The List

As we approach 2010, some people will make lists of accomplishments. Others will make lists of places they plan to travel or of things they want to be different in the new year. I might make those lists too, but I thought it was also important to make a New York pizza list-- my favorites and my plan of attack for the second decade of the new millennium.

Erin's Top 10 Pizza List

1. DiFara-- for Dominic DiMarco, his buffalo moz, snipped basil, full bodied sauce and grana padano

2. Anselmos-- for a flavor similar to DiFara, plus salad on the menu and plenty of seating

3. Artichoke-- good slices from their square and round pies, bold flavor and a mean artichoke slice!

4. Johns- for complex, sweet-ish sauce and a great atmosphere

5. Lombardis- for serving free raw garlic with their pies (and for not allowing the guido behind me in line to bribe his way to the front)

6. Grimaldis- good dough; some consistency problems but who can beat the coal fired oven and atmosphere that reminds you of an Italian pizzeria from the movies

7. Arturos- solid pies with a good selection of toppings and fairly easy to get into with a group

8. Bens- for the tomato slice

9. Lucalis- great space and good technique; needs some spunkier spices in the sauce (or salt in the cheese) to stand up to the charred crust

10. Fascati and Joes (tie)-- great slice places, not fancy but solid and consistent. So glad that Fascati is in my neighborhood and Joes has a top West Village location.

In the coming year, I will visit:
1. Totonnos in Coney Island...as soon as it reopens
2. Lucalis and L&B Spumoni Gardens again-- Matt says Lucali should be higher on my list; We both think we need to give L&B another try when we can order a slice and eat outside.
3. Motorino-- We hear good things
4. Co-- Expensive, are pizzas for one or two people? But some of the reviews make it seem like it's a top choice