingredients, and loving what you do.

Here they are, the top rated New York style pizza places in Charleston!

5) Vincent’s 2700 Hwy 17, Mt. Pleasant (843) 881 2282

Slice: A+ This is a very strong slice and one of the reasons that Vincent’s made the top five list. With decent size and perfect thickness, this slice will satisfy all cravings for New York style pizza. You will be able to taste a professionally crafted slice that is made with the freshest ingredients. This is how a slice of NY style pizza should taste.

Crust: A+ When you have a good crust you should have a crispy brown outside and a fluffy and light inside, it’s that simple. Vincent’s has flawless crust.

Specialty: A The other reason in which Vincent’s deserves to be on the top five list is because they make a fried calzone. Yes, you heard correctly, I said fried calzone. It is made the same way in which a baked calzone is made. The dough is pressed out, ingredients are put in one side (mozzarella and ricotta cheese) and then the dough is folded over to make a pocket. Instead of putting this calzone in the oven, it is deep fried in oil. The fried calzone lays mostly on top of the oil, floating as it cooks. If the oil is hot enough then it only needs to cook for a few minutes. Besides the pizzeria in the Bronx that I worked in for all those years, I have never heard of fried calzones being cooked anywhere else. Give it a try it’s different and delicious.

4) Giovanni’s 40 N. Market Street, (Downtown) (843) 727-6767

Slice: A+ Wow! By far the biggest slice you can get in Charleston. This pizzeria, more so than any other in this survey, matched the true size of a New York City pizza slice. It is not just the size that will shock you, but also the excellent taste. There are many pizzeria’s in the country that boast big slices, but compromise taste for size. Giovanni’s makes a wonderfully delicious slice, enormous in both quantity and quality. At Giovanni’s it is about the ingredients and the knowledgeable professionals preparing the pizza that makes it so special.

Sauce: A Superb sauce, homemade from fresh ingredients. Ask for some on the side to dip your left over crust in.

Crust: A Giovanni’s Solid and crisp crust is just right for folding your pizza in half, grasping it with both hands, and stuffing your mouth repeatedly.

Affordability: A+ At Giovanni’s you will get the most for your money in Charleston ($2.50 a slice). You do not have to bring too much cash, just make sure you bring an enormous appetite. The shear girth of a pizza slice here is unmatched in the greater Charleston area. One slice will fill you up if you are a full grown man. If you take your wife and one child, expect them to share a slice. A whole pizza pie will seem too large for the table in which you sit (Please see video).

Trade Secret: In New York City a large pizza is usually about 18 inches wide. When a pizza pie is made that will be used to serve individual slices to different customers it is roughly 21 inches wide. The skilled pizza throwers at Giovanni’s can make a huge, 24 inch pizza and soon they will be making a 28 inch pizza to order!

3) Mia Pomodori Downtown Charleston 212 Rutledge Ave. (843) 724 3560

Slice:    A+ This cheese slice is a little thicker than most slices found in New York City, but don’t let that fool you, this slice packs an amazing punch of flavor and succulence. When it comes to flavor, this plain cheese slice is tops in Charleston.

Sauce: A + This is the reason in which there is so much flavor in the regular cheese slice at Mia Pomodori. The sauce that is made from scratch every morning by Paul, the owner, is absolutely fabulous.

Trade secret: It has been my experience that New York style pizza chef’s commonly take the following steps to prepare a pizza. Firstly, the dough is pressed out to make a round, flat shell, allowing about an inch on the outside that is not completely flattened for the crust. Then the sauce is spread around, allowing room at the edges for the crust. Then, ingredients such as black pepper, dry basil and graded parmesan cheese (or some combination of the three) are put on top of the sauce. Next, the cheese is put on top and when the pie is baked, the herbs infuse with the cheese and sauce to make an amazing taste. Paul, the owner of Mia Pomodori, does not do it this way. Instead he puts his ingredients in his sauce and mixes it together. He then simply puts the flavorful sauce on the pressed out dough without adding anything else besides cheese. Anyone who tastes his pizza will know that however he makes his sauce, it is delicious!

Crust:    A Soft and browned just right.

Specialty:     A+ La Pomodomi boasts an outstanding Margherita Pizza (See Video). With such a simple recipe it will make you wonder why your taste buds are popping. It is made from the highest quality of ingredients. A very simple recipe made up of Paul’s excellent red sauce, round slices of fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, basil, and a splash of salt and black pepper is all that is needed to impress even the toughest pizza critic.

*Legend has it that in 1889 a man by the name of Esposito made three pizzas for Queen Margherita of Italy. She loved one of the pizzas so much that it inherited the name Margherita. If you look closely at the Margherita pie on the video you can see how Esposito was loyal to the colors of the Italian flag (green for fresh basil, white for fresh mozzarella and red sauce).

2) Amalfi’s 250 Spring Street (right under the best western) 843-805 8131

Sauce: A Homemade and flavorful. This sauce can easily be used for a marinara sauce on top of spaghetti or rigatoni dish; it’s that good.

Specialty: A+ One word: Stromboli. This is the must try at this restaurant (Please see video.)

Slice: A+ When I held up a slice upright, gravity caused the sauce and cheese literally ooze off the slice and onto my plate (Please see video). Believe it or not, this is a good thing.

Trade Secret: Amalfi’s will drip grease, cheese and sauce if you point the tip down towards your plate. This is a very good thing. It means that the cheese and sauce are fluid together and not hard or coagulated. The last thing you want is cheese that lays stuck to the top of a slice like a drunken bum on a park bench. If you get a slice of pizza like this then whoever made it most likely used more of a pizza paste rather than a pizza sauce. If you want an example of sauce and cheese not moving, just order a Domino’s or Pizza Hut pizza, you can play Frisbee with them and never see the cheese or sauce move.

Crust: A Fluffy on the inside crisp on the outside, just right.

Affordability: A+ By far the least expensive slice, weighing in at a measly $1.75 per.

* The Stromboli is a must try when you visit Almalfi’s. A Stromboli is similar to a calzone in that it is a stuffed hybrid pizza. The doe is stretched and laid out, the ingredients form a center line in the middle of the doe. In turn, the doe is folded over the ingredients and slits are made in the top for ventilation. This delicious creation is then baked to perfection and served sizzling.

**Stromboli is one of the Lipari Islands off the coast of Sicily. Apparently, this Island has a reputation for destructive eruptions which occurred in both 1930 and 1966. One can’t help but think of the eruption of cheese and sauce that occurs when an Amalfi’s Stromboli is cut open (Please see the video).

***Amalfi’s is the only full service Italian restaurant on this list.

1) La Pizzeria 978 Houston Northcutt Blvd, Mt. Pleasant (843) 375-4607

Slice: A+ The pizza here is hand crafted with expect precision. The cheese is of the highest quality and you can taste the richness. All you have to do is try this pizza and you will be instantly hooked.

Sauce: A+ The sauce at La Pizzeria is to die for. You will not find better Italian sauces anywhere in Charleston and I don’t mean only pizzerias, I mean full service Italian restaurants as well. If you want to sample how amazing the sauces are here, try the Gnocchi with plum sauce (Please see video). The plum tomatoes are imported from Italy and the Gnocchi is hand made each morning. I would advise wearing sandals or flip-flops so your toes will have an opportunity to curl without discomfort.

Crust: A+ The owners of La Pizzeria import flour straight from Italy that does not have high glutton or bleach in it. As a result, the taste of the crust is different then most pizzas that you will taste in America. The crust is a light, yet satisfying experience that all Charlestonians should try.

Specialty: A+ Here is the main reason in which La Pizzeria made the number one Pizza Place in Charleston. When you walk in you will be introduced to an assortment of different pizza styles including Margherita, White, Sicilian, and Calzones. You will see them all arranged beautifully on the line behind glass so you can see which one youwant to consume. (Please see video) Some of these selections appear to resemble priceless artwork rather then something you can buy and eat. Since they are already cooked all it takes is a little heat from the oven to begin feasting.

Affordability: A La Pizzeria has very reasonable prices, especially when you consider the imported, high quality ingredients that their products are made from.

Trade Secret: In New York City, people like to run into a pizza place, choose what they want and begin eating in under 3 minutes. People have to know that they can get great, inexpensive pizza on the fly. If a pizzeria cannot provide all three things, it will not survive. Like it or not, Charleston is becoming more fast paced and the market for cheap, quickly accessible meals is on the rise. La Pizzeria has a line that would rival any in New York City. With so many delicious options, there is something for everyone. The line is set up in a fashion that enables you to see different, already prepared pizza options at eye level and make a fast choice. You will not find another like it in the greater Charleston area.

The bottom line that sets these 5 pizzerias apart from the rest is a combination of three things. One: The professionals making the pizza. You will have either the owner or another very knowledgeable and skilled pizza artist molding pies and specialty items for you. Two: The ingredients used. All five of these places use fresh and top of the line products. If they did not, then their pizza would not taste up to New York style standards. For example, La Pizzeria imports their flour, tomato sauce and deserts directly from Italy. Most of these pizzerias also prepare their sauces and various other products from scratch each morning. Three: Evident love of what they do and the products that they make. All five owners love their line of work and stand behind their pizza one hundred percent, you can see it in their faces. There is nothing more an Italian chef loves than seeing a guest enjoy a meal that they prepared for them.

Honorable mentions: Zappo’s pizza downtown, A Dough Re Mi and NYPD Pizza in Mt. Pleasant, and Andolini’s. Also, give Palmetto Pizza a try if you are on your way to the country in Hollywood.