New York / August 3, 2009 / dinner
Winederlust Rating (details below): 7.75 out of 10 / Winederlust Worthy: Yes
Kesté opened on busy Bleecker St. in the West Village about four months ago to a lot of fanfare. Why? Because it has been hyped as serving some of the best, most authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas in NYC, all cooked in a pizza oven crafted by artisans from Naples. New York Mag recently named it the #1 pizza in the city.
Though we had to put our name on a list and wait for about 20 minutes (on a Monday night after 9pm, nonetheless) we decided to give it a go. Once we got in, the servers were extremely friendly and helpful and took our order quickly. We chose the classic Regina Margherita pizza, topped with grape tomato, fresh buffalo mozzarella, basil, and extra virgin olive oil, and the Vegetariana, a cheeseless pizza of tomato, eggplant, mushroom, artichoke, zucchini, and extra virgin olive oil.
Regina Margherita.
Vegetariana.
We had expected the pizza to be more like the ones at Franny’s in Park Slope, with a thin crust, but instead, it had a fluffy, surprisingly naan-like crust that was slightly charred around the edges. The margherita pizza was a little doughier and moister because of the extra tomato and cheese, with a fresh, tangy flavor, while the vegetarian pizza was nice and light and chockfull of fresh veggies.
Because the family from Pittsburgh eating next to us spilled water under our table (and onto my shoe), the restaurant promptly brought out an extra stack of napkins, and then a free dessert of an airy tiramisu, a nice end to a very pleasant meal.
Tiramisu.
– by Liz Humphreys, Winederlust Eater in Chief
Winederlust Rating Details (out of 10):
Food: 8.5 (preparation, presentation & taste)
Wine: 7.0 (selection, recommendations, pairings & taste)
Service: 9.0 (helpfulness, attentiveness, knowledge & pacing)
Place: 6.5 (location, view, decor & vibe)
Price Range: $ (Cheap)
Essential Information:
Kesté Pizzeria / 271 Bleecker St., New York [map]
Direct Line: (212) 243-1500
Website: http://www.kestepizzeria.com/home.html
Open Monday-Saturday 12-3:30pm and 5-11pm. Open Sunday 12pm-10pm. No Reservations; be prepared to wait in line.
