PIZZA REVIEWS: Ace’s Pizza

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

Ace’s in Williamsburg has that very old-school nostalgic vibe that we’ve come to expect from hip modern NYC pizzerias. It also has the other thing we’ve come to expect: thick Detroit-style pizza.

Yes, if you’ve been living under a rock, this is by far the coolest pizza style of the moment in the city. It’s not my absolute favorite but I can not deny that when these are done well, they are delicious.

The slices are expensive at Ace’s, but you do get a good deal of pizza for your $6. Large and small pies are also offered.

This is also not a quick grab and go slice. My mushroom slice took over 10 minutes, but it was worth the wait. And I got to enjoy the old-school nostalgic vibe. The place has a very 1980’s pizza pub vibe. Similar to what Scarr’s tries to emulate.

While my younger self might have recognized the ambiance, the pizza would have been foreign to me. Perhaps this is the kind of pizza they were serving at that time in Detroit, but certainly it never made it onto my plate as a kid. Too bad for me.

You know they mean business when the slice is served with a pickled hot pepper on the side. It definitely helps break up the richness from the giant crisp square slice. It was almost two slices in one.

The tomato and garlic helped brighten up the rich cheese and incredibly crisp edges. Signature Detroit-style is that blackened, almost burnt cheese and dough coming together on the ends.

A nice smattering of mushrooms and lots of herbs were a nice touch, as well. Perhaps I was getting some veggies in my diet.

Ace’s has since expanded to a truck in the middle of Rockefeller Center so you know things are going well for them. I liked the pizza. It was satisfying and rich and a nice example of how they may have been doing pizza in working class Michigan 35 years ago. Funny enough, it’s the same way they’re doing pizza in Brooklyn today.

Is Ace’s Pizza the best pizza in NY? It’s a nostalgic and modern take on the crunchy thick square slices from Detroit. And it’s a good fresh example of it so it gets an  8 out of10.