Restaurant Roundup: Grimaldi's Pizzeria

As I mentioned in Keste Pizza & Vino, Lauren and I already had our next stop on the pizza tour lined up and done, and this time with a special guest. The location was Grimaldi's and the guest was none other than my fab sister Kimberly. It was a date night for 3 on that chilly Monday eve, and our hope was that it would be one of the only situations in which there would be absolutely no wait for a table - something that becomes a serious issue at the famed Brooklyn hotspot, though I wouldn't know because we were right - apparently the perfect time to go with no wait whatsoever is directly after work on a cold Monday night. The tiny pizzeria in DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Brooklyn Overpass...and that it was) is a blink-and-you-miss-it locale, except for the fact that you probably wouldn't be in DUMBO unless you're after a mean piece o'pie. And when I say it's Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass...it's literally Down Under the Manhattan Brooklyn Overpass. Luckily for Lauren and me, Kimmi has become somewhat of a Brooklyn tour guide slash connisseur since starting Brooklyn Law in September. Otherwise, we probably would have been walking in circles. If you're going to make the trek, bring a map. And you might say, "Rachel, don't you live in Jersey City and therefore wouldn't it make more sense to visit the Hoboken location?" And I'd reply with, "Yes, it certainly would make more sense. But my need to try the original and authentic coupled with a Brooklyn date night with my sis led me straight to the source." Anyhoo, you probably want to hear about some deelish pizza, so I'll ramble no further.
We started off the night, as any ladies night should, with a carafe of wine. House red wine, to be clear. I'm not sure what house red means, but I will say that for $16 it afforded us about 3 glasses each. And don't you just love the checkered tablecloth? I mean, really, does it get more authentic than that?
Since there are no slices, we ordered a large pie, half regular, half peppers and onions. Though for me personally, the peppers were a little overpowering, it was still quite a fantastic slice of pizza.
For me, the real winner in this situation was the cheese. It really made the entire pie sing...and by sing, I mean come together in one saucy, cheesy, gooey delicious bundle. The thin crust makes this pizza very close to my heart as a good, thin crust is the perfect vehicle for shoveling lots of sauce and cheese into my proverbial piehole (pun not intended!). Unlike the filling, thick crust of Keste (which, by the by, I was recently told is not in fact a quality of authentic Neapolitan pizza..something I need to look into further), the paper thin Grimaldi's crust allowed for more slices and so Lauren, Kim and I decided it only necessary to order another small, plain pie. For research, of course. For an even deeper look at Grimaldi's, Kim and I snuck some photos in the back where the magic was going down.

Toward the end of the evening, it came to the part of dinner where we inevitably articulate the ups and downs of the meal. The part where we ask ourselves, how does it measure up? As a stand alone pie and in comparison to both Otto and Keste? And the truth is...all three pizzas were so very different that I don't even feel it fair to compare. For a basic, thin crusted pizza, Grimaldi's was pretty outstanding. (I will mention here that Shaun has been participating in the 'satellite pizza tour' as I bring him home take-out orders, and he thinks Grimaldi's comes in strong at numero uno). It was nothing fancy - just straight up, good pizza. Would I go back? In a Brooklyn minute.

So what do you think? Have you been to Grimaldi's? Or any other pizza joint that measures up, so to speak?

Psst...if you missed any other pizza reviews, check out Keste Pizza & Vino and An Otto-matic Favorite...

Comments

[Kimberly]

i'm obviously biased, but i think grimaldi's IS the best. also, is the only Otto location in the village? we walked past it on Saturday night, it seems easy to miss, but I definitely want to get there soon to compare and contrast.

[Rachel]

You really need to try Otto on for size! It is the only one of its kind (literally...there are no other Otto locations) and I highly recommend. It is a little bit blink-and-you-miss-it, but it's all part of the charm! Nothing flashy here...just pizza perfection.

[Mike]

You should definitely add Di Fara to your pizza tour list (and it should be at the top)...

[Rachel]

Thanks for the tip! It actually is on the list, so stay tuned! (and thanks for reading!)