PIZZA REVIEW: Totonno Pizzeria Napolitana (Updated)

My search for the best pizza in New York continues….

I’ll be the first to admit that the major weakness of this blog is that the places I review only get one shot. With a few exceptions, it’s hard for me to visit a place multiple times before I make a decision about their food. The truth is there are just too many things to eat in New York City.

But in the last few months, I thought I should periodically re-visit some of the classic New York places that I’ve only visited once or twice. And update the reviews if need be.

Totonno’s is one of those places. Many people would put it on top of their list when it comes to the city’s greatest pizzerias. It’s been around for a long time (since 1924) and has survived despite fires, financial issues, and the ever-changing foodie culture.

Back in my early days of blogging, I had the opportunity to visit Totonno’s with a group of pizza fans and found myself somewhat disappointed, especially with the pies that contained toppings.

My second visit recently was a very different experience. This time I was one of three lonely groups in the place (it was a cold weekday afternoon) and I enjoyed only a margherita pizza all by myself.

The pizza was great and a true New York classic. By far, the most impressive part was the chewy and yeasty dough. It featured a pretty nice char with a thin body but so much flavor. You can’t get dough like this outside of the five boroughs. The tomato sauce veered on the sweet side but it was tamed by a rich buttery tang from the globs of cheese.

Re-reading my original review, I was impressed by the traditional margherita back then too. But I got hung up on their less-than-stellar toppings. The lessons to learn? You have to visit a place more than once. And at the classic Totonno’s, keep it simple and always get the margherita.

Is Totonno Pizzeria Napolitana the best pizza in NY? I finally realized that they are one of them with superb dough and an impressive quality of cheese and tomato. After a second tasting, I’m moving their rating up to an 8 out of 10 for the margherita pie alone.