Centripetal

Pizza by Surprise

I’ve lived in the Cobble Hill area for over two years, and as of last Wednesday, am embarrassed to say I’d never paid a visit to Lucali’s. Growing up in Bensonhurst, and later Staten Island, I only realized later in life how spoiled I’ve been, always residing within a 5 minute walk from excellent bagels, Italian ices, and pizza. Everything else, by comparison, has been a sad dissapointment. Ever try to get a good ice in the City? Forget about it. It’s all corn syrup.

Pizza is a different story, there are plenty of places to get a decent slice, which is why even I reserve my praise for the select few joints that are head & shoulders above the rest. And let me say, Lucali’s is one of those places.

Tucked on Henry street, a world away from the hustle and bustle of Carrol Gardens’ Smith St, its a tiny reminder of what a local pizza cafe should be. They don’t take reservations. Its BYOB. They grow their own basil and oregano in the backyard garden. The waitresses have a heavy italian-American/Brooklanese accent, flirt incessantly with both manager and customers, and the decor is simple but inviting.

The line outside can sometimes equal a 1.5 hour wait. We’d learned that we were “very lucky” to have only waited 15 minutes for a table. The pizza. Oh that pizza. The crust— thin and slightly burnt, reminicent of matzah instead of bread. The aroma— sweet basil and fresh tomatoes wafting around. And the flavor— we ordered mushroom and shallots, and the difference from other pizza places couldn’t be more vast. The ‘shrooms were Shitake, none of that flavorless canned white mushroom nonesense. The shallots— a burst of flavor, a world apart from the standard onion powder.

Got friends or relatives coming in from out of town? Take them to Lucali’s. They’ll understand why you took down that Domino’s flyer off your fridge.