PIZZA REVIEW: Patricia’s

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

When New Yorkers talk about Italian food and the Bronx, they generally refer to Arthur Avenue, which is considered Little Italy. It’s in the Belmont neighborhood and is pretty spectacular. I’m lucky enough to lead tours up there. If you want to join me one day, use code UANYC1 for 10% off.

But most people overlook the neighborhood of Morris Park which is a bit further east. It’s more sprawling than the very compact Arthur Avenue neighborhood, but it features restaurants, bakeries, and cigar shops that keep its Italian heritage alive.

Of course, I made my way out here for food and to continue my pizza journey.

Patricia’s is a slightly upscale restaurant and obviously a local favorite. It was still bustling when I arrived at the end of a Saturday lunch rush. Despite the white table cloths and the fancy candelabras, there were plenty of casual families enjoying the food.

I stuck with the traditional Margherita and was quite happy. I found this to be a nice cross between a thin crust New York-style and a classic Neapolitan pie.

It had a bit more heft than expected and was very filling. I loved the tangy dots of tomato sauce and the plentiful basil.

If I had a criticism, it would be that there was a bit too much cheese for my liking. It threw the tomato/cheese ratio off a little and made the pie slightly greasy, which is a bit of a surprise for a white tablecloth restaurant.

But the dough was nice and the other components came together well.

I also ordered their grilled calamari appetizer which I enjoyed and I could tell this is a legit spot for the Italian-American culinary experience. And amazingly, there’s a whole city that still needs to discover it.

Is Patricia’s the best pizza in NY? Despite the overdose of cheese, it’s still a well-made pie and gets a 7 out of 10 for being a nice cross between Italian and New York styles.