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Ave J (Q)
Tue-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Tue-Sun. 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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ok, the pizza is really really good. thin crust. bubbling cheese right out of the oven. simple but delicious. 5 stars for the pizza.
but the wait is just plain ridiculous. it's just 1 guy making the pie. everyone's crowded around the counter hoping he looks your way and takes your order and then everyone watches him slowly work the dough, put the toppings on - i feel like everything is in slow motion. i literally waited 1.5 hours to get my pie - painful!
next time, i will get a slice to go - i didn't realize you could do that until i saw someone literally someone get a slice, pay and leave.
You want good Brooklyn-style pizza made with primo ingredients? Then eat here.
You want to fill your gut with Polly-O string cheese on doughy slabs of blah? Then eat at the 2,387 other pizza parlors in town.
It ain't rocket science. This is how you do it:
Step 1: Order a regular pie[1] at the counter.
Step 2: Wait for your pizza.[2]
Step 3: Watch the old man remove the hot pie from the oven, top it with freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, snipped basil leaves, and extra-virgin olive oil.
Step 4: Eat.
Step 5: Consider moving (back) to Midwood even though you'd be bored out of your mind in the down time waiting to eat Di Fara's pizza again.
For me, Di Fara's has all the elements of the Brooklyn pizza par excellence: a thin, chewy crust that's supple enough to fold; specks of black oven char on the bottom of the crust; tangy-sweet tomato sauce; a generous layer of gooey cheese to weigh down the tip of a slice; and that special "liquid gold"--the pool of orange grease that collects in the creases of the cheese. Yet it's the basil (flown in from Israel) that perfumes the pie with that extra sumthin' sumthin'.
On a recent visit with my friend, a funny, chatty guy struck up a conversation with us. He starts name dropping Oprah and cooking for the Governator and Maria Shriver...when it clicks: "Oh, you're Oprah's personal chef!" (Art Smith--love this guy! He and his crew were there to shoot Di Fara's for a show on the Discovery Channel.)
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[1] Don't be retarded and order a $5-slice when you can just split a pie (8 slices) with a friend for $25. Trust me, you're gonna want more than one slice.
[2] We went at 1:15 on a rainy Tuesday and waited just 10 minutes for a pie.
Di Fara's has one of the best pizza in all the land!
there's not much to say that hasn't already been said, but seriously the pizza is something special and is an ABSOLUTE MUST!
watching this man, Domenico De Marco, make pizzas is like watching a theatrical performance. and when you sit down to eat the pizza, it's like an out-of-body experience, and words just simply cannot describe how delicious and flavorful this pizza is.
insiders tip: arrive at least an hour before they open. i'm happy to report we showed up an hour and a half before it opened and were first in line, first to order and got first pick at a table.
by the time they were ready to open, the line was wrapped around the block, which meant that most of these people were going to have to get their pies to go, since there was no tables (there's about 5 tables in the whole place). so unless you want to be standing on the sidewalk eating your pizza, get there early - it's worth the wait :)
A glorified sh-t hole! At $25/pie and $5/slice you'd think the proprietors of Di Fara's could manage to pay somebody to clean their place. Take a walk to the restroom and count how many health code violations you'll encounter. The pizza is average at best and burnt to make matters worse. Anybody who's been to Italy will clearly realize that the worst pizza there, is far better than Di Fara's.
The order takers seem enormously resentful that their customers have waited patiently, have suffered from smoke inhalation, and then expect a smile, a please, or a thank you. They don't even look you in the eye.
Early on in the school year, my roommate and I decided to make the epic journey from Manhattan to Brooklyn, in search of the Holy Grail of Pizza, aka Di Fara's. It was a long, exhausting journey filled with lots of reading and crowding on the train, and by the time we actually got to Brooklyn, there was a small, hand-scrawled sign on the door: "no more dough, will open again at 7:30pm". We had arrived at 6:30pm. Any shopping malls or book stores to lounge around in and wait? Nope. After walking around aimlessly for an hour, we returned only to discover a large and rapidly growing line in front of the small door. Waited about another hour to get our pizza. It was 8:30 by the time we retrieved our beloved prize, and by that time my stomach was already eating itself.
Therefore, I'm not really sure if the great flavor of the pizza was due to the fact that I was severely hungry or from the pizza itself, but the buffalo mozzarella and the fresh basil were awesome. The pizza was a little on the greasy side, but nothing a little napkin dabbing can't fix. Holy Grail? Maybe. Worth $5 a slice? Questionable, at best. But unless I move to Brooklyn, this was probably a once in a lifetime journey.
Ok, so I have returned to Di Fara to try their ultra special Di Fara Special Pie.
I even got there when they opened and waited about half an hour for my pie to cook.
Some lady was pretty much drooling over every single pizza that came out the oven. Yeah. It's THAT GOOD.
Oh man, it was DELICIOUS. Even better than their regular pizza slice, the Di Fara special pie has onions, mushrooms, sausages, peppers and of course the basil that is cut in front of your eyes. The crust is just thin enough, crunchy enough, the cheese is never gummy or overpowering, the sauce is just right.
You will never want to order pizza from another pizza place again after having the pizza here. Alas... they do not do delivery. If only...
Wow, this is really good pizza.
I was told that it was the best pizza in Brooklyn. So I figure, why…
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Great Pizza. Thin tasty dough, excellent sauce, fresh mozzarella and other imported ingredients
Pie was perfect. Not one spot was missing cheese or topping. The owner makes each pie himself. No I'm not kidding. It's perfection Ala Dominick!!!
Wait time is long but lets be real, Dom isn't a kid and perfection takes time. If you want the best, you've found it BUT be prepared to wait
Pretty perfect pizza and a must try for NY pizza fans at some point. Esp watching him make the pizzas. It might be impossible to live up to the hype but it definitely beats the other hyped places like grimaldi's. Not much seating though, and one downside is the crust is blah - it doesn't have the perfect crispy-chewy texture of Motorino's crust but I rarely eat my crust. That's ok cause the two cheeses and olive oil goodness of the pizza is so delicious. Plain or with toppings, you can't go wrong.
Funny story - they didn't collect payment because our pizzas came at different times. We ended completely forgetting to pay until we asked our friend how much we owed - had to come back to the restaurant to pay because they forgot too!
Ok-All the other reviews tell the story. It's dirty, possibly over hyped, slices are 5 bucks, you wait forever and it's in Midwood of all places. So what?
Well, my Dad used to eat here in the growing up in the 50's and after being diagnosed with cancer, he needs a pilgrimage to his old touchstone after more than a 40 absence. We made the schlep from Manhattan and what do you know, Pop cuts in line (large mob) and gets slices for the four of us in 5 minutes. Hey, he really is from Brooklyn after all.
Wife - "Did you see how dirty the scissors are?'. Me - "What scissors?" Wife - "The rusty old filthy ones he cuts the basil with." Me - "I don't want to know"
First bite on Ave J and I saw the gates of heaven open. No crap - it was that good. By the third bite I can hear again and my Dad is pointing out Mr. Konigsbergs theater (Wood Allen's Dad) and where the pool hall used to be.
Anyway - did I mention it's been only 2 months and Dad's cancer is in remission? Pizza's that good.
Everyone who wrote a good review should have their head's checked. I'm a 45 yr old first generation italian male (i can speak italian) & i love pizza. I have eaten in almost every "great pizzeria". But difara has seen the last of me! Its a disgrace when good italian pizza goes bad. For the price of a regular pie at the very least he should make it consistantly round ,fill the box & not burn the edges. instead the box is bigger than the pie and the pies are burnt. I decided to give him another chance and today 11/27/2009 at 7:00 pm I ordered a square under the name "Joe". I was very disapointed for $30.00 hard earned dollars, i received a square pie with burnt edges on the whole pie. I actually said in italian to dominic , " Sir, this pie is burnt" he repiyed in english "its only burnt when the bottom is burnt". He must think people are stupid and blind like him. The only reason I still took the square pie was to get my wifes opinion. (She was born in Bari and now is a citizen) Needless to say she was not impressed. (She also pointed out he should have taken some money off to make a customer happy.) I want to support my Italian brothers, but when they start taking you for stupid I cannot. My advice to dominic is to clean the place, it looks like a shit hole. the floor is terrible, the counter looks like a cambodian refuge was chewing on the edges, & grease would be dripping off the walls if the dust wasnt holding there.. Every window was dirty & he uses a filthy scissor to cut the basil. Im not impressed with the placement of the basil. One place I have been to is Pizza Suprema on 8th ave an 31st street. His pizza is just as fresh if not fresher than Difara's. Dominic should ask the Pizza Suprema owner for cleaning & selling advice. If the Pizza Suprema owner put fresh basil on his pies and moved to brooklyn DiFara would be out of business!
The world has gone mad.
Me and my buddy were in here today. First off, we made the mistake of ordering a slice and a square - we later changed it TWENTY FIVE MINUTES later when we got the slice but the squares were going to be a bit longer, where we said, "we'll just take two slices, please."
While we waited, we downed root beers, watched the smoke belch from the oven, and the old man lovingly create a pizza out of nothingness. Yes, very nice. There wasn't a huge crowd in the place, the usual suspects, guys in sweatsuits and Tap Out shirts - I could have been in East Boston. The next clue in this adventure should have been when the beautiful Jewess came sweeping in from the street, her big tortoise-shell framed sunglasses shielding half her face, and she ordered a square, GOT IT, and walked past us. I glimpsed the square - it was a hacked up looking square filled with oily tomatoe sauce, so oily you could sail a ship on it - the slices, I will say, were not oily, but I digress.
The crowd in here was a bit over the top (hence the hot Jewess), but then again so is this part of the world - and my family is from Borough Park, go figure. One smart ass was in the background saying, "Alright, who is the virgin to Di Fara's." I don't think he was talking to me, and if he asked me that after I actually ate my two slices I would have said, "yes, we all remember the first time we've been F'ed."
As I said, the pizza is made from scratch. Also, the fresh basil is a nice touch, cut with gigantic scissors, and the pie is slightly well done, which I like, and the crust was delicious, but for five bucks a slice and nearly a half hour of waiting, well, let's just say that Spumoni Gardens has it all over this place.
It's Brooklyn, people, and it's pizza, calm down. Going out for a slice shouldn't be an EVENT!
DiFara's is in a class by itself. I first read about it on the cover of the Village Voice in 2003 as being the best pizza in the city (no one had ever heard of the place and all the food critics went stampeding out to Midwood - I read review after review after that). Unfortunately, I waited 6 years to go there and finally made it out this Summer (and then went back every other weekend until now). I cannot stop kicking myself that I have missed out on 6 additional years of DiFara's heavenly pizza.
Some people say that Mark (Marc?) at Lucali's learned how to make pizza by watching Dom and asking questions. I'd say that he has the basics down but Lucali's is a step down from DiFara's.
On my most recent visit there, I brought a friend who kept pestering me by saying, "What's so special about the pizza?" I said, "Just taste it and you'll see." She was skeptical. We waited the usual time and got our first slice. I let her have the first bite and she exclaimed, "Oh dear baby Jesus!" I'm not sure what that means but the next plaintive words out of her mouth were, "Why did we only order 2 slices??!" (They let us order more.)
I went with my mom on Labor Day weekend. We spent the usual 2 hours at DiFara's - 1 hour to order, 1 hour to get the pizza. My mother and I ended chatting with a Brooklyn native who was like the ringmaster for everyone waiting. He was funny and charming and, because of him, everyone ended up talking to everyone while watching Dom make pies. My mother was completely fascinated and entertained watching Dom do his magic. It was one of the best, most bicker-free times I've had with my mom.
I met someone recently who said she hated DiFara's pizza and that L&B Spumoni Gardens was much better. I instantly knew her judgment was bad and that we wouldn't be friends. ;-)
Pricey Delicious Pizza-ness!
Had the last special of the day, split it among the two of us and it was probably the best pizza I've had in years. Mind you, the wait can be up to an hour in the smokey hole in the wall. Fresh basil cut on top of the pizza was a nice touch. Sauce was fresh, ingredients were good. For $30 a pie, I would expect nothing less and remember the BYOB policy.
Brooklyn pizza heaven.
Honestly, this place is legendary for their wonderful pizza, and there is no doubt in my mind that the pizza is very good here -- but still one other place, located under the Brooklyn Bridge still holds my heart as the best pizza I have ever eaten.
Now that I got that off my chest, I can also tell you that if it were not for the wonderful pizza and aromas you get when you visit Di Fara's, this place probably would have been shut down for health code violations a long time ago. The scent that hits your nostril's as you walk into here is like no other pizza place in or around NYC -- it is purely tantalizing.
It is interesting and fun to watch Domenico De Marco not rush when he makes his pies. For him, the dough is his canvas and the cheese, sauce, EVOO and basil are his paints. He is methodical as he creates his masterpieces -- then as he tosses then into his extra hot oven to cook very quickly, and to char just slightly. He takes his time, no matter how many orders he has coming to be thrown at him by his assistant.
Is it worth $5 a slice, or $30 for a pie? Is it worth the unknown wait for a slice or a pie? For the diehards . . . yes! For pizza enthusiasts -- probably. And since you CAN get it by the slice here, as opposed to across the other side of Brooklyn, then that too makes it a plus as well.
I consider myself to be a bit of a pizzaholic so Di Fara's has been on my ToDo list for years! We got in line fifteen minutes before opening, a handful of pizza afficionados in front and back of us. As the door opened, we shuffled in, quickly got our order in for a meatball pie and waited patiently on a shared table. There was a bit of reverence in the air as Dominic worked his magic! Moving in a measured, efficient fashion, he knocks out pies with the ease of a seasoned pizzaiolo. A few lucky people got their slices early but we needed to wait for our custom order pizza.
In about 30 minutes, our name was called and my cousin trotted triumphantly back with our beautiful pie! A bit burnt on one side, swimming with cheese and a bit of olive oil, the pie had a smattering of hand-cut basil and was baked to perfection. I waited a bit for it to cool down which was pure torture! The first bite was magical, you can taste the three cheeses that are used and the fresh basil on top. The crust cracks a bit but holds its own with some chewiness, light and delicious. The sauce pops out with bright, tomato flavor and the meatball was perfectly spiced. Definitely some first-class, fresh ingredients here, you have to appreciate the details of a master at work.
Take em all together and you know you're eating a pie that is uniquely special and made with love. What can I say, it was great pizza but hard to compare it to anything else since I haven't had anything else like it. Better than Pepe's? Hmmm. Better than Totonnos and Lombardi's? Probably. Best pizza ever?! Wow, that's a tough one but just maybe... The only way I can find out is by sampling all the other great pies out there, in the US and Italy. And that's a goal that I'll happily take on. But for now, DiFara's is certainly at the top of the pizza pantheon for me!
I've eaten here a couple of times and at many other pizza joints in NYC over the years. This place is truly the best I've had. I sampled 3 different pies (regular, pepperoni and a mushroom). The regular was my favorite. Lots of fresh basil and 3 types of cheeses and generous amounts of olive oil makes for a very watery delicious pie. You need to fold it over as you eat it for maximum effectiveness.
The food is good but it's a hole in the wall place. It's hot, smoky and small. At least people just eat their pies and leave so turnover is pretty quick. As I watched people, they would scarf it down as soon as possible with minimal dinner conversation (that's how good it is).
All the people waiting were very cordial except I saw one bold women, sit down at a 3 person table (there were 2 people eating) and just stare at the people eating. She wanted to make sure that she had dibs on the table after they finished. Whoever you are lady, next time just chill.
Everything they say is true, but I'll be the first to tell you how to really enjoy Di Fara's pizza.
Go for lunch on Saturday around 1:30pm. Have a friend, or in my case, parents with you. Put an order in for one pie, the original or regular pie, and if you so choose, you can order half with your choice of toppings.
You will be told it will take 1 hour for your pizza. Do not dismay. The hour can be killed quickly. Stand by the window outside and watch Mr. Dimarco work his magic. It is mesmerizing, and quite amazing. Your appetite will grow, but so will your appreciation for what this man is doing.
Before you know it, it will be 45 minutes later and you'll wander inside once more for the home stretch. Stand by the counter and wait for your name to be called by Mr. Dimarco's daughter, who is quite possibly the most patient and sweet person in the restaurant business.
Once our pie is placed on the counter, watch as Mr. Dimarco does his ritualistic cutting of the basil, sprinkling of the cheese, and cutting of the slices. All with a slight smile. And then he's back to work.
There is limited seating, but have no fear. There is a taxicab that sits out front. I think it is permanently parked there. Use the trunk as a table and stand on the sidewalk.
The pizza will be the best thing you've ever tasted in your life. And you may even consider waiting another hour for seconds.
Best Pizza in NY for sure.
At this stage in my game, cheap normally equals good. Never before would I have even considered paying $5 for a piece of pizza. Until I ate this pizza.
Oh
My
Gawd
That crust was sooooooooooooooo good. Never have I loved a pizza crust like that. (I got a non-charred slice) Chunky stewed tomato sauce, delicious cheese, olive oil, and fresh cut basil. I love it. So glad others do too so this guy can keep making pizzas, which he obviously loves doing. Wish there were more places like this.... there are so many pizza places in Midwood that are cheaper (and usually kosher), but they are waaaaaay cheaper in quality and craftsmanship. This is how pizza is really supposed to taste.
Make no mistake, when people talk about New York pizza, what they really mean is a Brooklyn slice, because it IS the best.
Dom at Di Fara, does not just do Brooklyn pizza. He elevates is, reinvents it. He's the Da Vinci of pizza! So masterful and artful, watching him make a pizza is like an experience unlike any other.
I came by on a weekend, just in time for opening. It was rainy that day. We were the second in line and it took us 15 minutes on line and then another 30 minutes for him to craft us a round pie and a square with pretty much everything topping. With 6 drinks it all came to be about $72 bucks.
It's expensive pizza, even by NY standards, and especially so if you're coming to grab just a slice ($5) Who does that anyway? The smell of the fresh ingredients, the dripping pungent olive oil, and sprinkled basil leaves right on top is a feast for the senses.
The first bite was incredible. You just wanted to keep eating and eating, faster and faster to race your friends to the next slice. Before long it was all gone.
The place is dinky, and dirty-ish. But Dom's not selling ambiance or design or friendly service with a smile even. If you're looking for that, you might be at the wrong place. He's doing what he was meant to do on earth and that is making a damn good pizza!
Crazy good!
This place is amazing, the pizza is quite unique. Pizza usually does not impress me, and this place does an amazing job. I love the simplicity of the pie and the complexity of the flavor here. Well worth the price. I plan on making a few more stops here while in this area.
I wish there was some kind of announcer that told us when Dom Di Fara wasn't in, because if he's not, there ARE no pizzas, and everyone in the whole world is very sad indeed.
I got here a shade before opening and all we could see was a dark dusty interior. No people. Not even the nice old man who makes the pizzas. As soon it was 11 (or was it 12? Hard to remember after I bit into the pie), the doors opened, and the man started his magic.
People, he does it all. He makes the dough. He spreads the sauce. He reaches into the oven and rotates the pizzas WITH HIS BARE HANDS. The basil is fresh cut, the cheese is fresh grated, the olive oil adds a nice fruity finish to the pizza. Don't bother getting it by the slice. One will not be enough. Get the whole pie, get a Coke (they still sell it in the glass bottle here), sit tight and wait for Mr. Di Fara to work his elf-like magic for your gustatory pleasure.
This is good one. They are quick and polite.
I'd like to dedicate the following review to my 5 FANS!! I love you all!!
Have you ever watched a cartoon and thought to yourself "Why does cartoon food look so much better than real food?"? Well, this is something I think about daily. I have been on a quest to find that perfect cartoon piece of pizza; you know the one. Smoke radiating from the top in swirling clouds, thick yellow cheese dripping over the edge...the kind that makes your eyes jump off your face! The closest I have ever come to tasting such perfection is Di Fara's Pizza.
Dom, the Pizza Artist only uses the best, freshest ingredients; word on the street is that they are flown in from Italy. He treats each pie like a piece of fine art, taking his time to perfect every minute detail. It really is quite a show. This pizza would make any Ninja Turtle salivate.
Another vote for "the world has gone mad."
Thus I take Yelp's raves with a grain of salt.
In DiFara's case, they must have used a handful of salt. It's pretty salty and greasy. I don't know what is the big deal with all the hype. The pizza was badly burnt. Needing to scrape charcoal off the pizza is already not perfect. The ingredients used show the potential of the pizza to be as good as they say, but the end result wasn't.
The pizza was soggy. I had to eat with utensils. I don't mind the wait, but I'd want something that at least lives up to 50% of the hype and justify the $5 price of a slice. The pizza at DiFara's is probably not what it used to be.
With more than 350 reviews maybe I shouldn't write one. All I can say is yum!!. I usually goto Grimaldi's under the Brooklyn Bridge but this takes the cake.
Con: It's far and sometimes the subway isn't running right on the weekend.
I think the pizza at Di Fara's 4 stars - it is good but I have had better. The line is just so long and the counter staff is so unhelpful that I have to deduct a star for the experience as a whole. Honestly the best part of my Di Fara's experience was walking out the place with my slices and getting jealous looks from the costumers in line.
As for the pizza itself the tomato sauce Dom uses is some of the best I have ever had. The crust is nice and thin but it was a little bit burnt. My biggest problem with the pizza was the cheese - it just lacks flavor.
I have no problem waiting in line for good food, I have no problem waiting at the shake shack, but I just don't think the pizza at Di Fara's is worth more than a half hour wait. Come once try it for yourself but this place is not worth a return visit.
I agree with the previous review that the world has gone mad. I used to live (15 years ago) a few blocks from here and before all the hype happened this was just a regular old pizza place. It was never crowded and in fact, most people chose the other pizza place two blocks down because frankly it wasn't as greasy (sadly that closed down years ago). I get it, it's a landmark, but that doesn't change the fact that the pizza is mediocre at best.
All I have to say is, after trying a slice of pizza (OK I lied, a couple of slices) The next person that says pizza hut, dominoes, or round table (although I have to admit, maui zaui is quite tasteful) is pretty darn good will get a knuckle nookie. It's not the place that I'm putting my hands down on, it's the pizza and it's crazy crust! Even when it's cold it's good. The ingredients used are most definitely fresh that the creation is near perfect and makes this place the best pizza in the country.
This will be my first stop on my next visit to New York.
When does eating pizza become a truly unforgettable experience? Is it the distance one has to travel to get there? Hop aboard the Q train and get off at Avenue J; A 40 minute trek from Times Square. Is it the location? Located in Midwood, Brooklyn; Di Fara's features a crude, hand-painted sign, grungy interior and dirty tables. Perhaps it's the wait for your pizza to be made? Domenico De Marco (Dom for short) churn's them out at an earth shattering pace (a 45 minute average). Is it the ingredients? Fresh and canned San Marzano tomatoes for the sauce, a combination of high-quality regular mozzarella, imported fresh buffalo mozzarella, a generous sprinkle of Grano Padano, and a then the Coup de grace; a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a fresh basil.
So when does eating pizza become a truly unforgettable experience...when you eat pizza at Di Fara's Pizzeria. Forget what you know about pizza, Di Fara's transcends what you thought was good or even great pizza. I didn't know what to expect coming all the way out to Midwood. I had heard good things but remained cautiously optimistic. Walk in and expect to be greeted by the throng of people inside. Thus, your pizza experience begins with the wait. Yes, the wait. Bring friends, or bring a book because you'll be waiting for a minimum of 45 minutes, but as their pamphlet tells you, "Sorry, but it's worth the wait." Worth the wait indeed!
Dom is the man, the legend, the master himself. He alone makes the pizza, hence the wait. Watch as he artistically cradles the dough, making sure not to over work it. It's truly a labor of love. Watching Dom work, one will begin to think that pizza is his religion and after you're done eating, you'll worship him forever.
Don't be quick to grab your pizza once it comes out, it's still not finished. Let Dom hit it with his Coup de grace; a generous sprinkle of imported Parmigiano Reggiano, roughly cut aromatic basil imported from Israel and a luscious drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
The final step is your first bite. It is transcendent. It is unique. It IS delicious. No need to describe the crust, sauce, cheese, or even the rich, sweet yet nutty olive oil. This pizza is one you'll have to experience for yourself to truly believe it. I did.
The pizza is good and the experience is unique, but 5 stars? Not really. The placed is crammed and the slice is good, but it's not great enough to justify the odd bit of masochism in waiting, sitting (did I mention crammed) and such to get the slice.
Glad it's still around since modern NYC needs a bit of old NYC, but let's not get too deluded here.
After going to Di Fara's, I can understand where it gets its reputation from. I'm originally from right by here actually, and back in the day Di Fara's was nothing special. When I say this I mean no disrespect to Dom DeMarco, but the main reason its so popular is that it's one of the last of the great Brooklyn pizzerias that used to dot every other corner. That era is gone, but he is one of the few that can still make pizza of that type and quality. Not surprisingly, by upgrading his ingredients from the old days, he now has the best pizza in the city.
If you don't want to wait in line, don't come. If you don't have the time to wait for your pie, don't come. If you can't navigate the ordering process (not exactly rocket science), don't come. If you're a hipster, don't come. If you can't stand eating in a less than clean place, don't come. If you can't tell Dom to skip the extra olive oil at the end, then don't come. If you read all of the stuff about this place and see things like this that make you think you might not like it, then don't. Makes the line shorter for the rest of us and saves you a trip to east Brooklyn.
All of that said, this blows out nearly every other pizza in the city. I've had nearly all of the of-the-moment pies listed in a few publications recently--Keste, Motorino, etc.--and Di Fara's blows them out of the water. Those places lose themselves in their own hype and in trying to live up to some imaginary "Neapolitan pizza" ideal. The ultimate thing that makes a pizza the best is how it tastes. That is where Di Fara's excels. The 3-cheese combo of mozzarella, mozzarella di bufala, and parmesean is the best in the city. The sauce is perfectly flavorful and spiced, and balances well with the cheese. The crust is thin and delicious, with a nice amount of char. The pepperoni was among the best I've had (seriously). The basil is nice and flavorful...writing this review makes me want to go there now. Its that perfect, and it lives up to the hype.
I've never had a bad pie here, but I will respond to a few complaints here. One, he does use too much olive oil sometimes, but you need to watching always for your pie and then just tell him to only put a little bit on. He does burn the crust a little bit too much sometimes, but in my experience its never been to an barely edible level. If he did, hey this is Brooklyn; bring it to his attention, and if he doesn't want to rectify it, walk out. In regards to the freshness, he gets deliveries every few days, other than that I could care less if they're 'fresh from the garden' or not. One problem I have is the BYOB policy. Its nice that they have this, but some people get absolutely trashed in there and its ridiculous. Don't be one of those people.
Will this always be the best pizza in NY? Idk, there are some pizzerias creeping up on Di Fara's in quality. But for now, Dom DeMarco is unequaled.
I recently ate at Di Fara with a few friends and the pizza was awesome.
Eating at Di Fara is an all-evening event. We got there around 6pm and weren't able to get in the front door until around 6:45. After placing our order, we waited another hour for our pizza. And this was a rainy weeknight. It's worth the wait.
We ordered round and square pies to compare, and I definitely preferred the round pie. The flavor is incredible. My only complaint is that they go very, very heavy on the olive oil. I would have been happy with about half of what he put on. Nonetheless, the pizza was beyond delicious and the whole experience was fun. It takes too long for me to go here regularly, but it's a fun place to go every once in awhile for something different.
I recently saw a show where restaurant patrons visited a restaurant with fairly inexpensive meals with non-fancy sounding names and a restaurant with higher priced items and dishes with fancy sounding names. The patrons at the latter place gave much higher ratings to their meals than those that visited the former. The catch? Both restaurants served the exact same thing. People at the fancier sounding place rated their meals more highly because they followed the group dynamic and felt that's what was expected of them.
That's DiFara for you. The slices are fine. Not amazing. Not bad. Certainly not worth the ridiculously long wait. And certainly not worth the $5 the old man has now started charging. $5 a slice? Are you kidding me? I guess it's NY and the old guy is smart. He knows there's a sucker born every minute and willing to pay. Now what should be my scheme to sucker all the faux New Yorkers into giving me their money...? ;-)
Di Fara pizza is not your ordinary pizza.
Having a slice of this pizza is not just to feed your hunger or to satisfy your tastebuds, it is, most importantly, a beautiful and fulfiling experience for the soul.
I understand a lot of people would think the wait is dreadful, but to us, watching the master slowly rolling the dough, carefully cutting the meat, gently putting the pie in the oven are all part of the dining experience. We have visited the place a couple of times, even on a very hot summer day, we would just stand in his non-airconditioned workshop quietly and watch him repeat the cycle. I admire how much love and passion he puts into his work, and the result is simply a masterpiece.
We always order the pie half and half, half with pepperoni, half plain with basil. The pie crust is not too thin, not too thick, with just right amout of chewyness. And the basil, the meat, the cheese, the oilve oil are perfectly blended together.
Every bite is an experience. Enjoy.
yeah its worth the trek and the wait.
eat here before the dom dies.
serious.
you'll wait an hour for a pie, a half hour for a slice....
but its the best pizza in brooklyn
places like this wont exist in the next 20 yrs, you are better off waiting now and enjoying it today so you could remininsce later
if you have problems waiting, im sure dominos/pizza hut will deliver in 30 min or less...
Where to start?
-Its expensive as hell .
-An incredibly long wait.
-Hot, cramped eating area.
Yet i still gave it a 5 star. We ordered the regular pie with mushroom and it was delicious. I love thin crust pizza and this just makes my stomach smile. The sauce..oh the sauce and the basil...sigh. Was it the best tasting pizza ive ever eaten, maybe..maybe not but what makes it special is Dom himself.
Theres something about the master himself making pizzas for 8 hours a day for the past 40 years that adds a quality to the experience that is hard to quantify.
I probably wouldn't make the trek tout to brooklyn all that often, but if you've never had the chance to go, it is definately something worth goin for. hey coney island is a few stops away, give it a shot~~
fyi: if you want to grab a seat, id advise you to get there right when it opens, oh and for some reason plain pies come out faster than if u were to get a topping.
Definitely a respectable slice, but by no means is it the best pizza in NY.
I had the luxury of a) only being relatively hungry and b) only waiting 30 minutes for my regular slice, so I was not swayed by hunger or a desire to justify the wait.
While it is very nice that everyone and their mother seems to know the history of Di Fara, Di Fara's ingredients, and the elderly gentleman behind the counter, I took none of these into account for my review. Because all that matters is the taste.
Fresh basil added a nice, complex touch. I like that it is sprinkled above the cheese and not baked (like at some other pizzerias). My crust was a bit burnt on the underside, and not thick enough to sustain the weight of the stewed tomatoes (which were excellent). I wish the cheese had been a bit more flavorful. My boyfriend and I both found it bland.
Glad I tried it once, but I can't imagine waiting more than a half hour for a slice.
This is kinda a review.
Only because I had the square slice brought to me by a lovely friend.
Popped it in the oven for a few min.
AND IT WAS EFFING GOOD.
I'm sure it's even more amazing fresh out of the oven, but I take what I can get.
The crust is crazy delish.....crispy yet chewy. (Got a corner piece.)
I've heard the sauce is made with pancetta, which may explain why my vegetarian ass was passing gas for the next two days. I swear, it was like I had my own BP station in the apt.
But, yeah, this pizza is really good. Meat-infused sauce and all!
Neighborhood: Coney Island
Category: Pizza
Brooklyn, NY
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Carroll Gardens
Category: Pizza
Brooklyn, NY
Category: Pizza
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