My search for the best pizza in New York continues….
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
There’s always a lot of pressure when it comes to follow-up restaurants. Ops is an undersung hit in Bushwick specializing in sourdough based pizzas and natural wine. It’s a special kind of Brooklyn place that is super impressive for people who manage to stumble in.
I don’t think it ever reached the mass popularity that say Roberta’s has, but that’s not the point of Ops. And I think it might suffer if it got over-exposed.
One of the owners at Ops has expanded into Williamsburg with Leo. This is more pizza and wine (along with some plates of seasonal veggies), but with a more casual airy atmosphere. They are currently doing both take-out and pick-up and their slices have returned since May.
I went before the COVID lockdown and found it wasn’t quite as homey or rustic as Ops and on the slice side, the pizza was on display for choosing.
My go-to at these fancy slice joints is their mushroom selection. I just can’t get enough of earthy woodsy mushrooms. And when they’re on pizza properly, they’re just about perfect.
I was surprised that the slice was warmed up in what looked like a large toaster oven. Probably more environmentally conscious than wood or coal. Or even gas.
It came out very crisp, so whatever they did, it worked. Not sure why they cut the slice in half for me. It didn’t affect the flavor (I don’t think), but it seemed strange.
Dotted with plump cremini and oyster mushrooms, the slice was substantial but had a lightness as well. The heat was successfull in revealing those meaty umami notes I love from these particular types of mushrooms. To heighten the umami, there was a dusting of parmesan along with some garlic and mozzarella.
And while I didn’t get the same complex sourdough notes I got from the pies at Ops, they were crisp, fresh, and satisfying. The new place is different but still very good. Let’s relieve some of the pressure. Price: $4.50
| LEO |
| 123 Havemeyer Street (at Grand Street), Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718) 384-6531 |
| leo-nyc.com |
