In a city known for its pies and slices, the Upper West Side has long been a desert for pizza-lovers. At long last, Angelina Pizzabar is here to change that. I’ll admit it was not without trepidation that I tried this new pizzeria with a wine-bar vibe. Having been disappointed in the past, we hesitantly arrived at 104th and Broadway on a Sunday night to a packed restaurant which had only opened its doors 10 days before. This glimmer of hope was brightened by the delightful smells that greeted us as soon as we stepped inside. The space, larger than it appeared from outside and decorated with a warm, rustic yet modern feel, stretched back past a wide wooden bar. A wood-fired pizza oven glowed from a far corner, amply staffed by several pros tossing pizza dough in the air.
A Slice of Cheese Pizza
This being the recession, we opted for a carafe of the house white ($18) and a simple pepperoni pie ($14, $1 for extra toppings). A generous litre of a delicate, fruity white vino arrived at our table, enough for 3 glasses each between the two of us. Encouraged by the delicious dishes being delivered to other patrons (Angelina Pizza Bar has several homemade pasta dishes on the menu as well), we eagerly awaited our pie. Our Italian wai
tress soon delivered an enormous pie to our table. What followed was, quite simply, pizza perfection. Light and fluffy crust, a sauce that could rival the best of Napoli, and a rich (but not overly salty) cheese all merged together to erase a lifetime of mediocre Upper West Side pizza memories. Angelina Pizzabar, which brands
itself as “old-fashioned pizza” is better described as “timeless”. This family friendly jewel is sure to be a
neighborhood classic for a long time to come.
Pros: Brick oven, hand-tossed crust, fresh ingredients, nice selection of Italian wines, homemade pastas, sidewalk seating, top-notch ambiance
Cons: Waitstaff was somewhat harried, as if overwhelmed by the sudden popularity (Manager assured us that this would be corrected soon), limited hard-liquor selection
Angelina Pizzabar
(212) 932-1000
Manhattan – Upper West Side
Subway: 1 to 103rd St.
2728 Broadway (between 104th & 105th)
New York, NY 10025
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Absolutely Yummy!
Although I am not a native New Yorker I am a pizza fanatic and always on the search for “the perfect pizza pie”. My son and future daughter in law has recently visited Angelina Pizza Bar and has assured me that as soon as I can come to New York, my search will be over. They understand the importance of fresh ingredients, crust perfection and a sauce so authentic that if you close your eyes you may feel as if you were actually in Italy. I have yet to find a pizza establishment in California that comes close to any pizza I have had the pleasure of eating in New York. I look forward to my next visit to the Big Apple and I can guarantee that the first place I will be headed for is the Angelina Pizza Bar.
Pizza is good. At the end of night, my bill was 9.33 cents. I left 12.25 and the bartender got upset, starting yelling asking for more tip. We gave almost 30% compared to 15%. Services basically was terrible.
Definitely room for improvement! Thanks for the feedback.
The staff was very rude. Exteremely rude. Bartenteders sucks. He throw the money on us when he did like the tip. Food sometimes good sometimes bad. Never recommend.
Thanks for the update! What are some of your favorite pizza places in the neighborhood?