New Kids on the Block | Do We Need More Pizza? Yes!

By Arthur Schwartz villageview.nyc 29 March, 202 4 The West Village is undergoing a pizza renaissance. For a while, between Brunetti’s at Horatio and Hudson, and Bleecker Street Pizza on 7th near Bleecker, and John’s (which doesn’t sell slices) there wasn’t much choice. (I should note that I am a big fan of Little Italy Pizza on University, but that’s a shlep for lots of people living further West.) But over the last few months we have had Romeo Pizza return to 6th and 11th (most famous pizza corner in the Village), and now two more, near the intersection of Christpher and Bleecker. Two of the City’s greatest slice shops, L’Industrie and Mama’s Too, opened a block apart from one another. Mama’s Too had a store on the on the Upper West Side for five years. Its owner decided to expand and opened in March at 325 Bleecker Street, just south of Christopher on the east side. A few months earlier L’Industrie, another popular Brooklyn slice shop, opened at 104 Christopher Street, west of Bleecker, on the south side of the street. The slice shops are located roughly 250 feet apart, so that if you stand on the northeast corner of their shared intersection, you can see both . According to a recent review in Eater , “they belong to a newer class of pizza makers focused on better ingredients. Their crusts are naturally leavened, and the tomato sauce is tart, not sweet.” They are also more expensive. Slices at L’Industrie ($4 per slice) are crunchy, and charred, made from sourdough, and are ranked by many reviews as one of the best in the City. There are often lines out the door. The shop has indoor tables and a standing counter, but most people eat outside. They also have sandwiches, pastries, and soft serve gelato. Mama’s Too house slices go for $4.75. The pizzeria is known for its square slices. They are set out on trays by the register. They have flavors like cacio e pepe and pear with gorgonzola cheese.. The slices are cooked in olive oil until they’re tender in the middle and basically fried on the bottom. The house slice is a triangle, not a square and the toppings are layered in reverse: cheese first, then sauce. The first thing you taste is tomatoes. Eater says: “Mama’s Too and L’Industrie are at the top of this city’s slice scene, and having them so close makes this one of the best blocks for New York pizza, probably in the world.” Lucky for us locals! Photos by Arthur Schwartz https://villageview.nyc/2024/03/29/do-we-need-more-pizza-yes/