Loading...
Lucali
- Nearest Transit:
-
Carroll St (F, G)
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
173 reviews for Lucali
Review Highlights
Loading...
Ok so I love pizza and I thought this would be great. I order pepperoni, and basil the cheese was mostly in the center, and super heavy and thick. by the 2nd slice the bottom of the pizza was already soggy.
It was definitely good but still my hands down for pizza is Grimaldis.
The pizza was 27 for the two toppings. it's byob which i think it's pretty sweet since a bottle of wine can be 28 to start. It's fairly small and I bet at most it sits maybe 30 people at a time. There is always a wait so get there early if you can help it.
It's dimly lit so somewhat romantic and rustic so good for a date as well as groups. Nice Sinatra music playing and you can see the guys making the pizza fresh.
Overall definitely good pizza, and worth a try tons of toppings and they also have calzones which i bet are winners. I'll try the next time since I wasn't so excited about the pizza. But definitely worth the visit to experience it.
Yesterday I was googling a location in the area and "Lucali's" came up on the map in the search. So I guess they really are ON THE MAP!!! (no?)
Really though, nothing else to say except that this is the best brick oven pizza in the city. I encourage you all to be adventurous with the toppings, as each is as fresh and delicious as the pizza itself.
Come early and reserve your spot before they open, then head to that really cute wine shop on Union bt Columbia and Hicks to pick up your BYO. Or stop at Ferdinando's for a rice ball.
Another tip, order a side of sauce with your calzone. You might not want it at the beginning, but once the cheese starts to ooze out, and you have mostly crust left, you'll thank me.
Lucali in my neighborhood is a gift straight from heaven.
Seriously, the pizza is on par with the best in the city. I'd travel for it and instead, I can just walk down Henry St a few blocks. The BYOB policy is classic and the ambiance is romantic and quaint. It's a great date place, but equally nice with family or friends.
The pizza, of course, is from the old world. Very thin crust, and handmade with plenty of love. Every time I've been, the same Italian guy (who I believe is the owner) is working the oven and this gives Lucali the same feel as it's breathren, DiFara.
Pepperoni & basil pizza. AMAZING. BYOB and be prepared to wait (an hour), even on a Thursday at 9:00pm. Totally worth it though.
LOVED this place. DiFara's still holds my all-time #1 spot but the pizza here was so good, the ingredients so fresh, and the atmosphere just adorably awesome. I would stick to the plain pie, especially on your first visit. We did half-plain with basil, half-garlic/shallot and regretted not sticking to basics (I had just never heard of shallots on pizza before and wanted to try it).
one way to open a restaurant is to do one or two things well and pretend you're good at other things. or you could just do those two things. lucali epitomizes the latter (and, in my opinion, better) approach. it's worth the wait.
I have been hearing about this place from friends for quite some time now. So, last friday i finally got a chance to experience Lucali for myself.
Since they do not take reservations, we got there early, thinking there would be less of a wait. The place has no sign out front, just an awning with big windows. Walking up to the place I immediately got a waft of garlic. It made my hungry tummy grumble wishing i could just go in and eat.
The hostess took my name and number saying she would call when our table was ready, in about 45 min. I thought that was pretty cool, because then we didn't have to wait right in front of the place. We walked down the street to go buy some wine. A few blocks down we walked into a cute little wine shop and asked the gentleman behind the counter for a recommendation, he knew we were going to Lucali. He suggested a modestly priced bottle ($11) of montelpuciano, an italian red.
We walked back to the restaurant and waited out front. When she finally called my name, we excitedly walked in to our adorable rustic table. The first thing i heard from the table behind me was "Sooo Vinny cawled me...."
The whole back of the place is the kitchen area, and you can watch the handsome men in their cute white tees making pies, rolling out the dough with emptied wine bottles. The whole place is very dim lighting, but not too dim, very romantic.
We ordered a pie with artichoke and a calzone with red peppers and pepperoni. The pie came out super fast, and was deeeee-licous. I wouldn't say the best pizza i've ever had, but definitely in the top 5.
Between the three of us we scarfed it down, not even looking up to talk to each other, within minutes. Then came the calzone. Make sure to ask for sauce on the side if you want it. The calzone was yummy. I'm usually not a big fan of pepperoni, but this pepperoni was delicious and had a little spiciness to it. Although, next time i won't get the red peppers, they are so finely chopped, i could barely taste them.
Then, we ordered another pie. This time with garlic. Which made me realize that the first pie would have been better with garlic.
I left the restaurant entirely happy, and a little buzzed.
I would definitely recommend this place for a date or just even if you want a good slice of pie. They only serve two things on the menu, pizza and calzones, so that makes it really easy :)
The only reason i gave the place 4 stars instead of 5 was because our water glasses could have been filled a little more frequently, and it's a little expensive. Pies are $24 and calzones are either $10 or $20. Dinner for 3 was $85 before tip (for 2 pies and 2 calzones).
I've never had to wait to get a table here.
The staff are always super friendly and really accommodating. The pizza is absolutely delicious and I can't fault it.
The pizza at this place is simply amazing. The wait was over an hour but absolutely worth it. First, its BYOB...which is awesome. Their menu is very short (large pizza and two sizes of calzones) but they use the freshest ingredients for everything. I also liked how they do everything out in the open for you to see. Further the staff there is extremely friendly and hospitable and its has a authentic ambiance.
If you go there don't forget to get get dipping sauce for your crust. We got a half cheese and half mushroom / shallot pizza. I was not expecting the shallots to be to my liking but they complimented the pizza extremely well and I really enjoyed the thinly sliced toppings.
I left in a food coma but it was perhaps one of my top 5 dining experiences. Definitely check it out.
My experience here was quite lovely. My beautiful date and I arrived 30 minutes early, anticitpating a long wait. To our surprise, we were the 2nd couple there and were promptly seated just after opening.
Our waitress was attentive, and opened our bottle immediately. Our pizza was brought to our table surprisingly fast. It was delicious.
Due to there being three in our party, the bill was surprisingly cheap. Somehow, we weren't charged the corkage fee which was very nice. Only $4 off but still welcomed.
Thank you, Lucali. I consider myself a fan.
Ahhh-mazing! I am from San Francisco and one of the only things I HAD to have while in NY was pizza. New York did NOT disappoint. We got two large pies, one just cheese with basil and one with pepperoni and mushrooms. Now, I am a huge carnivore and would almost always say the meat one is better, but this was just not the case. As delicious as the pepperoni was, the sauce, cheese (which they don't even grate until they're putting it on your pizza) and crust were so amazing that I didn't want anything to take away from that...except for some basil, as it is such a clutch addition ;) The calzone was also amazing and I am not a big calzone fan. I am still dreaming about the ricotta cheese. Only thing I would add is some garlic! BYOB is great and they will gladly open your bottles for you. They even put our beers in the fridge! It doesn't hurt either that the man with the thick, dark hair makin the pizza is absolutely beautiful... he belongs on the cover of a romance novel with a white peasant shirt on and a damsel in distress hanging from his arms.
There's no denying that the pizza is delicious. Is it worth dealing with the snippy crowds and the ridiculous wait, should you get your butt there as soon as they open to put your name on the list before they shut it down for the night? Hells no.
Also, I always seem to get seated right by the washroom. Like, RIGHT by the washroom. Practically inside the washroom.
I want to eat at Lucali for the rest of my life. Or maybe one day I'll be so rich that I can build a mini-Lucali's in my basement so I can eat it every day. Absolutely delicious calzones and pizza, a warm atmosphere, and BYOB. Aside from the wait (we called ahead and were able to be sat at 9), the only "beef" I have is with the prices of toppings: $3/each and the night's special of artichokes was $8! Nevertheless, we had 6 people and got a ton of food, and the bill was only $21 each.
okay, on the continuing quest of the best pizza in ny, i finally hit lucali. difara still takes the crown in my book, however lucali has quite the ambiance. my west coast pal was back in ny for a week to enjoy all the fine eats he came to love while he was in med school. he loves grimaldi's, but convinced him to try another. he came willingly.
all pies are large and come with free fresh basil. everything else is an additional charge. we went with pepperoni, mushies, garlic and the special topping of the day - italian artichoke hearts with stems. mmmm! jealous? i know you are.
no beer or wine, but go to the corner store. lucali's is byob. we shared a 6 pack of asahi and a large pizza. my pal was still hungry so he ordered a "small" calzone. friends, small is large. no joke! he ended up taking half home. the calzone comes with a huge side of sauce and freshly grated cheese. mmmmm! i had a bite. thank goodness i had a nice walk home to p. high to burn off all i ate and drink.
the place is tiny and prolly why you hear about the lines. you can call 5-10 minutes before you plan to arrive to check on table availability. phone lines open after 6pm. there wasn't a a problem for a table of two, but if you have a group of 4+ prepare to wait. t hey just don't have many large tables.
p.s. i went on last night, even tho there's a sign in the window saying it's closed on tuesdays. maybe i went on a day people thought they were closed.
anyhow, i would be back to enjoy a pie with a friend. (note the singular) i can't believe i didnt' know about the place when i lived in the hood. they do take out too, so if you can forgo the candlelight that might be an option for you.
My wife and i went there last week and i have no idea what the big deal is about this place. The pizza was NOT good. The crust was under done, the sauce was raw and salty. I'm not cheap but i think the prices is way too much. Anselmo's and John's pizza is 10 times better.
This is another place that just didn't wow me. I'm beginning to worry that I'll have to go into the city for food that wows.
They serve firewood pizza with fresh mozzarella, basil, onions, mushrooms, pepperoni, and a few other ingredients. The pizza was incredibly fresh, but I was honestly hoping for more options to add to the pizza to give it a bit more flavor. More meat options like prosciutto or salmon maybe? I dunno. Maybe more greens like arugula?
I went with a small group of people around 6pm, and as luck would have it, we were seated right away. Everyone seemed satisfied enough, but no one was falling out of their chair. Maybe I just need to come back to this place with my boyfriend? Have a firewood pizza, wine, and enjoy the romantic atmosphere? It is a beautiful restaurant.
I'll give it another shot when I have my boyfriend with me, but I'm still giving it three stars for now.
My husband and I were lucky enough to get here and not have to wait which was a pleasant surprise. The service was pretty good, the pizza was pretty good but the price was outrageous. We ordered one pie (18 inch) and a few toppings (mushrooms, shallots, peppers) and the bill came out to 30 bucks!!! Considering the pizza wasn't anything special and reminded me of something I can make myself using some pita bread and tomato sauce, it really wasn't a great value.
I have to give this place five stars ... even though:
1. The location's a fucking drag
2. The wait was an hour plus (Friday night without a reservation).
I think we closed the place. The pizza was not my favorite of all time, not even in New York, but it was definitely like... the most authentic, I guess. It was really, really good though. The crust is really thin and they have a ton of fresh vegetables as toppings, was pretty solid.
We also got a calzone for the whole table, which was great, it was basically a pizza turned in on itself. I've never had pizza experience like this in New York. Given the location, the owner definitely isn't just some bro out to make a buck, he really loves making pizza etc.
The restaurant itself is really nice, not very big, dimly lit, smoking hot waitresses. I don't know if I'll make the trip again but it was a good experience. OH and it was cheap. Not what you'd expect at all.
I think I had sort of a serendipitous experience at Lucali's. I got there and put my name down, and was told it was a 90 minute wait for a table for 2. 9 minutes later, someone ahead of us canceled, and we got to sit. This lovely surprise was followed by mouth-watering pizza in a cozy, candlelit atmosphere, with speedy service. 5 Stars.
Other than people ahead of us canceling and no other parties of 2 waiting, the only circumstance I might attribute our short Saturday night wait to is the fact that it was raining. Seems like people are less willing to wait outside or go for a walk when the weather's bad. If that's the case, hit up Lucali's when it's raining and hope for a cancellation. Even if we had waited the full 90 minutes, it would have been worth it.
Taste is decent but wait staff could be more courteous, especially the lady who takes your name down for the wait list-- she looked a bit annoyed when I asked her about the status of our table. The wait, she said, was between 1 and 1.5 hours, but we sat down more than 2 hours and 15 minutes later. Not worth the wait. Will not go back.
This pizza is absolutely amazing! Everything is so incredibly fresh.
You can bring your own bottle of something nice and just have a nice chill night with the girls or perhaps with that special someone ;-)
I highly recommend this restaurant!!!
It was very good pizza... but
I think some people have objections in principle that I don't necessarily share: of making pizza that big a deal, serving it in a candlelit setting with music, and giving it a date place feel. I'm ok with that generally, but I do think the wait and the hype is a bit unfounded, for this pizza and for any pizza that I can really imagine.
Unless the wait itself is fun, like at Shake Shack when I'm just hanging out in a park, no matter how good a burger or slice is it's still just casual food and shouldn't be made otherwise. In this case we called around 5:30-6:00 for a table, was told 8:30 which is when we showed up, but didn't sit till 9:30 which is a bit much.
As for the food, it's only calzones and pizzas right now. We split two small mushroom calzones between the 4 of us which were pretty good. Although the mushrooms couldn't stand up to the cheese and didn't really assert themselves, would've added in another ingredient or swapped in something bolder. The our table got a grilled artichoke pizza which was very good, more subtle in flavor but quality ingredients. Followed by a pie with pepperoni and fresh hot peppers, which had really strong flavors and what ended up being a good combo, and stood out over the artichoke. Ingredients thoughout were legit, really fresh and of great quality.
Across the board I thought the dough was pretty good, had enough structure to not flop out and get soggy in the center which I hate about most "artisanal pizza". It wasn't perfect though in that it could've used a few more degrees of moisture and on its own was a bit bland. I left crust on the plate which should never be, and we picked up the habit of asking for extra sauce to use on the crust which says something too.
I recently went to Lucali's for a friend's birthday party. It is BYOB. Suck it peeps, the yacht was in the shop! The pizza is really great, but first, a word about the service. We were a group of an indeterminate amount (11-15). We arrived early (just before opening, as they don't take rez), but not too early. They were unable to accommodate us for the 1st service but would call us on the phone when our table was ready for 2nd service. With Brooklyn Social only a few blocks away, this is NOT bad news. Then when we arrived to claim our table we were already loud, obnoxious and obviously heavy laden with about a dozen bottles of wine. Our server, a pleasant demeanored blondish woman whose name I can't recall, corralled our surly group into a quick order and made good recommendations in terms of quantity of food. She then chilled and brought out bottles of wine whenever asked (we definitely should have left a better tip).
I admit we were NOT the easiest group to handle.
However, you never would have known it looking at her. She definitely helped turn an evening at a pizzeria into a special occasion. The FOH here is probably THE best I've ever seen in a pizzeria on any continent (host, servers, bus, water etc). Friendly, blunt, effective, timely, and helpful. Perfect Brooklyn. Perfect anywhere. The rest of the weekend (yes, this tumbled into one of those weekends where your clothes begin to grow hair, and the time of day and purpose seem to shuffle off into nothingness-a weekend that feels like camp or a group vacation) we talked about how every other restaurant's service sucked by comparison. Honestly. I even commented once on how weird that was. But about the pizza...
The pizza here is pretty great. Excellent sauce, great cheese, and a light airy, but only somewhat crackery crust. The perfect amount of cracker to the crust when the cheese and sauce are this good. Simply put: it's the kind of place you wish were everywhere. An impeccably managed establishment. Kudos to the staff! I hope this place lasts forever. And I wouldn't even think twice about recommending it to anyone: whether from Manhattan, Queens, Texas, Toledo or whathaveyous. Bravo! Seriously this is all smiles.
Okay, I'm coming out of retirement (she said self-aggrandisingly) to write this - not that anyone needs to hear another Lucali rave from me. I'm the first to admit I'm not one for the angels-dancing-on-a-can-of-San-Marzano that is the Dialectics of New York Pizza. (The best, plain-language pizza reviews, IMO, come from Slice NY and Adam K) But! I do like good food, and I love Lucali. The pizza, others can describe better than I, but I will say that I've been probably 20 times and, even when Mark wasn't happy with everything due to weather or other vagaries, I've always enjoyed it tremendously.
I've been coming here since it opened, and I love it. Sure, now I am friendly with a lot of folks here, but not because I'm anybody special: Mark and the staff reward loyalty, like anyone else! Yeah, the waits are long; there are no secrets in New York. But in my experience, the staff is nothing but kind and professional, and if you're courteous and polite and have reasonable expectations, you'll have a wonderful experience! When I read about people who were treated "rudely," quite frankly I'd be curious to see how they behaved themselves: sure, the staff may have had a bad day, but I have seen people be unbelievably entitled and peremptory and the hostess deal with it with grace and politeness. People talk about being rushed; I've seen folks linger for half an hour with the bill while a pregnant woman waited outside - so, keep in mind these things go both ways!
It's funny how invested I feel in writing this, and I think it's a testament to my experience there as a regular. Do go, and be nice, and bring wine - you'll be rewarded! Is it the best pizza in America? I neither know nor care - it's delicious, and it's a great place.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/12/2008
Everyone's said all the great things about Lucali already, but it can't get enough stars - the… Read more »
Honestly, I almost hate to give this place 5 stars because then there will be even LONGER lines! But DAMN this place is AMAZING. It is the BEST pizza in New York.
The restuarant is small and the kitchen takes up the back portion of the space. A work station where all the pizzas get their fixings is the dividing line between the tables and action. White glistening globes of mozzerella ,Stacks of enormous portobella mushrooms and other fresh ingredients are out waiting to be freshly shredded, sliced or spooned over the pies. According to my watch, a good 4 minutes in their oven is all it takes to produce a mouth-watering pie.
The crust alone could take up a whole paragraph; here we go. The thing about most pizza crust is it's either too crusty, too soft, to thick or too chewy. They've got the secret; it's lightly crisped and slightly bubbled. Warm, but not blistering and ever so chewy bite to bite. The ingredients have staying power and don't go sliding off their little canvases. AND leftovers (Microwaved mind you) still remain crisp!
Listen, if you've ever been to Italy; wandered til you got lost and happend upon a little mom n' pop pizza joint that you still dream about, well you're transplanted back with Lucali's. Now don't go telling everyone, let's keep it our (big) little secret.
I super love it.
Managed to have two successful dates (with the same person, thank you very much) at this fine establishment, and we still want more! Love the BYOB, and it looks all too much like they are having fun back there in the kitchen, cranking out those lovely pies.
The wait is long. Get there early and put your name on the list, then walk around Carroll Gardens or stop and get a drink somewhere to wait for them to call you. It's a small place, so it's rather difficult to accommodate large parties, but I like the intimacy.
Certainly makes me want to open up my own dream restaurant.
It is a good pizza but nothing comes close to totonno's
It is worth to wait a little in line to get it
Bon Apetite
Came on a warm fall night at 8 pm. We have lived 2 minutes away for 3 years and had never tried it due to hearing about terribly LONG the wait was. So, I was craving pizza after happy hour and decided to stop by just to see how long the wait was. We were seated in the time it took me to walk back to house and grab a bottle of wine. 10 minutes tops! So, the waitress was totally friendly and the place is beautifully candlelit. We ordered a pepperoni and basil pie (because my husband doesn't like any other toppings) and it was fabulous!!! Best I've had in NYC! Grimaldi's and Lil Frankies are great, but now that I know this place is actually accessible, I'll go here for all pizza cravings. I want to mention 1 other tidbit. The man making the pizza looks like he's in a movie while he makes the pizza...a hunk meticulously making each and every pizza by hand. And, we got a small calzone to take home for lunch the next day :)
It was a dreamy Friday night that exceeded all expectations...
I went to Lucali expecting great (but expensive) pizza and perhaps a long wait.
I thought I did the right thing by showing up well before 5:30 and it seemed that I was in luck. There were only a small number of people there before me. Then I proceeded to sit right by the door so when the hostess walked out I could put my name in.
But unfortunately for me, people who arrived 20 minutes after me were able to push in front of me at the right time and put their name in first. I protested to the hostess, but she would do nothing but explain to me as though I was a child that they simply didn't have enough room to seat everyone. I explained that I had gotten there long before the people she seated first, but she either didn't believe me or didn't care. She was rude and condescending.
It would have been one thing if I'd simply not arrived in time, but that was not the case.
Who cares how good their pizza is. I won't go back to a place that treats customers (well, potential customers since I couldn't actually get in) so poorly.
I'd give this place 4.5 stars
Of all the foodie quests out there in NYC, it seems pizza is the most debated / disputed. Lucali currently has the title of pound-for-pound top pizza and this was my first visit.
I'm only going to rate the food and service of this place as I don't really care about ambience, location, or even the wait/reservation system. We're here for the food.
The pizza is legitimately awesome. A great pizza crust needs to be light, fluffy and have some taste to it. Lucali's follows this formula. Looking at the underbelly of a slice from Lucali's reveals nice toasty burn marks which is always a good sign of an oven. The crust was a little bland in my opinion but still pretty damn good. The sauce, cheese, and toppings (from the vegatables to the basil) are all fresh and of great quality. The service is pretty good and the pizza makers and staff seem to care a great deal about the food and service being as high as possible which is not always the case at other places.
The calzone is money and the ricotta cheese is a good change of "taste" from the mozzarella of the pizzas. I know i said was going to stick to just the food in this review but i thought i should mention this place is BYOB which is a huge plus in my book.
Back to the food - The pizza is damn good -no doubt. Not sure I'd say the best i've ever had but its damn good and would return again.
I don't care how good the pizza is, I won't be going back.
I arrived at 5:20 to make sure to get in at the first seating at 6 p.m. When I noticed that only a handful of people were waiting already, I was relieved; I'd definitely get in, right? Wrong.
Let me tell you a little story about obnoxious, entitled people and a restaurant that caters to them.
When you arrive, you're not allowed to go inside to put down your name. You have to wait for the hostess to come out, which she only does about every 15 minutes.
Okay, fine. I sat right by the door, waiting.
By the time she came out, though, a few dozen new people had arrived, and did it matter that I was there first? No. They shoved their way past to get their names in first. Did the hostess respond to objections or seem to care in any way about fairness? Not at all.
I don't care how good the pizza is. I don't want to eat it beside others with so little respect for their peers. This experience, combined with the $30 per pizza price tag, makes me think Lucali only cares about filling seats and making a buck.
I almost never have pizza but the other day I decided to treat myself and I came here for a slice. And it was very, very good. I had to work out a little harder the next day to make up for all the grease and cheese, but it was worth it!
There is good pizza and then there is LUCALI. Around the city there are a ton of places you can grab pizza, but this one is the best I have been to. And if you think the pizza is good try the calzone...FANTASTIC.
it was so good somebody needed to hand me a towel and cigarette...really thin crust, fresh sauce and superb cheese with a hint of basil.
The place is BYOB and there and even if you call ahead expect to wait for a minimum of 45 min. Since the hostess takes down your number you can walk around the corner and couple blocks over to the brooklyn social for an adult soda....
This place serves truly delicious pizza and we've got a calzone waiting in the fridge to snack on tomorrow.
Oh my goodness the wait, though. It's longer than DiFara's, but you get put on a list by the hostess so you can walk/drive around the neighborhood.
We got there a little after 7pm and the wait was two hours. Ok!
So since we'd passed a little Lebanese festival quite a few blocks back I decided we'd walked there and check out the food. We got two little pita things (one with meat and another with thyme, oregano and olive oil). Then we walked along the water and commented on the shops/bars/restaurants we saw.
Enough about my day, the pizza:
Once we were seated and decided what we wanted the pizza came rather quickly. I nabbed the seat facing the ovens so I could see him make our pizza (and everyone else's). It's sort of cute that he does everything by candlelight.
When the pizza arrived my boyfriend was starving. I left him the larger slices and took three small ones from the pie. Each bite that had the tang of Parmesan was my favorite. The cheesiest slice tasted best to me. There was an awful lot of basil thrown on there and one slice of our pizza had an air-bubble tumor. It was still tasty.
My boyfriend says he's found a new favorite pizza place (he thinks it feels healthier than his former fav).
I'm still a die hard DiFara fan, but I appreciate a good slice as much as anyone.
I love the fact that you can call ahead and order one and they'll actually answer the phones.
We plan on taking his parents here so it gets a solid 4 stars from me!
Bonus for the ample amount of seating outside to wait on.
The pizza and calzone here are insanely good. It's ridiculous. Sure, we were quoted a 2 hour wait 15 minutes after the place opened, but that was just enough time to finish 2 pitchers at a neighborhood bar. I overheard the hostess call a few people on the list that cancelled, and she seems to over-quote anyway, so I don't think anyone waited until their alotted time to be seated.
The building is tiny, leaving room for only about 15-20 wooden tables and the pizza makers in the back, but that only adds to the experience. You can order a plain pie ($24) and add toppings ($3 each), but the plain pie is so good it doesn't need any help. The thin crust is perfectly crispy, the mozzarella is soft, and the sauce is tasty. You can also order a calzone ($10/small, $20/large), and even though I am not normally a fan or ricotta cheese, the calzone was spectacular. My friend and I split a pie and a small calzone and were sufficiently stuffed, so don't worry about leaving here hungry - you won't.
The little things separate good pizza from great pizza and at Lucali they definitely do everything right. Hands down the best pizza I've ever eaten.
HORRENDOUS STAFF!! TERRIBLE HOSTESS!!! BORDERLINE DISCRIMATORY OF PEOPLE WITH KIDS!!
Here is my story - Went last week with my family (4 in all, 2 kids under age 5) Got there before they opened waited outside with others, put my name on the list - when I ask about highchairs she rolls her eyes and says they don't do that....
She then proceeds to tell folks after me they will have a long wait as they will not make the first seating.
When they open she begins calling in parties, never calls my name. When I go in and inquire I get a response that there are no tables left, when I ask why she didn't tell me like she told others that they wouldn't make the first seating she just walked away. No apology - no nothing
Not worth the hype!
The crust is great but the prices are a bit high and I think there's a little too much cheese. That being said, you would pick this place over the other 3 obvious top pizza options because of the atmosphere. Quite simply, no other top pizza place in NYC has this cute little hidden candle-lit neighborhood feel, not to mention BYOB.
The owner stands at a table in the middle of the dining room calmly rolling dough and making pies by candle light with nothing more than a basket of fresh meats, veggies, and cheeses. You can go to Grimaldi's, Lombardi's, or Di Fara and sit with the masses crammed into a brightly lit, somewhat cheesy and outdated space, or you can come here and sit calmly by candlelight and enjoy your pie with some good friends and your own beer and wine.
I still frequent all of the aforementioned pizza restaurants, but when I want something a little less touristy-feeling and calm, this is definitely where I go. And for those of you complaining about prices, if you buy beers or wine at full menu price somewhere else but can bring your own on the cheap here, doesn't that make up for the slightly inflated pie price?
A Pizza Haiku:
Sort of expensive
Kind of a pain in the ass
Really Delicious
yeah this place still kicks the ass of grimaldi's and lombardi's.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
12/13/2007
Good Gracious! If I could give this place 10 stars I would and it wouldn't be an exaggeration.
My… Read more »
I love them. I love all pizza. I view the awful service and nasty attitude as a plus. I think it's overhyped compared to the new wave of brick oven pizzas but taht doesn't make them any less delicious.
When I'm visiting my friends on henry st. we're eating from lucali's (frequently).



