Di Fara Pizzeria

 

0

5

Kelsey K.

Brooklyn, NY

It's just the best pizza and everyone must try it.  Any New Yorker who isn't excited by the prospect of venturing to Midwood, Brooklyn to get one of the best pizza pies in the world, are crazy.  You can read a gazillion reviews online with all the details of the fresh ingredients, how they are hand-made my Dom DiMarco.  You can find video online of the DiFara's experience but you must go yourself, brave the mob and delight in the art of a true pizza master.

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6

78

Regi K.

El Cerrito, CA

My sister took us here last year and ever since, I've been wanting to come back.     Last time we came there was quite a line to order and then a line to receive our order.

This time we got there about 3pm and managed to get our pizza and finish eating by 4pm.   I think we've hit on the best time to come.  Mr. Demarco is consistent in his wonderful skills in pizza making.  He puts a lot of love and attention to his pizza.  The toppings are not heavy just accents the yummy thin pizza.   I managed to eat 3.5 slices of our diFara special pie....   It costs about $28.  

So well worth the costs, the wait, and the flight to NYC... for a slice.

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0

23

Guava C.

San Francisco, CA

If Yelp allowed 10 stars, this place would get it.  Every time I return to the East Coast I make a beeline straight to Dom to crowd around his counter for a pie.  After waiting for an hour for pizza, you can no longer get a slice --- you need a pie.  

He puts some sort of magic on his pies.  His combination of cheeses, sauce, dough, and basil are amazing.  Toppings are unnecessary here.  Lately, however, his pies are are up and down.  They vacillate from slightly burnt to "why is this pie black"?  Fortunately, I like my crust crunchy and charred so I do not mind at all.

I was never a big fan of the Sicilian but Dom's version has turned me into a believer.  The perfect crunch on every slice.

Another thing I wasn't a big fan of, in general --- Calzones!  Dom convinced my dad to try his calzones --- they are like crack.  Crack Calzones!  Every inch of the calzone was edible and delicious.

And so what if the place is a little dirty or that Dom handles the money and kneeds his dough at the same time --- I think that it only adds to the orgasmic taste of his stuff.

As another reviewer mentioned, you need to make sure that you're in Dom's line of vision at all times after you've placed your order.  If you leave the counter to sit in a chair, he will forget you.  He's a good pizza maker but doesn't have the greatest memory.

Dom, may you live forever so I can bring my grandkids here one day.

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0

6

kerryn c.

Brooklyn, NY

not that this needs another review, but um, BEST. makes me weep it's so damn good. If there's artichoke, you have found mecca.

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2

4

Jess C.

NY

While my boyfriend can "die in peace" now that he has eaten at DiFara's, I do not share his sentiment...as I hope to live long enough to return to Midwood for some more.

After eating a late lunch and packing emergency snacks in case we got hungry while waiting online, there was no wait to speak of. We walked in and ordered a half porcini-mushroom cheese pie.  The next twenty minutes were spent watching Mr. Demarco meticulously prepare our pizza from the initial sprinkling of the cheese to its final christening with olive oil

Now, I have to admit that after eating my first piece, I began to doubt Di Fara's reputation -- having spent a week last year in Italy eating pizza almost everyday for lunch as well as taking a local pilgrimage to Grimaldi's, my pizza standards were pretty high.   It was definitely good, but not the level of awesomeness i was expecting.

Meanwhile, my boyfriend sat across the table in pure pizza ecstasy. Was my palate off? Were my standards unreasonable?  I reached for second piece and suddenly my doubt was erased and I joined my boyfriend in pizza heaven.

How could two slices of the same pizza taste so vastly different?  In my eyes, Mr. DeMarco is the Jackson Pollack of pizza. Some areas of his canvas get pools of olive oil, some get a sprinkle. Some get  an extra slice basil, while others are left wanting more.  While I am firm believer that you can never have too much olive oil, cheese or basil..... I would happily risk getting a four-star slice at DiFara's if it is followed by a heavenly six star

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0

11

stephanie g.

New York, NY

I take pizza very seriously, and this is simply the best I have ever tasted. We make the trek from the UWS a couple of times a month, but we could definitely eat it more often. We always get the regular pie, but I must say the square pie looks delicious as well. It's worth any kind of wait. As for some people's complaints that it is a bit dirty, cramped and lacks ambiance? Who cares, it's about the pizza, period. This place is pizza nirvana.

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11

31

Ray Y.

New York, NY

I like to think of myself as a pizza connoisseur, so it's almost criminal that I hadn't made it to Di Fara until today.  Since I went on a weekday at around 4pm, my experience was vastly different from those of other reviewers.  There was absolutely no line, and there were maybe 5 people in the shop.  I think this is how Mr. DeMarco envisioned it - it was really chill, I walked in, he asked me what I wanted, and I got the pizza.  He said "Pay whenever you want", so I sat down, ate some slices, drank some Pellegrino, relaxed, went back for seconds and thirds, and then I finished and paid.  He had a huge smile on his face the entire time - and it looked like 80% of the customers were regulars.  I'm sure this is when he thinks "THIS is why I opened my pizza shop."  

Oh yes, the pizza!  It was AMAZING.  I tried both the "reguler" and the square, or Sicilian.  The reguler slice, piping hot out of the oven, was delicious.  The tomato sauce was tangy and flavorful, there was the right amount of cheese, and there was just the right amount of saltiness.  The crust was crispy, albeit a tad thin.  The square slice - now THAT's why you go to Di Fara.  The crust was crispy and yet chewy and tender in the middle.  And the tomato sauce and cheese combination was fantastic.  

As stated before, Dom DeMarco is an artist.  I saw him bake an entire cheese pie, put it into a box, slice it, and then take a huge sprig of basil and cut pieces with a scissor to spread them out.  He then dribbled olive oil over - no wonder the wait can be long!  

Is this the best in NYC?  For many, it is, though I've viscerally had more amazing pizza experiences at UPN (and Luzzo and Grimaldi's are close).  But definitely try to go during non-peak times - you will appreciate Di Fara all the more.

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16

47

Ryan H.

Portland, OR

I could write a long review explaining how awesome this pizza is, but that's not necessary.

This pizza is awesome.

Rules:

Get the square.  Don't order many toppings.  Bring a book, snipe a table, and chill.  When pizza arrives, KICKASS!  :-)

Maybe you can call your order in ahead of time?

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Elite '08

13

46

Emile N.

New York, NY

I mean. Its worth the trip to see an adorable older man devoted to his craft. And what a great craft it is: pizza.

Now, let me be very unpopular. I ordered a circular pizza with olives and mushrooms. The ingredients were VERY fresh tasting. VERY tasty cheese, sauce, veggies and bread/crust.

But, it kinda was falling apart all over the place. Now maybe I shoulda let it sit for longer or maybe I should have ordered plain cheese, but either way, it was falling apart all over.

So I dunno. Tasty ingredients, lovely man cooking them but...sorta loose pizza.

Hey, I know, but I call it like I had it.

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4

12

Dan H.

Brooklyn, NY

I know Di Fara needs another 5-star rating about as badly as the Mets needed Pedro to pull his hamstring tonight but it really is phenomenal. I want to know what Josh W does on Sundays that is better than the best pizza I have ever eaten...

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Elite '08

78

233

Ahu S.

New York, NY

Growing up, our family had our favorite place that made the best pizza ever. About once a month we would order from there - and boy did we look forward to those nights, because this was the best pizza....ever! We ordered this pizza again while I was visiting California, and I realized, Mike's Pizza has officially fallen from grace.

Di Fara's has taken the #1 spot in my heart. The ingredients are all extremely simple and of the utmost quality. This makes for a great pie. But what really pushes it over the top is that grana padano cheese. I have asked at every cheese counter in the city about this cheese, and none of them have it! It gives the pizza a tangy, tasty, delicious finish.

The first time I went, my friend and I (both newbies to Di Fara) were so starved by the time our pizza was ready, we gobbled the slices down like they were the last slices on earth. Standing in Dom's workshop for an hour with the delicious scents twisting in our noses while we waited was pure torture... and finally we were rewarded with our circular prize.

I can say, without hesitation, that this is the best pizza I've ever had. The only thing that makes me sad is that Dom won't be around forever, and it seems that there is nobody to carry on his craft!

Go here for the best pizza ever!!!

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0

19

Josh E.

Chicago, IL

Fantastic pizza for sure, but you gotta be careful. Don't go around dinner time and expect to get a pizza in any reasonable amount of time and, I'm not talking 30 minutes, I'm talking up to 2+ hours. I think it's best to go at off hours when you've got a better chance of not waiting. Every pizza's a bit different, which is probably a good thing, so expect varying experiences. Ingredients are great. Crust is usually incredible. Can be a bit runny in the center when crust gets too thin. 4.5 stars.

Don't miss your chance to try this place out though. It is one of a kind and Dominic isn't exactly a spring chicken!

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3

127

one n.

Brooklyn, NY

Best pizza in the area.  

Went there one memorable day a while back and really enjoyed it. Very happy, great pizza.  A nice place (tiny place) to meet and enjoy good company and good food.  

Getting here is easy, plenty of busses and trains go here.

Parking is slightly difficult during dinner and lunch times and some weekends.  

It is worth trying their pizza.

Good non-smoking place (at least when we visited there were no smokers in the place or around the place).

The surrounding shopping area is very nice.  You have such a variety of stores, and convenient transportation.    

If you want pizza here, go there in the early afternoon, daytime and early supper hours.

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8

75

Jeff M.

Brooklyn, NY

Despite my wife's hesitation at smuggling in a bottle of wine, we were warmly greeted by the old chap and one of his daughters. What a lovely place: the personality of the space overwhelms, and I don't know what else Midwood has to offer that could compete. Truth is, this place is a bit far when we have Grimaldi's and Sam's so close by from our Boerum Hill digs, but I sure like the way the man liberally dispenses basil on your pie. Really, this is a place where affection and tried and true craftsmanship reigns.

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Elite '08

88

92

Sadie S.

Brooklyn, NY

Believe the hype!  Dom DeMarco's pizza really is that good - and the lines really are that long.  Truth to tell, I've never had a wait of more than twenty minutes or so; I've come at off-hours and then stationed myself at the counter (as I'd been advised by cognocenti) so he wouldn't forget I was there.  

Even with no lines, it's a deliberate process, as he approaches each pizza with total concentration, popping it back into the oven, seasoning with ev olive oil and fresh basil, giving it a sprinkling of parmesan.  I have had plain round pies, plain square pies, and pies with fresh artichokes and Italian eggplant.  All were amazing.  

There's been a hullaballoo lately about DiFara raising its prices to $4 a slice.  Personally, if I'm making the trek to Midwood, I'm going to get a pie, but even if not, I don't think I'd begrudge them the money.  The pizza really is something special.

As you have probably read, the space is nothing more than a dingy corner pizzeria in appearance (it was just another slice shop before Dom DeMarco started upgrading.)  You won't care once your pizza arrives!

I've never minded waiting on line (in fact, I've always had interesting conversations - always at least one lamenting how the crowds have multiplied from the days when it was a secret), but sometimes the experience does make you feel like a creepy foodie, coming to marvel at some shrine, and gawking self-consciously at some master's artistry.  Seriously, a lot of your company will compound that feeling; at least half the reason I like to go on off-hours!

But the pizza's the real deal, and it won't be around forever.  Get thee to Midwood!

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Elite '08

136

105

Michael F.

New York, NY

When I was a kid, I had a weekend ritual with my friend Shlomo. On a Saturday afternoon, I would journey out to his house in Flatbush on the D train (at the time) all the way from Bedford Park Blvd in The Bronx. It's a LONG ride. At some point around dinner time, he and I would depart his parents' house and head to Avenue J and get felafel sandwiches, take our sandwiches over to Midwood High School stadium, and sit behind the bleachers in the aisle and chow. Then we'd smoke our really bad nickel bag of weed and head over to watch Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Graham Theater, stoned out of our gizzards. Ah, them's were the days.

Unbeknownst to me, I was walking right past pizza greatness over and over.  At that time, good NY pizza was less of a rare find than it is today. Back then even the average "joe slice," as I like to refer to it (a slice you could get at any local pizza joint), was decent. No such luck today. Ray's Pizza (the real orginal one on 11th St and 6th Avenue) pretty much sucks ass and disappoints on every level, and most places just cook a million pies with a zillion ingredients and leave them splayed out behind glass for you to choose from their overly cheesed, overloaded offerings. Yech. I see those places and I walk right by.

As has been previously noted, this guy has craft. The pizza is freakin' delicious. In my view, you can absolutely NOT take stars off for the wait. If you go here, you know you're waiting. It's part of the experience. There's plenty to read on the walls, with reviews and accolades taking up most of the available space. There was even a group of folks that made an evening out of it by bringing two bottles of wine and staking out two tables at the back where they were patiently waiting for their pizza. Be prepared to wait. Take the experience in and enjoy.  There's so much going on in this place that it's hard to be bored.

You DO have to keep an eye on things, because Dom is not the most organized fella. Pizza maker extraordinaire, absolutely. Man with a system, definitely; but making pizzas in order is not his forte. One of my favorite moments came after we'd been waiting almost an hour, and had watched people that had ordered after us pick up their pies and leave. Dom's daughter was there helping out this particular evening, taking orders, bringing him dough for new pies, and extra ingredients for the orders that called for them. At one point she'd brought a tray of ingredients that were clearly ours and put them on the pizza table for him to use on our pizza (half sausage, half pepperoni, all onion) which  sat there for about 15 minutes, untouched.  The exchange went as follows:

Dom's daughter: "I'm really sorry, I don't know what he's doing."
Me: "What do you mean? If YOU don't know what he's doing, we definitely don't!"
Dom's daughter: "He keeps making plain regular pies and forgetting to put the extra ingredients on them."

She shook her head and went in back. Soon enough Dom grabbed the tray of ingredients and put them on our future pizza.

The pizza, when it finally arrived, one hour and twenty minutes after we'd walked in, was spiritual. Unfortunately, my half of it (I eat kind of fast) was consumed within about 7 minutes of arrival.  The crust is sublime, the sauce delicious, and the confluence of cheeses, all melted together is unparalleled.

A few of observations (some new, some retreads):

1. It's absolutely retarded to point out the decor or the cleanliness of this restaurant. If you want sterile, steel counter pizza, go elsewhere.  This place hasn't changed in 45 years and it's good, just like it is.

2. I loved that, on the menu above the pizza table (and the old cash register that sits apparently unused and broken with the drawer wide open) it says:

PIZZA SLICES

REGULAR OR SQUARE               4.00

and RIGHT underneath that:

REGULER OR SQUARE               5.00
(with toppings)

You can't buy that kind of cool. REGULER. It's fantastic.

3. Proof that Darwinism has gone horribly awry with regard to humans (this has been pointed out, but I have to repeat it because it's so unreal):

People actually do show up to this place for SLICES. In case you didn't notice, the prices for slices are clearly designed to dissuade you from ordering them.

In my view, you need to be relieved of your privileges as a human if you do this. The idea that you would show up for a slice is completely unfathomable. If you are reading this and have done it, please, PRETTY PLEASE, find a painless way of taking your own life. Soon. This is clearly just one of the more minor manifestations of your abject stupidity, and you need shuffle off this mortal coil before you hurt someone with actual brains by accident. I'm serious. Help the human race, off yourself.

Just sayin'.

Go eat Di Fara while this guy is still cranking out pies. It's more than worth the trip.

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Elite '08

3

64

Josh W.

New York, NY

Waited nearly 3 hours for a pizza with the consistency of wet cardboard.  Crust was so soggy on the mushroom and green pepper pizza that you couldnt even pick it up without folding the bottom 2/3 of the pizza on top of the crust.  Horrible, will not be back.  

Based on all the popular reviews my experience is probably an anomaly but I am not willing to waste another Sunday afternoon trying to find out.

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0

5

Duda A.

Brooklyn, NY

f you want to talk about food made with love, we need to start with this Pizzeria in Brooklyn. Right by the Q train stop, Master-Maestro Dominic De Marco's pizza is the best in NY since 1963. Maybe you gonna need to wait a long line to get the taste of this precious but don't worry: You're not regret it! I Can bet with you.
                                              THE BEST PIZZA IN NYC

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3

9

Pinky J.

New York, NY

My favorite pizza in the world! But only when somebody chews it for me. Darn lack of teeth!

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0

3

DANIELA S.

Brooklyn, NY

best pizza ever!!!
i felt like i'm in italy again.

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Elite '08

25

214

Andrew W.

New York, NY

Now I can die in peace.

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4

10

joe c.

Howard Beach, NY

ok now get ready for the longest wait for a pie,forget the post office during social security week this surpasses them all . now i can say with proof i have been to the cheeze factory in caserta near naples where difara gets his buffola for his pies and  there is no way anyone can compare to the goodness of difara i call from home in howard beach and it takes me 40 minutes to get to ave j and e 15th street and you still have to wait an hour but its so worth ever minute.not intended for cholesterol intollerant

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Elite '08

48

113

karan s.

NY

We were lucky nough to find street parking but GOD DAMN... we had to run 3 more times to put coins in.... that's how long it took us to get our 2 special pizzas.

So 4 of us enter this place mad hungry yo.... there are people everywhere, we see a desi dude in the line and ask him as to where is the line and if he is in it. He replies that he is only waiting for a slice ... so we nudge ahead and wait for the young lady for attention at the same time drooling over every pie that came out of the oven.

I swear my cousin who came from india was ready to rip the head out of the next person who got his pie...we ordered two special pie's $55, one square and the other round... we got hold of a table and the wait started... while waiting we munched on a snack, took at least a hundred pics, ran 3 times to the car and got a million dirty looks.

So 1st came the round pie, my cuz was so fuckin impatient cause he almost walked off with it without Dom cutting it into slices or putting his famous cheese and garnishment on top of it... and I swear I could sell each slice for double the money to all the hungry eyes waiting . anyways we all pounced on our quota of 2 slices each which were done in like 5 minutes...WHAT A TEASE !!!

Now the wait was worse for the square pie... anyways another 10 minutes and here we go again.... round 2 .. we pounce on our quota again of 2 slices but only this time, I could not finish my 2ND one, there is definitely a big difference between the round and the sq. pie.. personally I liked the round pie but the overall vote was for the sq. pie 3-1....

Was it worth the wait... well I had awesome company... but the pizza was definitely awesome... so yes it was worth it...next time I might call it in....we got out drinks from outside as someone suggested....We didn't get to see Dom much as we were tryin to make sure we hold our table and there were at least 30 more folks in that small place..

Good luck guys and if you find this review helpful please keep a slice aside for me....

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11

50

Benjamin L.

Brooklyn, NY

Every overly enthusiastic review you've ever read about this place is true. Waiting in the insane lines that form here will test anybody's patience but once you take a bite of the pizza all will be forgiven. You'd be doing everybody else a favor by remaining skeptical and not going to try what I can promise you is one of the best slices of pizza you'll ever have.

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1

11

Matt J.

Ridgewood, NY

Overrated, period. You would have thought this place was the Mecca of Pizza the way that people spoke of it. "People come here from Washington D.C. on business lunches." "People wait 2 hours for a pie." Frankly, if it weren't busy, it maybe worth one more star. When you walk in, you are confronted by a small room which is "crowded." The crowd is partly thanks to the small space and coupled by the long waiting time. Apparently the process is so special in making this pizza, that only the fellow behind the counter can create it. That's right, one guy makes the pizza. Now in this little room, there are tables and chairs. Of course there is no actual room to sit down between people who are eating or just waiting. I have seen greater crowds that appear much smaller simply due to the size of the building. Typically, the crowd is moved along more rapidly. Expanding a little and creating more space seems like a great idea. When you finally get the pizza, you can either take it out or patiently wait and ask people if they are done, or if you can play Tetris with the seats until everyone in a party is seated.

Now the actual pizza...a big staggering, MEH. First off, the pizza is prepared with slightly different ingredients than most other pizza, so there's an unfair comparison. Comparing penne vodka with spaghetti and meatballs would be the analogy there. In addition to the pizza being different and for that matter, just okay, it was greasy, very greasy. I simply was not impressed. I suppose there is some novelty attached to it being a "real pizza place in Brooklyn," but if you're actually hungry for pizza, look elsewhere.

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Elite '08

174

180

Steven V.

Staten Island, NY

Amazing pizza, best ever, bla bla...

Ok - here's the thing:

Yes, it is probably as good or better than any traditional pizza you'll find in this or any other city.  Yes, it is cute that the owner (who was probably standing at the same counter before you were born) makes each pizza by hand with the skill of a journeyman.  Yes, he uses fine ingredients and generously sprinkles them across each hand-stretched dough.  Yes, he finishes each pie by hand-cutting fresh basil with scissors and then drizzing the top with virgin olive oil.  These are truly great pizza pies.

H O W E V E R

The deliciousness notwithstanding, there is a downside.  Upon entering Di Fara, you step into unmitigated chaos.  A huge throng of people crowd the front of the shop and it is not apparent where the line begins or ends (or if there even IS a line for that matter).  Most of the people crowding the counter have already ordered and have been standing there for upwards of an hour waiting for their pizza.  I even noted that at least four guys had been waiting an hour JUST TO ORDER A SLICE.  Seriously.  The pizza guy only pulls out a plain pie once in a while to offer slices.  Then it is like a feeding frenzy.

I managed to place my order and the helper guy wrote it down on a tablet of paper he was using to "keep track" of people's orders.  Observing him in action for a few minutes, I decided it would be wise to stay up front and keep my eye on him because he seemed harried and disorganized.  This eventually proved to be the case as I had to remind him about ten times that I had ordered and what I had ordered and when I had ordered it and yes, I was ahead of that loud guy who claims that his is next and yes, I did give him my order and watched him write it down.  

I could go on but I'll summarize:

Arrived at 6:15.  Placed order sometime around 6:40.  Received pizza around 8:30.  I remarked to my friends that we could have been halfway to Napoli by the time we got our food.

Why would I give a five star rating to a place that just made me WORK for it for over two hours?

It is really great pizza.  And not for the meek, impatient or claustrophobic.  You gotta fight - for your right - for PIZ-ZA!

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go lie down.  That was exhausting.

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9

44

Marc A.

Brooklyn, NY

Maybe Im biased, as I own a pizza shop myself but I trudged down to Mr.Defaras shop on a rainy sunday, waited 40mins, and paid $8 for 2 slices and a bottle of water. I can name more than a few shops with similar chops. The slices fell apart on the plates. Now, believe me, I understand the allure of "old world" craftsmanship and so on, but really, the operation was as inefficient as it gets. I was unimpressed.

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Elite '08

205

157

victoria h.

Staten Island, NY

WHY WHY WHY?

Waiting two hours for a slice? I'll tell you why.
It is god damn good. mmmhmmm. Can I tell you about the cheeses? Three (I think) different generously portioned cheeses bless this pie, along with fresh tomato chunks hand scissored basil and perfect slightly tangy and doughy (if not a lil burnt) crust.

I am awed. Clearly 5 stars for the pizza. BUT the wait. Fuck me, it is torture. And the poor (??) second in charge to Domenico was just doing a bad job keeping up with his own scribbled notes as to who was next and what was ordered. This is bad. Very bad business.
This place could stand a little organization. And, um...a cleaning staff. And, um, some health regulations that are actually in practice.

I know, it's crazy -- but the overall experience here, tonight with my pizza companions S.V., S.V., A.I. and A.S. was a 3 star. If we got our pie in under two hours...I could give them the 5 their pizza deserves.

SIDE NOTE: I had no clue, that in my youth, I had had Di Fara's many times, as my grandparents lived a block away up until my grandma passed away two years ago. WOW what a heart rendering memory walk I had after the pizza to see my grandparents house, now owned by strangers.

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2

34

igor I.

Chicago, IL

Look, this pizza is great, but don't compare it to L&B. It's different. Like apples and oranges. It's on my top 4 list. I dunno if the recipe has been passed down, so my list may turn to top 3 soon. Enjoy it while you can.

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188

264

Gur E.

Hayward, CA

I have no words to accurately describe the pizza, or the pizza artist or the experience.  The hindi phrase is appropriate "Mazaaa aah gaya"
4 people ate 2 pizzas (square pie and regular pie, both specials)
1.20 mins wait.

Recommend: Yes
Will I go back: Yes
Romantic: ahhhh! the eat in option is romantic if you are sharing a slice.

Hint:  If only you want to try pizza, get a few slices of whatever pizza is available.

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15

41

Priya P.

Brooklyn, NY

Di Fara's is good- even really good- but 2 hours for a slice? after you've travelled 1 hour to the middle of nowhere brooklyn and are starving? and then have to stand there and watch mr. demarco take out pizza after mouthwatering pizza for other people who had the nerve to get there 2 hours before you? $23 pies and $5 slices? seriously?

I'm glad I "experienced" the above (and no, i'm not bitter). the pizza was good, really cheesy (i'm more of a sauce girl myself), but i think i'll stick to good ol' lombardi's or john's to satisfy my future pizza cravings.

p.s. i'm giving di fara's 4 stars even though i'd like to give it 3 because i'm afraid all my fellow yelpers will hate on me!

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5

9

Gail A.

Forest Hills, NY

I finally made the trek to Brooklyn to experience this.  When my friends and I got there, we were lucky because there wasn't much of a crowd and ordered right away, but we still did wait about 45 minutes for 2 pies to come out.  Let's just say it was well worth the wait.  This was the best plain slice I've ever had, you can taste the quality of the ingredients, and the crust didn't fall apart.  We also ordered the Difara Special which was great, but I'd have to say the plain pie was my favorite and stood out in memory.  I only wished I lived closer.

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Jason F.

New York, NY

I ate at a lot of places in 2007. I made a list of the top 20:

http://www.iwritenewyo...

Di Fara is number 1. Hands down. Best Pizza ever. Tops everywhere I've been in NYC, Chicago, Italy. If you haven't been, you gotta go!

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223

Mr. Met s.

Stony Brook, NY

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO EAT AT DI FARA PIZZERIA?

1)This pizzeria is a brooklyn LEGEND - prehistoric oven, cashiers, this is a vintage location. Located right next to the Ave J train station, Q train. Part of the experience is WATCHING him make pizza - he's been doing it for 43 years. You can see his picture of his glory days hanging by the oven.

2)Everything is pure ORIGINAL - his sauce is homemade with tomatoes from his town in Italy. The SAUCE is WONDERFUL(people were murmuring "the sauce, the sauce" in ecstasy when they were eating)His extra virgin olive oil is marvelous! His cheese is beautiful, and he chunks it onto the pre-pizza. The flour is nice and crispy, it's perfect. The crust is such an experience because it ranges from soft to crispy to burnt. His ingredients are all FRESH and natural - the sausages were cut right in front of us. WOW

SOME TIPS ABOUT EATING AT DI FARA PIZZERIA

1)Come when it opens or you will be waiting for a HOUR for your pizza -even SLICES can take up to 45 minutes. Just order a PIE. (Check the prices in the picture section)

*****DON'T BOTHER TO CALL DURING BUSY TIMES - THEY WILL NOT PICK UP THE PHONE(I was personally there on a friday afternoon - they were so busy, the phones kept ringing but noone picked up the phone....so good luck)

2)It's a SMALL place. Be prepared to get cramped. The seating section is very small too.

3)If you are GERM A PHOBIC, stay away. He uses hands only, collects cash with the same hands too. But, I don't care for such GLORIOUS pizza!

4)Get the soda at a grocery store

5)Closed on Mondays

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23

Augie C.

San Francisco, CA

Best way to get here if you are driving from queens, take the cross island to the belt parkway.
We waited about an hour for 2 pies, one with garlic, the other plain, and it took us an hour to get there... but it was worth it.  The dough has a consistency that is slightly chewy, and is well toasted... to me that's the secret of the pizza from here.
While it's probably the best pizza I've had, I won't be going back anytime soon just because it's very inconvenient for me.  I'm very jealous of the locals though.
BTW the squares (sicilian) are just as good as the regular slices, even though I usually don't like sicilian slices.

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George L.

Brooklyn, NY

I have been blessed with having grown up in Midwood, just a few blocks down Avenue J from DiFara and the transformation that place has gone through over the years has been a fairy tale in its own right.

When I was 14 and a freshman at Midwood HS (I'm class of 95, so you figure it out) I remember going to DiFara to get a regular slice for $1.25 and thinking it was kinda pricey. There was another "Italian" pizza joint just a block away, on J and E. 14th at the time. Di Fara wasn't much of anything back then. No amazing ingredients, no amazing people, just a regular corner pizzeria with good pizza.

The major change happened about 10 years ago when Dom decided to try to add more homemade food onto the menu and decided to add a few touches like fresh Parmigiana Reggiano and baby artichokes. Along with that came the fresh Buffalo Mozzarella and baby mushrooms (whole at the time). Then he decided to roast fresh peppers before serving and then he went all out. Well... the people came from all over and the wait became 45-1 hour... for anything. But you know what? I don't care. Dom is still like a grandpa to me and I love him and I love his food (all of it, not just the pizza) and you know what? He loves his customers and that's what makes his food special.

Call ahead and order... you'll only have to wait 30mins instead of full hour. Also, plates... he gives them the same attention he gives to pizza... oh... and ask for salad on the side, trust me.

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Alex A.

New York, NY

I haven't had a better slice. I went there on three separate occasions. Once I had to leave because the wait was too long and people began skipping and arguing. there was no way I was getting a pie, much less a slice.

The second and third time I wised up and came right before opening. Got a pie quickly.

Other than what the other reviewers already said, I can't say much more. My rating will have to speak for itself.

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