Jason Brunetti making the pizza magic happen!
Pizza alla Nicola-a must
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All pizza is not created equally.
Some is just superior.
As we work with a brand longer and longer, we learn more and more. We may become more or less impressed with one's entrepreneurial endeavor. We are super impressed with Pizzetteria Brunetti and not just because they put black truffle cream and black truffle carpaccio on their pizza. (but that does help!) Pizzetteria Brunetti is not just a pizza place. It is a culinary endeavor of excellence between Italian American father and son (although the concept would work equally well if they were girls-check out Entrepreneur Barbie) and it is also a labor of love. And, they do far more than just pizza.
Pizzetteria Brunetti was first visited by Peachy Deegan in 2013:
Great brands were established in 2009!
At that visit, we met both Michael the father and Jason the son, both of whom we had never met before. As you know, this initial meeting is to see what we think, and we return in the best cases.
Pizzetteria Brunetti was featured a second time in the spring of 2014:
and we recently returned for an Al Fresco review. Have we featured another pizza place three times in less than 9 months? We won't stop to count but Michael Brunetti, as we met you the first time but not the second or third, you should know that Jason is killing it.
He's incredibly hard-working and tremendously interested in making true pizzas of perfection; also Jason trains others to do an exemplary job with the same level of expertise. We are certain that Michael is super-proud of the job Jason is doing.
So Michael, we hope you are there again for the 4th time so we can finally snap that Father and Son picture! (and if you are Jason's daughter reading this in years to come, know that your job is to man - or rather, woman - the Manhattan location when your dad runs the one out by the beach in the summer!)
Jason and Peachy
If you haven't seen a smile that big on Peachy's face, maybe you aren't feeding her one of the wonders of the world: revisit the Pizza alla Nicola! We tried this at Takeout, and often we reorder the same items to check for consistency of excellence. During the Peachy's Picks review we had not revisited this culinary creation worth its weight in gold, and it was at the top of our list. It totally measured up the second time. It is pure culinary bliss!
Everyone needs to experience the Pizza alla Nicola at least once in their lives to say that they have truly lived. Resting upon their dough reminiscent of soft pillows you will find on the Pizza alla Nicola Imported Smoked Bufala Mozzarella, Black Truffle Cream, Black Truffle Carpaccio, sea salt, EVOO and Parsley. Words do not do this justice: you must try it. You will cry with joy at how beautiful and delicious it is and you will also cry when it magically disappears in your stomach because it will be gone.
Garden Open is a most welcome sign. Many places in Manhattan offer outdoor dining on a crowded avenue however Pizzetteria Brunetti has a fantastic garden space. You will feel like you're visiting them at their house in their backyard garden! No fumes are found here, only great pizza and charming atmosphere.
We love how the tables are spotless and spacious. They make excellent use of their space!
Say yes to a wonderful red Italian wine: Rosso Toscano 2011 by Dal Cero Preziosaterra demonstrated tremendous depth and partnership with our best friend, Pizza alla Nicola. Every sip was divine and had dark, ripe notes of sophisticated fruit.
Remember how much we loved Mary's meatballs?
The difference between a great brand and a superior one is that the superior one is constantly thinking of ways they can get better and do more well. Of course, Pizzetteria Brunetti is superior. Under the new small plates menu you will find Mary's 100% beef meatballs having a party with creamy goat cheese and calabrian pepper sauce inbetween a house made brioche bun.
Is there a form of mozzarella we don't adore? Of course not. We love mozzarella in every form we have ever encountered, and most recently in the Mozzarella in Carrozza: Deep fried house made mozzarella sandwich with ham. For all of the non-Italians like Peachy, know that Carrozza means sandwich that has mozzarella and egg yolks. Yum. Also adding to the tremendous flavor of this small plate is Prosciutto Cotto San Daniela ham! Cotto means that it's cooked.
Peachy also tried the Margherita: San Marzano DOP tomatoes, our beloved house made mozzarella, basil, sea salt, and EVOO.
A classic winner to be sure, the Margherita ensures that this five-year-old restaurant will be a classic in many years to come. Every bite is fresh, flavorful and you will appreciate how carefully it is cooked in their 900 degree F oven from Naples, assembled in Manhattan by people from Napoli. When asked what he thinks makes Pizzetteria Brunetti stand out, Jason tells us: "We just really care about what we're doing. I personally make the burrata and mozzarella every day and if vendors bring me cheese I don't like, I make my own. We are interested in going the extra mile." Their pizza is a New York- Neapolitan hybrid-crispier than a Napoli style.
Salad with pizza is a must.
Peachy ordered the beautifully arranged Carciofi: Arugula, Italian artichokes, taggiasca olives, shaved Pecorino Romano and fresh lemon. Eating a bite of this, then a bite of the pizza truly enhanced the flavors of each. Again, total quality is employed in ingredients and every part of this could not have been fresher!
On top of all this, guess what. There is a PEACHY dessert.
A PEACHY dessert that we have never had before served exactly this way! Peach sorbet was actually in a peach. Eat every part of this, especially on a hot day. It is simply fabulous.
Our esteemed panelist adds:
Come to the West Village for the best pizza you’ve had in a long, long time. There are other things to eat, of course, but the pizza at Pizzetteria Brunetti is perfectly cooked. No soggy bottoms here, just perfect thin crust with a puffy flaky edge, and just the right amount of char.
Their selections range from the “down to basics” Marinara to a San Gennaro that mimics the super popular festival with a taste of everything on a pie.
The Marinara was the perfect beginning to a meal: no cheese, just sauce, basil, oregano, and we added anchovies for a salty finish.
Their Funghi e Cipolle is more like a dessert pie, with the flavor and sweetness of the onions marked by that first drizzled touch of honey truffle oil that goes on and on. The mushrooms are shitake, upscale and fresh. The pizza here is unending, and will warrant several visits before you sample more than a few.
The Rose that accompanied the two choices was a Costa Ripa that the vintner calls a “one-night wine”. The story is that the wine must be watched so that drop by precious drop, the rose color is infused with just the perfect amount of balance. Well, since somebody has to stay up all night to do that, it’s a “one-night wine”. They call it the teardrop system. And the blend of groppello (45%), sangiovese (20%), barbera (20%) and Marzemino ( 15%) proves it’s worthy of that all- nighter. It’s a rose that leans towards the crisp side, with subtle notes of almond on the finish. The nose of may blossoms, pomegranate and black cherries soothes the savage beast, and is perfect for a summer eve. While you’re waiting for your pizza (s), try the potato croquettes.
Not like my Grandmother used to make them (she wasn’t Italian), but as savory, filled with parmesan and parsley, they’re served with a tiny boat of pomodoro sauce that you will want to eat with everything. Outside in the garden, it’s a fragrant mix of scents wafting from the hand-built brick pizza oven, and the fresh garden ingredients obvious everywhere in Brunetti’s offerings. The wine list is very interesting,and the beverage menu lists a fascinating selection of Italian crafted beers. Hmmmm, maybe next time. It’s easy to plan the next trip while you’re pondering the pizza in your hand.
Finish your meal with a fragrant salad of finocchio, shaved and blended with the freshest orange segments and arugula.
The Extra Virgin Olive Oil is bountiful but not overwhelming, and even the sea salt used at Brunetti is from Sicily. Hard to fit in a dessert, but please try.
Limoncello is offered at the table, so enjoy it: it’s house made! Coffee, some chocolate, whether it be a gelato or tartuffo, share, taste, eat! The West Village needed a new hang out, and this is definitely it.
Peachy Picks Pizzetteria Brunetti for dining outside in Manhattan!
Try it Al Fresco!
