It’s the end of an era on Norman Avenue. Yesterday, the original Carmine’s Pizza sign came down and the new one went up. What are your memories of Carmine’s from the last 35 years?
Carmine: the man, the pizza legend (via Facebook).
Carmine closed up shop last year after deciding to retire. In a Facebook post, he wrote:
“After 35 years of serving pizza in the great neighborhood of Greenpoint, I have decided that it is finally time to retire. I thank every person who ever walked into Carmine’s Original Pizza for your business, your conversation and your friendship. I will remember and miss you all. Each day was truly a pleasure because of you!”
A few weeks ago, the former Champs Junior spot on Manhattan Avenue (between Nassau and Driggs) turned into Screamers Pizzeria, a vegan pizzeria. Screamers is owned by Brad Baker, the man behind Champs Diner and Haymaker’s Corner Store, in a joint venture with chefs Mark Mebus and Ryan Moylan of Philly’s Blackbird Pizzeria. Blackbird is apparently some of the best vegan pizza available in the country, so this is a pretty big deal in the vegan world. I stopped by to see what it’s all about and get my first taste of a true vegan-with-cheese pizza. Continue reading →
Owner Luca Arrigoni manning the pizza oven at Sottocasa.
“Sotto casa” is an Italian idiom that translates roughly to something like, “below the house” or “on your doorstep”; in English the closest phrase we have might be something like “just around the corner.” Italians Laura and Luca Arrigoni opened their first Sottocasa pizza restaurant in Boerum Hill quite literally “below the house”—it’s situated on the ground floor of an old residential building. But the pair were in love with more than the literal meaning of the name. They wanted Sottocasa to become a neighborhood joint just around the corner: an inclusive, homey space where everyone feels welcome. Continue reading →
We’re happy to say that Greenpoint’s very own Vinnie’s Pizzeria put some happiness in his belly recently. But mostly happy that he rewarded them handsomely with a parting gift.
“Invader loves pizza. And apparently ours,” said Vinnie’s co-owner Henrik Toncic. “He and his crew stayed for lunch after completing the job. Chill down to earth Parisians. We feel very lucky. And proud. And it’s never gonna get old walking up to it.”
According to Toncic, Invader custom-made his pizza critter especially for Vinnie’s, matching it to their logo and everything.
As tempting as it is, though, to say that pizza (and pizza alone) brought them together, Toncic has been part of the street art community his entire life. A mutual friend, photographer Stephen Kelley, facilitated the fateful meeting.
Do we really need another pizza place in Greenpoint? Well, probably not, but Ria Bella (1049 Manhattan Avenue) is pretty good and I am more than happy to add it to my rotation of options.
The pizzas are baked in a ceramic oven, with either a thin or traditional Sicilian crust. Some of the pizzas are pretty creative – one that they especially recommend is the Sfincione – a square pie that has tomato basil sauce, sautéed onions, anchovies, caciocavallo cheese, topped with roasted bread crumbs (Bread crumbs on pizza? Oh yes.), and extra virgin olive oil. Continue reading →
Lulu's: Sadly closing its doors forever on August 9th (Image Courtesy of Lulu's)
As we were passing by Lulu’s on Sunday night we were shocked to see a sign outside saying ‘Last Call…15 Days Left‘. When we popped inside in the hope that the sign was just some kind of sick prank, our worst fears were confirmed: Lulu’s, the Franklin Street institution famed and loved for its free pizza and live music will indeed be closing its doors for the last time on August 9th.
Lulu’s Manager Ani Monteleone tells us the closure “has something to do with an unresolvable disagreement with the landlords of the space.” Continue reading →
Fancy bars and restaurants with all sorts of sexy food and drink (Tørst, Beloved, Nights and Weekends) are all over Greenpoint these days, but let’s face it – sometimes you just want get hammered on a budget, pay homage to the neighborhood’s longtime establishments, or just check out something different and new (or old). Greenpoint definitely has no shortage of dive bars, but where to begin?
This weekend I hung out in some of these dives (a.k.a. “old man” bars) in the neighborhood and got to know them and their clientele a little better. I scoped out the drink specials, watched Jeopardy with the regulars, and relaxed in some sweet backyards. And now I present to you, along with my little rating system, some of the neighborhood’s best kept secrets:
Irene’s Pub (623 Manhattan Ave)
Irene's Pub
Despite being so centrally located, Irene’s is somewhat of a mystery. Perhaps most Greenpointers are unfamiliar with the bar’s philosophy:”it’s happy hour all the time,” which I verified as TRUTH. Irene’s prices are actually equivalent to happy hour deals, all the time – we’re talking $2 drafts and dirt-cheap mixed drinks. I repeat: all day and night long. Continue reading →
It’s March, the clocks have gone forward, and the sky’s almost all out-of snow. It’s time to put all this exciting extra daylight to good use by taking advantage of some of Greenpoint’s finest Happy Hours.
After some exhaustive research we’ve compiled a bumper list of some of the happiest hours around, featuring $1 fish tacos, 2-for-1 margaritas, and $6 champagne cocktails. But if we’ve missed your favorite drinking haunt, be sure to let us know!
Key to happiness:
☺ – Extra Happy Value
★ – Food Deals
♥ – Editor’s Picks
♥ Achilles Heel 180 West Street (between Green St. and Huron St.) Weekdays 2pm -6pm
Weekends 12pm-6pm
– $6 Champagne cocktails/Irish coffee
Adelina’s 159 Greenpoint Avenue (between Leonard St. and Manhattan Ave.)
Weekdays 5pm-7pm
– $4 Draught craft beer
– $5 Organic wine
★☺ Antek Restaurant 105 Norman Avenue (Between Leonard St. and Manhattan Ave.)
Daily 2pm-7pm
– $1 Beer and wine with food purchase Continue reading →
If you’ve ever enjoyed a slice from Vinnie’s Pizzeria you’ll have enjoyed their brilliant, endlessly inventive Special Boards designed by co-owner and comic-genius Sean Berthiaume.
The pun-tastic boards are usually based around a TV show, movie, or celebrity. A particular favorite of mine features a Bacon Bad and Meth-Ham-Feta-Bean pizza, whilst another warns of Beef Noodlety and Graphic Violentils. Continue reading →
According to Eater, our favorite local pizzaiolo (that means pizza genius) Paulie Gee “is planning a massive multi-city expansion, aiming to open locations in Chicago, Oakland, Portland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Columbus, and Long Island…” and of course, “…when evaluating potential locations he considers whether they have a similar vibe and demographic makeup to his home base location in Greenpoint, Brooklyn .”(just north of Williamsburg).
Soon you can enjoy Paulie Gee’s pizza in every coolest city in the USA!
It’s the end of an era on Norman Avenue. Yesterday, the original Carmine’s Pizza sign came down and the new one went up. What are your memories of Carmine’s from the last 35 years?
