« "best pizza" (?) »

I'm inclined to discount any pizzeria whose name includes the word best, but when it's a new pizza shop located in Williamsburg -- a Brooklyn neighborhood with an off-the-charts HQI (Hipster Quantity Index) -- I'm curious.

Because, seriously, why Best? Is it arrogance? Earnestness? A quality control measure? Irony? (I asked the one of the guys. His theory: "It's kind of classic in the old school. You pass by a lot of those old places and you see Best Pizza signs, so it kind of works out well. It's an old school neighborhood and an old school name.")

The space is a former bakery, and features a once coal-burning brick oven that is built into the back wall.  A previous businesses had it "re-domed," so Best burns wood. As a bonus, Best has improved upon the standard brick-oven offerings in a way that should please all passersby: they have slices. Patsy's look out!

The grandma slice is off-the-charts good, and only available as individual squares ($4 each, no whole pies). It's topped with rosy globs of simple tomato sauce and house-made mozzarella. The crust's underside includes craters reminiscent of some of the better Sicilian or grandma slices around -- you don't always find this (roll over top photo for a view). It's made with a little bit of (not discernible) anchovy.

At 20", a Best Pizza round pie wrings out instances of both chewy and crispy from its very thin, very good somewhat charred crust. The white pizza is especially good. It's made with mozzarella, a smattering of fresh ricotta, Pecorino shavings, garlic, caramelized onions, and basil.

So much new pizza around town, so little time.  But this one is a keeper!  (Judging from the sentiments displayed on paper plates on the walls, it seems that others feel the same way.  Click here for a slideshow of Best's plate collection.)

Map Best Pizza.  Best Pizza's website (call ahead for days/hours).