By Arthur Schwartz
2 March, 2024
Roma Pizza
Roma Pizza. Photo by Arthur Schwartz.
Several months back we wrote about Shu Han Ju, a wonderful Chinese restaurant on the NW corner of 11th Street and Sixth Avenue. But Shu Han Ju closed in November. On January 28 white paper went up on the windows. This is the well known site of Famous Ray’s Pizza, the original one, which was a Village institution from 1964-1980, and then from 2012 to 2018.
The new inhabitant of this legendary address IS a pizza place, but not Ray’s. It’s Roma, which has other locations in NYC. It has more varieties of pizza than one could remember without a menu. Margherita Pizza (fresh mozzarella, plum tomato sauce, basil & olive oil), Roma’s Supreme Pizza, (pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, onions, mushrooms & green peppers), White Pizza (mozzarella & ricotta), Roma’s Vegetarian Pizza (spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, black olives & fresh tomatoes), White Pizza with Pesto, Grandma Pizza (fresh mozzarella, plum tomato sauce, basil & olive oil), Hawaiian Pizza (ham & pineapple), Grilled Chicken Caesar Pizza, Meat Lovers Pizza (pepperoni, sausage & bacon), Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza, Chicken Pizza, Vodka Pizza (fresh mozzarella, basil, vodka sauce & olive oil), Chicken Broccoli Pizza, Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pizza, Chicken Tomato Pizza, Penne Vodka Pizza, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Gluten Free Crust Pizza, and BBQ Chicken Pizza.
How’s the pizza? Sauce is great. Cheese is great (not as thick as Famous Ray’s). The crust? No where near as good as Little Italy. $2.50 for a slice of plain pizza. All pizza looks fresh.
Travelers, Poets and Friends
Travelers, Poets and Friends. Photo by Arthur Schwartz.
On December 15, the folks behind Osteria57 and Alice in the Village opened its pescetarian and vegetable-focused Travelers, Poets and Friends, at 457 Sixth Avenue south of West 11th Street, where Sammy’s Noodle Shop used to be. The store features a market with stations for pasta, baked goods, “salumi,” (meatless salami) coffee, wine, and a cafe bar. At the end of January they were scheduled to open a fancy Italian meatless restaurant.
According to Eater, “The name “conveys how we see this business,” says owner Emanuele Nigro. The 50-seat cafe bar area is the focal point of the market and offers coffee and pastries as well as toasts, a yogurt parfait bar, and sandwiches during the day. Plus it has a market for specialty pastas and sauces. At night it’s small plates — including cheeses, and what they’re calling “seacuterie” and tinned fish; Italian wines, and cocktails. I had the Tuna Lasagna. It was small but stupendous. So was the Fluke Milenes sandwich.
The restaurant in the back part of the space will open in March. Called Alaluna, it will have 60 seats. There also will be a 20-seat private dining area and a 25-seat outdoor patio.
Trattoria Pesce & Pasta
Trattoria Pesce Pasta. Photo by Arthur Schwartz.
With all the new facy restaurants around, including many which serve Italian food, Kelly and I come back every year for our anniversary to Trattoria Pesce and Pasta on Bleecker between 7th and 6th Avenues. Why? Because the food is the best! Hasn’t been beaten by any other place around the Village in its decades of service.
Trattoria Pesce and Pasta is a rustic Italian eatery that specializes in Northern Italian cuisine. The restaurant’s dining room is small and intimate. Serving primarily fish and seafood dishes, as the name suggests, the premier item is the fish of the day which the kitchen staff has procured from the local fish market to ensure it is as fresh as possible. These specials can be anything and range from branzino to salmon to swordfish. There is also an extensive list of Italian red and white wines that guests can order to pair with their meal. My favorite dish is the Lasagne—can’t be done better anywhere. And the Fra Diavolo is to die for (and spicy).
These guys survived the Pandemic and are flourishing – for good reason.
All photos by Arthur Schwartz.
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