The Original New York Slice: The Pizza Show

[Music] Frankie how many two or three two - Jimmy - that's good I gotta walk like God revolta men gotta walk long come on [Music] [Music] New York is the birthplace of peace in America as most people know with over 2,000 feet URI is there's wood coal gas-fired pies slices and squares and the Apollo 10 and more Pizza culture here is so strong you can even take a tour to learn about the history of the seemingly basic viewer Scott Weiner who runs his own pizzeria tour company is the most knowledgeable person in this field by far false alarm this is not the first feeds that this is the test leave it so many people come to New York to eat pizza and there's so many stories about where all these great pizzerias came from help us break this down when people come to New York they totally understand that the city has a special relationship with pizza there's a deeper story that I know when I first found out that there was such a thing as like a place that calls itself the first pizzeria in America my mind was blown I was like great there's history yeah how is that documented how cool is that that this food has a history the story is pretty similar for all these places like people had ovens where they were being used for bread bakers are baking pizza at the beginning of the day as just a means of doing a couple of different dirty jobs with the oven and they're also using that dough to get rid of leftover scrap ingredients and then suddenly you have this product which happened in April is that happen in Italy it's just pizza with scrap what I think a lot of people that are really into New York Pizza culture sort of understand and that is that Lombardi's is the first pizzeria in America and then there's sort of this New York Pizza family tree that branches off from Lombardi's and is responsible for some of the greatest pizzerias in New York is that true maybe okay here's okay here's the most accurate way I can explain the entire family tree okay Lombardi's opens in 1905 1905 is when they received the first mercantile license to run a pizzeria which is not a license that I can find or has really ever existed and then totonno's opens up in 1924 and totonno's seems to have as much a claim to New York Pizza supremacy historically has Lombardi's right now there's some controversy because some people say that oh well he was the pizza maker and Lombardi we also don't know maybe there was another place that opened and then closed and nobody got a picture of the answer that my question is kind of confusing there are so many people that have claimed to work at Lombardi's without actual concrete evidence here's the most likely story Lombardi's was the first licensed Petri in America where Gennaro Lombardi and Anthony Parra worked parallel then branched off and opened a toe nose in 1924 in 1929 John Sasso who may or may not have heard Tilton Bardis opens John's the story gets even more confusing when passes and Harlem's comes into the picture Pasquale epad seal and CRE opens Patsy's in 1933 after also may be working at Lombardi's his nephew Patsy Grimaldi opens up Patsy's pizzeria under the Brooklyn Bridge in 1990 which then four years later changes his name to her Maltese I mean yeah it's a but that stuff doesn't even really matter what we know is Lombardi's was the first documented pizzeria in New York City in 1905 Gennaro Lombardi started serving pizza to local factory workers out of his grocery store in Spring Street due to his popularity the store quickly evolved into a full-fledged pizzeria and continued turning out cold five pizzas til the mid 80s when closed luckily Gennaro Lombardi the third and John Bradshaw his childhood friend reopened this iconic restaurant in 1994 Gennaro Lombardi is responsible for bringing pizza as we know it here tamerica and he got a lot of the pizzeria started because he he had them working here so you remember Gennaro you remember the yes and my father used to lead me here when I was six seven years old and I would bother him throw dough balls at him with with his grandson and that's who opened this place when we reopened him in the grandson I'm the worker that's how far back I go with pizzas and that's how I use no-good pizza it sounds like Gennaro was a champion of the neighbor he was and this was all Italian people live in via Soho was we're old factories wah so a lot of guys would stop there in the morning cuz if the bodies was open 22 hours a day back then Wow they would stop on their way to work get a pie wrapped in brown paper and string and then reheat it in the oven that kept the place warm at work and they had their lunch get out of here one of the things that the finds embodies is the coal oven what is so special about a Coal Fired pizza let's take cold versus wood with a wood-burning oven it goes up real high and as the wood burns away the fire goes down with cold it burns more steady so you got a constant Heat of good pizza has to have high heat because the inside will be light and airy with all the nooks and crannies the toppings they'll cook in two minutes every be juicy that's the key to a great pot as a key to a great pizza can I invite you to eat some pizza here come on in this is great enjoy your slice of history I will that's exactly what you said you could tell that it's cooked fast the bottom of it is I'm crispy but yet the top is still moist and you can definitely taste that it's from a coal oven and not a whit other definitely quality always shows right always shows eye whether it's in the person or in food I'm around pizza every day I love it okay I love eating [Music] it's nice out here I remember like listen I came out here you had like dodge broken glass everywhere in the beach here we are on Coney Island on a scorching hot day it's beautiful we're all sweating and when you're in Coney Island that you think of the beach you think of hot dogs hmm wonder happiness but when you are in Coney Island and you are talking about pizza you think it's a toe nose not only is it one of the country's best pizzerias but it's a big part of the New York story of pizza the totals haven't changed a bit since 1924 and that's thanks to Anthony perros family who's carrying on the tradition Antoinette and cookie fellas granddaughters have dedicated their lives to the business the minute I walked in I was greeted by Antoinette immediately invited to a birthday party for their longtime friend Victor tiger who also goes by Tiger and offered a slice of cake this is truly the definition of a family business look what I'm doing Victor year-old Victor can we borrow you to say happy birthday we'd like oh you're kidding today [Applause] the only thing that's consistent here is the pizza happy birthday baby Thomas there's people coming in the door we got Victor's birthday going on right now we have another little girl's birthday there's Peters flowing out of the oven and there's a pizza waiting for me this looks amazing now do you want anything on it like cheese extra cheese or I'm gonna do it just like this just like this here I want you to eat it when it's hot delicious the pizza is delicious ah well I think you're a kind of sauce so I know it is it's different it's not the same it has a different quality like the dough itself it's like yeah there's a little bit more consistency to it and like you could really taste the tomatoes and the cheese and that like sharpness is there out another hard cheese on there besides mozzarella you're asking the question nothing about here when you come over there there's no question Oh would you pass that line all right where does it feel like to be talked about in that light as a legend your grandfather literally was the pizzaiolo at Lombardi's the first pizzeria on the books my emotions tell like right now you mention grandfather and I cry because it just stirs up feelings that I can't explain so he was a baker in Naples Italy and she came over on a boat I think was the margarita and he worked for Lombardi and opened his own pizzeria and then he came here in 1924 and we are the oldest continuously running family owns pizzeria in the world's Wow so we're here in this location 92 years cookie makes fabulous pizza mommy always said that women make the best pizza but she really is passionate this place could never survive if the weren't for her she doesn't want any changes and I have to respect that this is the infamous cookie the love of my life did you get my card I sent a beautiful card she said she's all talked out that's about it I moved just so many TV shows and everything I keep on saying the same thing all over no I'm sorry are you like your mother and you like your father I'm like my father you're like your father yeah and say what you say all the time cookie tell us something different tell us something that you want to get out there nothing different I'm telling them nothing great about different right when you got the good old classic you stick with that's it do you have a critique the pizza man I know Mike has been here making pizza favo well I'm confident in my canal yeah yeah at the beginning yes it's hard work and he's been with you guys for 12 years yeah yeah Michael she calls it Michael I love it I love that oven is beautiful and it looks like that peel he's been using that same peel but it is for the same hundred years this oven right here has been making pizzas since 1924 the old lady honestly like until I got comfortable working with the oven because it's coal-fired oven each couple of inches is like a different temperature just a whole different feel to it and you have to basically dance the pie around and honestly every day I think I'm learning something even did at this stage of the game you know I think your sister and you were able to carry it on the same level that your father and your grandfather Rainey that is to me it's like a take every but every father's dream come true you know we just keep this going because this is our passion and just like the constant roller coaster and it's a constant fantasy lands that I just love being from Coney Island baby so we are the to Coney Island baby Michael did I give you kick the West Village has so many great pizzeria when I was in the neighborhood I decided to call my boy mark to try someone with me you're hungry yes I didn't eat all day ready some feet Sonny let's go good hey you been fantastic yeah the first stop is John's on Bleecker Street which is known for its coal fire pot and what was the last time you were in this neighborhood eatin pizza before I'd open my pizzeria I think the last time I was here it was probably five names on the wall and I've been dying to come back here so what do you is like the classic New York Pizza where's that I mean going back I mean if you go back to the beginning of time you know my body's this place se10 season halt your classic call other part and then you know that transitioned into the guest of a pipe Jose the ferret is play Street and now we have all the newcomers are the Neapolitan style hey hey how the Neapolitan you're getting way too of the Italians right so you're right good wait hold a finished smells good what do you look for when you grab a slice of pizza oh the stretch of the cheese and like you know like fat right there's a diamond on the bottom yeah really good I'm just simplicity of it she's in Tomatoes yeah you know I mean that's what you get on this block right you just get pizza you get simple Pete's I like plus it was amazing cross is really good like you know what was your spot in that and you I would have to say Nino's of our traditional slice now which Jose Jose is the quintessential New Yorker Grady took the words right out of my mouth and you know what I love about Jose brings me back to my childhood that was Greek I was good man off the Jose let's do it [Music] what do you want to do a mock couple sizes two choices so you put red pepper on your size on my slices red pepper black pepper on the coal oven black hop on the poll of you this guy's a real let me tell you and then you don't use a fork or a knife do the polls y'all New York see how it stands up I love this is every time he said the quintessential New York slice you know what we bothered me was a napkin move nobody take when yet when you take ya oil for the oil and if you and you put the nap you're on top no no no I know another oh it's the one you're talking about did you thumbing in there and then this way so that'll stop the oil of the way along the white t-shirt oh this let me see that thing that's nice swag you guys so they don't want to ruin out you never did that one I never did that I'm not a gentleman like you walk and then it cut look cell catches all perfect what about the stance you don't notice pants what's his dancer you stand with your feet to the side and you make sure the pizzas and drip on your sneakers hey it's risky but you'll see if you know the rule we know don't have to worry don't you see no oil on my sneakers faxes convey this is like a New York drive-through I like a virulent high when it comes out of the oven fresh out of the oven when they reheat it that's where you get that crisp it makes it nice and crispy sometimes the guy is like we'll heat it up too much right sometimes you guys won't heat it up enough then you get them you burn the skin off the roof your my house but these do you specify when you order your slice like not too hot not too hot that's why I don't like it hot yeah it was like it's like the next day I can't eat at work hole in my mouth yeah we all the famous print sheet always a long while Prince Street looks like it's been here forever it actually opened in 2012 the space used to be home to the original Ray's Pizza one of many rays of New York Prince Street has a good slice of what you really want here is a square to square that Baroni says that what you called a spicy punch it in all right so heat widows how's it going good good doing good doing good we're here for the square slice the spicy spring what else that's a best seller right thank you so much for nice guys we'll be back this is new yeah you just set up wherever I knew you okay you make it work you set up shop and make it work the pepperonis in front of ya I brought it looks settled do your bacon the Sicilian always takes a backseat to the slice and if you ask me it's like the unsung hero a pizza I think people like to cause a little bit thicker than scared of it but when you actually eat it there's so many different textures it's so good there's nothing like hot pizza in New York on a hot summer night [Music] for someone that's never been to like a New York style slice please is very much a ritual for it when you walk through the door the first thing that you usually see is a big case full of pizzas a couple different pies you'll see a pizza man in the back making pieces maybe flipping them in the air the readers on 5th tab is quintessential slice when you walk into it it's basically a place that's stuck in time Gio the owner has a lot of pride for his family for his culture he knows everyone's name he knows everyone's order his sister's work with him when you're a regular at a family please it feels like you're part of the family in 1973 Luigi lines are open Luigi's with his wife Theodora today Luigi's children Gio Lisa and Marissa work hard to honor their parents legacy by keeping their traditions at the pizza real life and now I see the photo album and I'm like perfect yeah you've seen this one I always put this in because you know what without these two people it wouldn't be here I wouldn't be here wouldn't have anything to talk about it just my whole life because two people came here just saying we can make it in America otherwise I would have been I would have been skinny probably ha ha my mother came here first she started working in a sweatshop she was making 43 cents an hour with 19 dollars a week it just shows you how as much as everybody thinks those were the bad times they were actually the great times because if for years my mother bought a house my father was working in Italy he had a mule so he was somebody that was like the Cadillac of today he had a mule and these are the pictures I have of my mother going to Italy marrying him bringing him here and then he would he worked in the sweatshop also and he didn't like it so he went to work in a pizzeria stay saved everything and then they bought this building [Music] here's my sister now my two sisters yes we've met before I love the way that it's just this day in the front and then it's your other sister in the back cooking there's nothing better than being with your family you know and you guys get along together and is just just positive yeah of course it's family it is not a little screaming going on something's wrong I know that this has always been like this were you ever tempted to go in the direction that other pizzerias women like you know the weird pies are this and I'm not gonna stay away from what I was brought up with that was it it's what's worked it's what I was taught make it the best I can make it and the people who shine right through and say it's good how many pizzas you think you made here this board is the first board we started with at the number of pies this board had over a million pies easily and if you notice this is that my father opened up the store with two boards this was what it looked like originally this place to do this for my first daughter yeah yeah now I don't even have to look it's just happy I know where it's gonna go they always take my father get the sauce off from in the middle no holes in the middle and why is that because it's heavy it'll stick when the crust puffs up everything kind of moves to the center right yeah exactly how old do you when you meet your first pizza I was 11 when I started making pies my first pie for a customer I'll never forget I look back into the kitchen I said to my father bah bah no beets I was 13 he said you make it it was only a regular pie so it's a 16-inch yeah so he made me make my first one I'll go ahead and I'll make my pizza and then you maybe you can give me some tips basically I'm just trying not to touch the crosses that y'all know you can try you do it hurry up stay out of the middle I'll push too hard right yeah don't push hard all right beautiful so walk right over top tack top done I don't think this is gonna be as round in Gio's mine are never wrong better try when you don't I why would they never come in round hi Frank you know what we're gonna do now you can eat one of my slices I'm gonna have one your slice all right let's see how I am at stuff I think I know which one's mine no okay that's for you Frank all right well gonna go over French pie oh no this is gonna be good I already know when it's listen I could walk it to the Petri and look and see what you did and you get half a hundred percent perfect your pizzas so good so easy to chew it's just like when it comes to ratio is that the most important thing for you on the pizza it's the weight you know when I say it's in the hands my hands do it I just know okay I reached my limit it's like breathing I'm how much into you inhale you don't even it's just I do it that's it I don't know that I've interviewed anyone that's probably made as many pizzas as you I have no idea how those has made probably a million pies on their own easily easy and it's just I just love what I do it's do you know it doesn't even feel like I made one when you do something that you like so much it's not a job people don't understand that it's not work for me I come here to hang out you're never bored here take a dream come true that's it this you're making it's your show that's it this is my show it's done it's made the people are happy priceless totally priceless what you're busy you do good work you busy that's it well learning is a staple in Bensonhurst underneath the train do people like come here and ask you do you know what's funny I had this young boy he came in he might have been like 15 years old he dressed up as Tony Manero for Halloween and he's like can you please open the window so he give me a double deck I'm like cousins kid no worry what a double deck is it is hysterical

Channel: Munchies

Views: 6,336,111

Rating: 4.8814683 out of 5

Keywords: how to, cooking, Munchies, Munchiestv, eating, chef, restaurant, VICE, vice guide, vice, vice videos, vicevideos, BEST PIZZA, Chicago, new haven, New York, PIZZA, totonno's, Lugi's, scott wiener, lombardis, johns pizzeria, patsy's, lombardi's, john's pizzeria, pizzeria, joe's pizza, prince st pizza, first pizzaria, nyc pizza guide, patsy's pizza, grimaldi's pizza nyc, coal fired pizza oven, naples pizza, pizza peel, leoparding dough, square slice pizza, spicy pepperoni, luigi's pizza

Id: -8pCMoL_b_s

Length: 24min 12sec (1452 seconds)

Published: Mon Jan 02 2017

Reddit Comments

[u/necrophiliababy]

I fucking love this show. I love it so much that it makes me angry when I watch it because I want pizza so bad

[u/gleegannon]

Never been to really any of the cities he has visited on this site, but I certainly have my food spots mapped out for whenever I get there. I love this show!

[u/carver1976]

Michael Scott knows the only place for a true New York slice!

[u/ryanpsloan]

The guy sounds just like Stan Lee.