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23rd St-8th Ave (C, E)
23rd St-7th Ave (1)
Mon. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Tue-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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i've been here several times, and so far no disappointments. as others have noted, the crust is what makes their pizza good. in particular, the ham and cheese is my favorite. it has prosciutto, gruyere and i believe 2 other cheeses. pretty good!
can't complain about the service either. the waiters are fast and friendly. as for the place itself- it does get loud at full capacity. it doesn't help that the tables are too close together- and that's if they don't seat you at the communal tables.
which reminds me, btw- what is up with all the communal tables in restaurants these days??
OK - I really give it a 3.7. Damn Yelp for not having partial credit systems.
Ambiance - chic, warm, woodsy, but definitely a trendy NY Chelsea crowd.
Pies - Have to say these people are to bread what Jackson Pollock was to splatterings on a rectangular canvass. They bake it to crispy, chewy perfection - and then they realized that they might just have a market in figuring out unique toppings to toss upon that genius of a flatbread... such as the "Popeye".. pecorino, gruyère, buffalo mozzarella, spinach, black pepper and garlic. Or the "Ham & Cheese": pecorino, gruyère, buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto and caraway. Pizzas are thin, crispy, innovative and unique.
Service - We went with a large group of 10+ people and they made us move back and forth between tables, joining us, at our request, and then splitting us back up. To apologize for their frenetic-ness, they gave us a pizza bianca (buttery bread style pizza) on the house.
Extras - They have long, wooden, communal tables. Check! Open kitchen with a wood burning oven (and nice view of it) Check! Great starting salads featuring fresh blood-red beets, roasted pumpkin seeds, scallion, mint, lemon and olive oil. Sophisticated - Check!
Nice place. Doesn't beat Mozza in LA, and I would position it as intensely inventive flat breads more than I would gourmet pizza in NYC. But still delish in my tummy after I had finished.
I'd love to give this place a hgher rating, but . . . charging me for parmesan cheese at a pizza place?! Really?! Even fancy pizza can use some parmesan cheese!
The place is very pretty, but it was freezing. They had the air on even though it was very chilly outside. The fans were blowing so hard that the lights were swinging back and forth.
I don't think I'll go back, especially not with Txikito right next door.
We came here on a weekend afternoon - ambience is nice although it's located on a busy avenue in Chelsea and it has that Verizon store feel from the outside. Good selection of beers on tap and the upscale pizza was quite good and very comparable to other New York Mag pizza joints in both flavor and price.
We tried the arugula pizza here (ubiquitous at places that look like this and are at this price point) and it was quite good. Bartender was nice and we were seated promptly at one of the communal tables.
I should preface this by saying I am slightly obsessed with the stracctiatella pizza at Co. The softy silky gooey-ness is perfectly complimented by the peppery taste of arugula. You should go to Co just for this pizza alone. The crust is the perfect mix of crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. I also really like the radicchio salad with shiitake mushrooms and cheese. The balsamic dressing sweetens up the bitterness of the radicchio and makes for a great compliment to the pizza. The atmosphere is lively and the stacks of pizzas on the tables makes for conversation between them, as in "what did you order? that looks so good!". It definitely gets crowded, but I have lucked out and not waited too long. Happy to have this place in the neighborhood and welcome any excuse to go back.
I read about this place as one of the top pizza places in NYC. I had it bookmarked for a while and I stopped in today for lunch. Everyone says this on their reviews, I walk by this place all the time, I never noticed it was there. Also, What's with the name CO.? On the outside it says Company. Is it because your in the company of strangers or did I just join the military again? Ten hut!
Really nice place! The staff was welcoming and they had a great wine selection. I chose the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (which had a nice review in the NY Times)
I wanted to start off with a basic pizza so I ordered the Margherita which is just tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil. mmmmm.. Molto Sexy.
(The waiter told me for next time to order the popeye)
This is my first time at this restaurant, also known as Company Pizza. I've walked past the restaurant so many times and not even realized that this place exists. Anyhow, upon entering, the atmosphere of the restaurant is trendy. There is a big communal table. We went around 1:30PM on a Saturday when it was a bit slow, so it wasn't too loud. As we finished eating, the place became packed, and we started to notice the noise level as eluded by the other reviews on here.
As for the food, I thought it was fantastic. I would give a rating of 4.5 if I could.
We ordered the following:
1) Margherita (tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil) - simple ingredients, but our favorite of the 3 that we ordered
2) Fennel & Sausage (crushed tomato, roasted fennel, sausage, red onions, chili, buffalo mozzarella, parmesan) - the fennel flavor is very mild. All of the flavors of the 3 pies that we got are all mild flavors and bringing out the flavors of the natural ingredients - which I am a big fan of!
3) Ham & Cheese (pecorino, gruyere, buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, caraway) - I love Ham, and I love Cheese. This is the grown up version.
All of these pizzas are personal sized pizzas. I can see how others on here made comments about it being pricey. Depending on the pizza you get, most of the pizzas on the menu can range from $14 to $19.
Our bill came out to be $65. That included the 3 pizzas above, 1 coke, 1 lemonade, and 1 Palm (Belgium Amber Ale Beer).
Some of the other reviews on here had mentioned about not so good service. Just from this one experience, I thought the service was fine. Our waiter asked us if it was our first time there, we said yes, and he had suggested the our party of 3 should get 3 pizzas. (Even though we already knew to get 3 pizzas and knew they were personal sized before we got there, I found it nice that he had mentioned it). He also mentioned the special pizza of the day and left us for a few minutes to decide.
As a side note, the place wasn't packed when we arrived; however, we still did wait about 20 to 25 minutes for our pizza. There were probably about 8 parties there that had arrived before us - their tables were empty when we sat down. I usually do an eyeball test to see what other customers are ordering.
Overall, I thought our experience was pleasant. The pizzas were very light with mild natural flavors. I would definitely return again. If you decide to go, I would suggest going for lunch. The place got really packed as we were leaving the restaurant around 3PM.
Walked in on Monday night at 9:30 and we were seated immediately - there were plenty of open seats, which was not expected after hearing about the waits. We stopped in because my boyfriend heard it was supposed to be as good as DiFaro in Brooklyn. Co. is very good, but the experience at DiFaro makes the taste of the pizza especially delicious, so it's tough to compare the two.
Co.'s atmosphere is simple and modern, reminding me of a brighter Momofuku Ssam Bar, with eclectic rock music and a friendly and helpful staff. We split the radicchio salad, which was a lot better than I thought (I don't normally like radicchio) thanks to the balsamic and taleggio cheese. We ordered two pizzas, which are the size of a dinner plate: Margherita and Stracciatella, and in my opinion the Stracciatella far-surpassed the Margherita...fresh arugula made the pie! As we enjoyed our last slice, we decided to order a 3rd - the Flambé -very rich with béchamel and thick Italian bacon.
After a meal like that, I need to amp up my workout! But I look forward to returning with a larger group to experience a little more hustle-bustle.
Typically when I dine out at a restaurant it always STARTS with 5 stars. As the experience carries on there is a potential for stars to start dropping off.
Waiting for our fourth person to arrive, our party of 3 ordered a growler (their version of a pitcher) of beer. The bartender recognized the head on the growler was pretty large, so he poured a free separate beer to compensate. GREAT! 5 stars remain!
Schizo waitress that couldn't handle her 4 tables. (dock 1 star)
Getting guff and a raised eyebrow at only ordering a few things (dock 1 star)
Waitress forgets to order 1 of the 2 pizzas and doesn't apologize. (dock 1 star)
So our experience went from Great to BAD because of the service. Which is really too bad because the food was actually pretty good. I left feeling MEH about the place, which most likely means I won't go back.
In the vicious (and somewhat ridiculous) New York Pizza Wars, Co. stands as an anomaly. Unlike other Pizzaioli, who pride themselves in the freshness of their toppings, Co. gives priority to the dough itself. This makes sense, given that owner Jim Lahey's background is primarily as a baker. On one hand, one could argue that the dough-centric approach is an attempt to stand out in the bustling Pizza scene. On the other hand, Lahey's bread is so good that it makes sense for him to put "all his pizzas in one basket", so to speak.
The dough is indeed fantastic. Charred, crisp on the edges, flakey in the center and full of flavor.
The problem with Co. was not so much the pizza dough. It was... the pizzas. They are very much hit-or-miss, depending on the toppings. A cauliflower/bechamel pizza, for example, was a sad affair: a heap of dry cauliflowers sat on top of the pizza, lonely and desolate. The sausage/fennel fared better, but still suffered from dry-itis.
The meatball, margherita and special pizza of the day (a red pepper paste/pepperoni pie) were, however, very good. No complaints there. And the ambience is great: lively, bright, open.
So it seems to me that, having planted his flag in dough-land, Lahey should play it a little safer and steer clear of California Pizza Kitchen-style monstrosities. Cauliflower and bechamel?! Really?? Granted, the friend who ate it was a vegetarian... but even vegetarians have souls. He gnawed his way through it, sighing with each bite of a cauliflower cluster.
So, with the ridiculous dictatorial attitude imparted by "Una Pizza Napoletana" on one end, and Lahey's psychedelic pizzas one the other, we need a middle ground
Perhaps they should open up a new restaurant together... "Una Co-Pizza"...
Was in Manhattan for vacation and heard that Co was a pretty good pie!
It was pooring down rain when we arrived on a thursday at about 4 ( I know weird time.) We walk in to a very quaint yet modern looking dining room playing some Pink Floyd (awesome moodsetter for weather!?) atleast I thought so. Myself being of very thin Californian blood thought the 38* with wind and rain was freezing was relieved to see an espresso bar where I was happy to order an americano.
Let's get down to it, why did I go to Co? I had heard that it had some amazing pies. Prices seemed a little bit steep seeing as it is just a personal size, but hey it's always worth a try. I order the Meatball and my partner ordered the fennel and sausage. As per other reviews the pies come out when they are ready, and are quite a thing to look at. Also following my Californian blood, which means that I have no good perception of a good NY pizza. I am pleased to say that these pies were very good. They were both interesting combinations that boasted broad and strong flavors with very very fresh ingredients.
I would definitely recommend Co to anyone looking for a more rustic pizza that is willing to spend a hefty amount for pizza!
It's never a good thing when you're compelled to profusely apologize to your dining companion on your choice of restaurants. But that's what I found myself doing at a recent dinner here - screaming across the communal table, because that's the only way he'd be able to hear me given the deafening level of sound in the room.
Noise level aside, the service plain out sucked. I noted on a previous visit that the service was non-existent, but chalked it up to the Freshman status of the restaurant - we had gone during its opening week. Service hasn't gotten better in the past year, and may have possibly gotten worse.
We were left silverware-less when the food arrived, and had to flag a floor staff for the utensils, while our pizza cooled before our eyes. We had to cajole the worn out busboy to fetch our waiter whenever we needed something, as they seemed to disappear on cue when we were ready to order, needed another drink (necessary given the stressful experience), or needed the check (thank god this fucking meal is over).
I also noted with enormous disdain, that my overpriced beer ($7.50) was about 25% head. Once the bubbly died down, I was cheated out of a good $2-3 dollars worth of beer.
The food saves Co. a star in my eyes however. A classic Margherita was flawlessly executed, with a nice char on the crust, textbook ratio of sauce to cheese to bread, and a pleasantly fragrant basil aroma that lingers on the palate. A sausage and fennel pizza, while a bit overpriced ($18), matched the level of execution as the aforementioned Margherita.
Given the excellence of other pizza joints on the island (Luzzo's, Keste, etc) even the most decadent pie at Co. wouldn't forgive their sin of terrible service and migraine inducing sound. A pair of diners to our right were smart... they spent exactly one minute in their chair, assessed the uncomfortable dining experience, and quickly excused themselves and left. I spent the entire meal wishing I had done the same.
Jim Lahey's Pizza "Co." is the latest project from the guy that brought us artisan bread and… Read more »
Love the awesome toppings!!! but a little of a "toppings nazi"... they wouldn't let me change or add anything ... you can only take out ingredients... but I forgave them, since it was all yummy.
The flambe with lardons was excellent!
For more reviews visit my blog.
Another gem of a pizza place, right up there with Keste. Splitting a salad (seasonal root vegetable - phenominal) and pizza (margharita - love that char!) with a friend was a perfect, light meal. A slice of pumpkin pie for dessert took me right to happily full. Great casual atmosphere too. Looking forward to going back.
A nice addition to the list of options of pizzerias around the city, if the pies are a bit overpriced.
I tried the sausage and fennel pie, which comes with crushed tomatoes, buffalo mozz, and parmesan. The sausage was better than the average sausage you find on pizzas around the city, but not one of the top-quality sausages. Unfortunately, the flavors of the cheese were drowned out by all the liquid from the tomatoes and the sausage (and perhaps also from the fennel). I was expecting a mix of sharper and saltier flavors with the parmesan, but, on the contrary, this turned out to be a rather underflavored pie. And the edges of the crust were seriously burnt (I had to cut them off to be able to eat the pie).
I think the mistake was in combining those three juicy ingredients (crushed tomatoes, sausage, and fresh fennel). I suspect a more successful combination, both in terms of enhancement of flavors and being able to get the crust to cook without being soggy in the center and burnt on the edges, would have been a standard spicy and slightly-sweet tomato sauce, rather than crushed tomatoes, along with the sausage and fennel.
Note that while you may request that individual toppings items not be included, you may not request any additional items that are not listed with a given pie on the menu. Chefs are entitled to serve their food any way they like, but that kind of rigidity is grounds for an automatic demotion of one rating star in my book.
Ok, so we finally tried this place after hearing all the hype. It's overrated. The food was good, but not wow. Something just fell flat for me - the flavors on the pie, while individually good and obviously high-quality, just didn't sing together.
Overpriced for the size, too!
I thought the crust was tasty but too doughy - too much chew, not enough crunch. One pizza arrived much less than round, like it had been dropped before baking, so the last quarter was just a sliver rather than a slice.
The service was terrible, too...we had to ask the waitress for water, and then she left us waiting for the check for about 15 minutes after we were done eating, without even asking if we wanted dessert. She got a small tip, needless to say.
I visit SF often, and my vote for best fancy pizza goes to Little Star. WAY tastier, less attitude.
I will start by extending a special thanks to Chris H. for his indirect suggestion of Co. Without his scrutinizing comments, a venture to this little eatery would've been overlooked.
9th Avenue & W 24th Street... Upon looking at my Google Maps GPS direction guide, the first thought that came to mind was... How in the world do I get here? Perhaps walking was the only option. After meeting up with Rachel at Penn Station, we trek the 0.74 miles from Penn to Co. in Chelsea (see Gmap Pedometer for walk reading).
http://www.gmap-pedome...
Upon first entry, the sleek and vibrant feeling of the restaurant's atmosphere entices a profoundly upbeat feeling about the dining experience. The carefully selected shades of pine stained wood and spotlighting gives a more modern feel to the restaurant. Although a pizzeria, Co has the snazzy feel of a trendy upscale eatery that serves what's labeled as "Neapolitan Style Pizza".
Rachel and I were placed at the main community table sitting directly opposite one another. From my angle, I was able to see the various wine offerings and beer on tap (not to mention the 2 dozen people waiting for a table while we ate).
Service: Rapid and attentive. Our server was quick to request beverage and food preferences. Although slightly rush, the entire experience was remarkably at ease. Perhaps this adds to Co's. vibrant feel, without the hassle of being rushed out the door.
The Food:
Margherita Pizza: Indeed, the pizza is not always round. With a semi-square shape, the Margherita is prepared using naturally leavened dough that's topped with San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Buffalo Mozzarella, Fresh Basil, and a Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. At first bite, the tantalizing smokiness of the charred crust is the first detection of taste in the application. The bold and smokiness of the crust is then balanced by the subtle sweetness of the San Marzano Tomato Sauce and buttery feel of the Buffalo Mozzarella. The proper amount of Fresh Basil used in the application allowed for a mild hint of earthiness to the application. Patrons will find that the Margherita @ Co is remarkably balanced. The light and savory flavors of the dish are bound by a slightly charred crust that helps bring out the additional flavors of the application.
Boscaiola: Similar to the Margherita is preparation, the Boscaiola is prepared using Tomato, Mushrooms, Buffalo Mozzarella, Onion, and Pork Sausage (we opted to omit the Chili). Unlike the Margherita, the Boscaiola has more of a brash and meaty composition. All of the ingredients ranging from the Sausage and Mushroom gave this rendition of Neapolitan a hearty substance during the consumption process. Patrons will find that the light hints seasoning in the Sausage works remarkably well with velvety sweetness derived from the Buffalo Mozzarella. All of the elements seemingly worked together to create a hearty and well balanced pizza.
The Dessert:
Chocolate Breadcrumb Torte (w/ Vanilla Gelato): Rachel's suggestion... The application is best described as a merger between a brownie with the texture of cookie crumbs that's topped with a large heap of Vanilla Gelato. At first bite, the mild bitterness derived from the semi-sweet chocolate engulfs the palate by embracing the senses with a profound satiety. With each additional bite, patrons will find that the complexity between the main body of the cake and the chocolate crumbs work to produce various degrees of flavoring, as well textural contrast. The Vanilla Gelato is the key element in balancing out the richness of the abundance of chocolate. The mild sweetness and creamy texture of the Vanilla Gelato work to balance and enhance the flavors of the chocolate.
Notes on Co.:
- 2 Beers, 2 Pizzas, 1 Dessert = $56 (before tax & tip)
- Beer Suggestions: Highly recommend the Palm and Hennipen. Both have remarkable flavor and structure
- GO EARLY! Lines get long after 6:45pm. Consider that the cutoff time for a minimal wait
- Dress = Casual. No need to dress up. It's just PIZZA!
- Beer & Wine Only. As if you want Hard Liquor w/ Pizza?
- No substitutions on pizzas! Omission of a certain ingredient is allowed but no substitution of ingredients is permitted
Solid 11" pizzas ("Pies" in their parlance) and simple but tasty salads. Wine comes in tumblers - I'm not crazy about that.
The specials were indeed special. We had a fig, proscuitto, walnut, and gorgonzola pizza. The charcuterie pizza was a reminder of Oktoberfest - large chunks of sausage on a bed of mustard and sauerkraut-like topping. Mmm!
Excellent. I generally don't like to admit to liking Manhattan pizza, but this was really excellent. Went with a big group and we ordered one of almost every pie and they were all great. My favorite was the fig/gorgonzola/almonds & speck special pizza of the day. Cheese and fruit talk to me. The flambe was excellent as well. All in all highly recommended.
"Co-pane" has a definite market in New York, unfortunately its not my preferred scene. This spot might be you're preferred evening eatery if you select locations by atmosphere, design/decor, Chelsea eye-candy, and equate cost to food quality.
I've been twice and found the staff welcoming, knowledgeable of the menu and accommodating to new patrons - offering to make suggestions to those new to the restaurant. This eagerness to assist leads me to believe they have a heavy turnover in clientele.
The location design is well proportioned for what Jim Lahey and team had to work with. The result reminds me of a more polished, glittery, mirrored and upscaled version of Le Pain Quotidien; complete with communal tables. The seating is over maximized with 2 top tables right on top of each other; getting in or out of the walled seats you'll need to contemplate, "Do you give the ass or the crotch?" to your neighbors. Do not expect privacy and in fact on our last visit we could hear the caddy bitches comments about us and their own neighbors with out public filter.
The wine list is decent with all bottles having by the glass options, however, the beer list is over priced with both domestic and import options priced at $7 (the Belgium Palm being the best value here). The do offer a BYO corkage of $25 per bottle if you want to bring your own (which might be an option for you with the cheapest bottle is $34).
I've seen this complained about before, but note that every thing you're serviced is at a cost (except tap water surprisingly) so expect to pay for everything you eat or drink.
The pizza is cultivated in the true Neapolitan style: small 10" thin crust pies cooked in a wood burning oven with quality ingredients. This is not the NY version as sauce will be thin or non existent on some pies but there will be a tastie option for someone here. I've tried the Bianca, Fennel and Sausage, Margherita, Ham and Cheese, Popeye, and the special this week a heirloom tomato pie (which I think actually had been substituted with salad/cherry tomatoes as they lacked size, color and flavor I usual have with heirloom). The best of the lot was the heirloom with the Fennel/Sausage following. I found the seasoning and cooking lacked consistency as the Bianca and heirloom lacked salt but the popeye was overly so. 2 of our pies were overly charred and one under done.
This isn't a value joint with an average $50 per person with drinks, for both times I've been but as I stated earlier this probably isn't a factor for you if this is your type of scene.
Overall I personally didn't enjoy the experience enough to want to come back again, yet I'll probably encourage those friends that follow the glitterati social crowds to give it a go before the shimmer has faded.
Ok Food 4 stars, price was just a bit over the top. A mediocre bottle of wine, 2 personal pizzas - $80.
The pizzas were no doubt good, gourmet and delicious, but to be honest my mom makes good pizza - its not that hard to eff up.
Wouldn't come back, I'm a cheapo and I don't mind spending dough on good food just not on just dough with a bit of fancy cheese and toppings.
But if you do go - they had some summer pizza with corn, and tomatoes it was really good.
The waitress and hostess SO NICE and friendly.
I stumbled in here Tuesday 6pm with my folding bike before the rush, which starts at 7pm after which you cannot get in to save yourself. The bike got in no worries, see http://www.bikefriday.... for more of that advocacy caper ...
While waiting for a friend I appetized myself at the bar with:
A $3 eggplant on toast - amazing. Pile high like mash. I smelled like a walking garlic clove all night. I want another one.
A $3 cup of ribolitta soup - like a tuscan white bean soup with chunks of bread in it. Also great.
These two items would make a fantastic, recession-suppression, south beach (make that Amalfi Coast) diet lunch. If you can stop there it's the best $6 small portion you'll find in biking distance. But we can't stop there can we?
When my friend arrived we ordered the $18 fennel and sausage pizza. It was a little soggy, and I did not like the carcinogenic burned edges (one of my customers is a professor of thermodynamics and said there is truth in the carcinogenic bbq theory) but the server told me it has to be that way else it doesn't cook. No prob. I cut them off.
The people either side of us perhaps made a better choice - the spinach or arugula topped pizzas lead you to believe you're actually getting some vitamin C and chlorophyll to balance out the meat'n'carbs.
The $10 banana split, with vanilla, chocolate and raspberry sorbet/gelato was pretty good - with upscale pieces of real cherry rather than those glace things. But it should have been served in a boat shaped bowl. C'mon! A banana split HAS to be served in a boat shaped bowl, the kitschier the better, not matter how cool your countertop is ... my question is, why are banana splits so frigging expensive no matter where you go? They must factor in a cost for how many tupperware containers you have to open to construct it.
I'll go back and try the $9 Roma pizza and have another cup of that great soup. Cheap'n'choosy!
http://cheapnchoosy.bl...
Came here about a week ago to try to join the fancy pizza craze that is supposedly sweeping the nation and was not disappointed. Tried both the Fennel and Sausage, as well as the Ham and Cheese. Both were good, but the Fennel and Sausage was definitely my favorite..the ham of the Ham and Cheese one sort of overwhelmed the flavor of everything else. The crust on the pizza is excellent..slightly charred and flavorful. The appetizers, as others have said, are nothing special, but they're not bad either. Prices are a bit much, but for the area and for the quality of food, they're not completely outrageous.
The decor is a little odd, mostly picnic sorta tables where you end up sharing the tables with other people..i didn't mind it, but others might. Oh, and yeah, this place is completely hidden. I've walked passed it a million times on the way to the gym and never realized it was there. Yay for secret delicious places!
Really nice pizza. But then again kind of frantic atmosphere.
Service: Was good. The bartender -- she was really nice. But the maitre'd/host guy was not so good. He gave us the "hold on, I'm too busy right now, gimme a minute" finger. Which was weird since he didn't look busy...and then started taking down the names of people who came AFTER a bunch of people who had already been waiting (including us).
Food: The chicken liver spread was very good... Shared the Meatball pie and the Popeye pie. Both were nice. In terms of what was novel and interesting and not something I've had elsewhere, the Popeye pie was best: smoky, charred spinach cooked dry is an interesting flavor.
Overall: Even though I live much closer to Co., I've had better pies and service at Motorino (and they are cheaper).
Stepped into Co, on a whim last night, and couldn't be happier that I did. Everything about this place is solid: great atmosphere, great beer and wine selection, fantastic pizza dough and crust, and really creative and interesting toppings. The fact that it's so close to home is a double bonus.
Granted, if you're looking for big, traditional NY pizza, it's probably not for you. On the other hand, if you're looking for really tasty semi-gourmet fare, this is just the ticket.
Probably the only downside is that it was really packed, and the bartender seemed a bit overwhelmed. Other than that, amazing! I'll be back soon.
Co. is short for Company, and indeed everything about this pizzeria encourages you to enjoy the company you're with.
The personal-sized pizzas are perfect for sharing, and with the variety on the menu, you'll definitely want to sample all of the wares. Our party of 5 split 4 pizzas and were stuffed by the end of the meal. The margherita, ham & cheese, popeye, and the flambe pies were briskly brought to our tables and were cut into 8 slices (by request) for easier sharing and maximum sampling. Each pie was more delicious than the last and I couldn't help but admire the beautifully charred and blistered crust. With great chew and flavor, you can definitely tell an expert is behind this amazing bread.
The ham & cheese and popeye pies were the real standouts of the meal. The ham & cheese pizza comes completely coated with a layer of thinly sliced prosciutto which just melted on your mouth. The three types of cheeses were a great accompaniment to the "ham." The popeye is another sight for the eyes with its huge mound of spinach leaves lightly burnt at the edges-- providing an interesting texture against the ooey cheese.
The communal tables makes it easy for big groups to gather together or for smaller parties to mingle (or eavesdrop). We were seated immediately after showing up at 6 PM on a saturday and were all happy with the helpful and quick service. Co. has garnered a lot of hype (with the crowds to prove it) but with the right timing you'll be able to enjoy some of the finest new pizza in the city yourself.
Big points for creativity here: where else can you get something like the Bird's Nest Pizza, with shaved truffle, quail eggs, and shaved asparagus?
The problem for me was that the wonderful flavors on these pizzas were weighed down by oil. The spinach on the Popeye was just drenched in oil (let's hope it was Olive Oil--har, har). After even two small slices, it starts to feel pretty heavy.
Co. made up for the greasiness when chef Jim Lahey came out to say hello to our table (we sent compliments to the kitchen). He was friendly and spent several minutes asking us about the food and telling us about his experience with the restaurant. Cool guy.
Place is no big deal. Place is small and crowded. Was disappointed with the pizza being pricey and burnt. Who likes to eat burnt crust? Because the place is small, you share a table with other people. Not worth the price.
Yawn!
What started out to be a promising meal ended not all that satisfying.
Arriving shortly after 5 pm to an empty room was great!
It didn't take very long for the room to become overly noisy, but not full.
A pleasant host, an enthusiastic and attentive waiter at the meals start became lost and rushed as the room filled. The only people who seemed to frequent the table regularly and steadily were the busboys. Indeed everyone must have been trained to keep'em moving with a smile.
The food was OK. I suppose that the restaurant must be reading Yelp reviews and changed some preparations. There seemed to be an ample supply of garlic and salt in everything.
The Ribollita soup - Meh! - basically a spicy cabbage soup ( yes the diet kind) served with two 1/3 inch slices of cold parmesan/garlic toast. It usually is a veg soup with stale bread added in the final cooking to thicken.
The sausage fennel pizza was loaded with topping. For some reason it went cold before it was half-way eaten.
2 wines and 2 beers completed the meal for $ 70. before tip.
Not really a pleasant dining experience. And definitely not waiting more than 10-15 minutes to be rushed thru a meal.
Atmosphere = bright, clean lines, casual but busy!
Been there a few times and despite the tiny burnt corners, I have my favorite pies now!
Pies tried:
1) Bosciaolo - so good! it's the tasty pork sausage, yummy sauce with a tinge of spiciness and good balance of other ingredients! delish! my fav thus far.
2) Fennel and Sausage - very good too, second place altho have not tried all the pies yet.
3) Popeye - ok...just remember tasting raw and burnt spinach mostly and then a dollop of cheese in middle?!
4) Ham and Cheese - pretty good but nothing new or outstanding...
Salad:
1) Love artichokes so this was my fav salad. Perhaps not anything new but it's the absolute perfect combination of ingredients/flavors! (Nb: sporatic hard/chewy pce of art)
2) Insalata di Braesaola - just ok
Wanna try the Meatball pie next ;)
Overall = a must try....and try again! Yes, a tiny bit on the pricier side for pizza but this light crust (with your fav toppings) is worth it!
Thank you for reading :)
A 3 star place that begs to be 4. I went even with Frank Bruni's 1 star rating and a lowered expectation on toppings. The Sullivan Street genius is amazing, and just about any topping would be happy to be on this pie.
This is not a classic pizza joint by any means, so comparing it to the Lombardi's, Grimaldi's, and De Faro's of the city is moot. Embrace it as a gourmet, wine and pizza kind of place and you'll be thoroughly satisfied. Maybe even in love.
EDIT: The Popeye is worth a +1 star.
Part of the "high end pizza" phenomenon. I'd still rather have a slice of Joe's, but this stuff is pretty good for snobpizza. Great appetizers as well, and a better than average beer selection.
Good pizza, but honestly, not worth the 45min-1hr wait.
If you can grab a table immediately, then by all means, try it out; but if you are given a choice between waiting for an hour in a crowded foyer lacking chairs and leaving, opt to go somewhere else.
The layout and lighting of Co. is really great - it has a cool feel that would be just right for a first date. Unfortunately the pizza isn't as good as advertised (Top 25 in the nation in GQ). Their pies are personal-sized, which is actually a good thing because it allows you to try multiple kinds. I had the margherita - always a good way to test a new pizza place. They use buffalo mozzarella (yum) and their tomato and basil tasted fresh. It was a good pizza, just not a great one.
Overall, I would rather get dressed and walk here any day of the week than order from a chain, but it didn't really leave me wanting more.
The char of the crust is the thing that will really stick with you. Good pizza always should blister and crackle and have some char on the crust!
This is well made pizza with very fine ingredients and wonderful surprises. The Ham and Cheese pie had delicious rye seeds in the crust. The sausage and fennel was spicy and sweet. The combination of ingredients were each perfectly highlighted by the crust and the cheese, never overpowered.
This is FINE DINING pizza...Chelsea style!
Food enthusiasts have been blogging incessantly about Jim Lahey's 'Co.' since it first opened months ago. Nestled amongst the West Chelsea backdrop, Co. has certainly generated a buzz in the neighborhood and food community. I would expect nothing less from the mastermind behind Sullivan Street Bakery.
Upon entering, we were greeted with delicious smells of wood burning pizza. Albeit crowded, there was a comforting warmth about the venue. The rustic communal tables, minimalistic decor, dozens of delicious pies atop plates, and laughing and happy diners. The wait stretched from thirty minutes to an hour so by the time we were seated, we were famished.
We ordered the Ham and Cheese and the Bosciaola as well as a glass of Kris Pinot Noir. The Bosciaola had distinctive spicy flavor profile and was loaded with hearty and savory sausage accompanied with a slightly sweet tomato sauce. The crust was perfectly charred, crispy yet chewy. The Ham and Cheese pie was covered in fresh prosciutto with melted gruyere cheese smothered on top. Akin to its counterpart, the Ham and Cheese's crust was appropriately buttery and flavorful. Paired with the fruity and light-bodied Kris Pinot Noir, this dinner was satisfaction at its best.
Pizzerias have become quite ubiquitous in the New York dining scene - the number of quality pizza joints that have recently sprouted about Manhattan or the classic New York fixtures. Despite these many pie venues, Co. has proved that it is a major contendor in the vast array of pizzerias clamoring for top marks.
Co. is good. But not amazing. If I were a cynical person, I could compare it to early California Pizza Kitchen -- before that stuff turned into frozen pizzas in your supermarket aisle.
There are just a lot of things that bug me about the place. The communal table thing is kinda getting old. It's basically a great way to conserve space and people think it's cool at first. But I think it really only works in a truly small and intimate environment -- like Socarrat a few blocks away. I would NOT describe Co. as an intimate place. It has too many communal tables -- like 4 of them. So you have all these people packed together in a medium-sized place. Really loud music ranging from the Beach Boys to singer/songwriter stuff. And the construction of the place just doesn't absorb enough of the sound. It's just hard to maintain a conversation.
I also kinda felt like they were nickle and diming us. I mean, Co. is by the same people as Sullivan St. Bakery. So why try to charge us for everything related to bread! I got a pizza bianca which is basically like pizza dough with salt, olive oil, and some rosemary. That's $4. Why charge for bread even? And then on top of that charge $3 for ricotta cheese and $2 for butter from Vermont? It just seems bad. It would be nice to just have some complimentary freshly baked bread from Sullivan St and butter or olive oil. And it's kind of silly for my pizza bianca to come 5 minutes AFTER our first pizza arrived. I mean really. And this wasn't really an isolated incident. The party next to us had their ricotta cheese come several minutes before the damn pizza bread so they had some cheese with nothing to eat it with.
There were also some mix-ups with the pizzas. We had two wrong pizzas come to us --they were meant for other tables. I mean, the place wasn't even THAT crazy. We still waited about an hour, but it really tapered off toward the latter part of the evening -- around 1030 or so.
I had the special pizza of the day. It was pretty good -- fennel, onions, tomato chunks, and a really spicy sausage. It was a different type of pizza. We also had the margarita, which was good, but nothing special. I really liked the dough though -- it was chewy, which I don't usually experience in a pizza.
We had a bottle of wine -- I forgot what it was called but it was a Spanish bottle that cost about 36 bucks and a lot of the servers commented as they saw us drinking that it was a very good bottle, which I agree for the price.
I mean, the place is ok. But I think it's just too pricey and I really didn't like the atmosphere. My benchmark for fine pizza dining is still Lucali, and while the area isn't as lively as Chelsea, I can leave Lucali satisfied, having spent no more than 40 bucks and just head over to Smith Street for some nice boozing. Or even Luzzo in the East Village. Co. Pizza? A lotta hype. Well it's about 100 bucks for decent pizza for two people -- two pizzas, a bottle, and an appetizer or two, but I dunno, I was just underwhelmed.
I think, if I had to eat just one kind of food for the rest of my life it would be pizza...not because I like pizza so much, but you can always make something different of it and make it taste like a whole new dish. Co. might be the kind of place where I could eat for the rest of my life not because its so great, but because they base all the pizzas more on the bread part than the toppings, where even though they are good, they seem like a side thought. I had the prosciutto with gruyère and it was definitely good, good char, good cheese, good ham, but the dough was the best part for sure. so, this place is A-ok with me.
Jim Just said this to the press after getting a 1 star review from the NY Times:
"If I knew we were going to be under the microscope, I would have possibly treated the opening of the restaurant a lot differently,"
The review was 90 days after the opening of the restaurant. So basically he took all of our money while we were his guinea pigs. Shameful. Downgrading from 3 stars to 1.
The popeye is amazing!!! Looks healthy, tastes stealthy :)
It's not too expensive (~$17) and good service. Great ambiance and I am a huge fan of the pizza crust - super good :)
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