best pizza under the bridge

Place: Grimaldi’s
Location: Douglaston Plaza Shopping Center, 242-02 61st Ave, Douglaston, NY 11362
Website: http://www.grimaldis.com/

Grimaldi’s is arguably the most famous pizzeria in New York.  New Yorkers will encourage you to walk over to Brooklyn from Manhattan through the Brooklyn Bridge and get some pizza from Grimaldi’s when you reach the other side.  Pretty recently, a Grimaldi’s opened in Douglaston, Queens, which is also located under a bridge.   I finally had the opportunity to try it last Saturday when my friend and I decided to go for lunch.

The atmosphere is very homey, very family-owned restaurant-esque, which includes the traditional red and white checkered table cloth, exposed brick wall, and the coal-brick oven you can see in the back.  We ordered a pie with mushroom on one half and roasted peppers and italian sausage on the other.  Grimaldi’s pizza is made to order – when it is served to you, you know that it was just taken out of the coal-brick oven.  Although, Grimaldi’s is New York’s favorite pizza, it does not serve the traditional cheese slice that you would find at your local Joe’s or Gino’s.  It looks more closely to the pizzas they serve in Italy, where the crust is lighter and thinner and the toppings are more distinguishably placed. 

Grimaldi’s pizza will not disappoint!  Their pizza tastes homey, slightly smokey from the coal-brick oven, and traditional, all because it is.  The roasted red pepper and Italian sausage combination is superb but even if you were to get a plain pie, the tomato, cheese, and basil combination will satisfy.  There is not a hint of artificial flavoring, such as salting, and the ingredients taste like it’s good for the body.  Grimaldi’s has been around for so long for a reason and New Yorkers will never get sick of the Grimaldi experience, whether it be under the Brooklyn Bridge or randomly in the Douglaston Mall Complex.