PIZZA REVIEW: Frenchette Bakery

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

I didn’t think I could have ever accepted that Arcade Bakery was gone. It was a classy secret little bakery in an office building in Tribeca that was one of the true gems in the city.

It closed in 2019 because the owner and baker decided to retire. It seemed impossible to imagine not walking into that secret bread temple again. And this was before the pandemic.

Thankfully the team from Frenchette recently stepped in and took over the space. The menu is all their own but much of the feel down to the smells are the same.

Just like Arcade Bakery, they’re making pizza. But they are a bit different. Instead of the puffy Neapolitan-style pies, these are called pizz’ettes and most closely resemble the thin crusts of Roman style pizza.

They’re flat and sliced irregularly. I feel they are a bit steep at $14 although they were masterly created.

There are only theee to choose from and while I was tempted by the Alsatian tarte flambée and rhe cheese-less L’Anchois with anchovies, I thought for a true pizza experience, I should stick with La Margherite.

By far the best part of this was the exceptional crisp flavorful durum crust. Each crunch was a delight.

The tomatoes and cheese were ok but were overshadowed by the dough (this is a bakery after all).

In addition to tomatoes and cheese, the menu also lists the addition of Occhipitini which I later had to look up. Evidently it is the name of an Italian family that makes wine and ricotta. Not sure which product ends up on the pizzette as I couldn’t decipher either.

Overall these are solid pizza snacks (at a price) that are worth trying. The rest of the breads and pastries here are worrh it as well – stay tuned for a post about those. Regardless, I am eternally grateful that this office building hallway once again smells like fresh bread.

Is Frenchette Bakery the best pizza in NY? Their slices are thin and expensive, but masterfully baked and topped. Probably unfair to rate them as pizza because they are a bit of their own thing, yet for their delicious crunch they get a 7 out of10.