One of the most popular pizzeria in all of NYC is Grimaldi’s. You can see their long lines around the block on most days. I first visited Grimaldi’s nearly 10 years ago. And since then, I have gone back a handful of times. But, since they moved just a few steps up the road to a corner spot a few years ago, I haven’t had the opportunity to visit. Now, it was about time I went back! They had a couple staffs manning the door, keeping the long line in order.
They had a bar counter seats right at the entrance, rather small with limited seating. I believe they have an open kitchen there.
They had a pizza section to the right of entrance, which looked small for this location. But, I only took a quick peak, so I am not sure how big or small their pizza making kitchen is in this new location. The interior was very NYC, with signs imitating New York subway signs, and black and white photos of New York, many of them of Brooklyn.
They had just a handful of tables, all packed. It looks much smaller than their original location…until you see the rest. They now have more than one floor!
We were told to go to the third floor, so we climbed the old, narrow steps to the top. I saw the second floor on the way up, which was empty. I guess they don’t open up that floor until the capacity is maxed, and they have enough staffs to handle the added demand. The interior was very nostalgic, antique-looking rails, light fixtures, brick walls, etc…
Once we got up to the top, we were surprised of the size of the room. It was grand, with massively tall ceiling. Just having that much space from floor to ceiling makes you feel like you are in a huge room. Large arched windows also makes the room feel bigger, while providing nice view of the city.
Now, the food. Their menu is very limited here, just Antipasto, pizzas, and calzone. We were there for pizza, so pizza we got. Their pizza is coal-fired, brick-oven pizza. First, you choose between Regular Pizza and White Pizza, which will be the base of your pizza. Then, choose Small or Large. Since we were sharing a pie between the two of us, we went with small. They do NOT offer a slice here, you must order the whole pie. We went with Traditional Pizza ($17), made with their secret recipe tomato sauce, hand sliced mozzarella, and basil. Topped with signature cheese and spice blend.
Now, the toppings. This is where the pizza can get really expensive. The basic, classic pizza with no topping is already $17, due to this location’s notable brand, popularity, and demand. We added Italian Sausage ($3) and Oven Roasted Sweet Peppers ($4). Now, our small pizza is whooping $24. The pizza was good, but I felt like it used be better. Maybe because the large open space with strong AC cooled down the pizza quickly, and that I didn’t get to enjoy it all while it was still hot. My hubby enjoyed it very much though. Crisp crust, fresh cheese and ingredients, very flavorful.
We were there with friends, very lovely couple. They decided to have their Traditional Pizza ($17) half-and-half. On one half, they got Pepperoni ($3) and Fresh Garlic ($2). On their other half, they got Ricotta Cheese ($2), Anchovies ($3), and Mushroom ($2). Then got Extra Basil ($2) on the entire pizza. Now, just because you want to get the toppings on half of the pizza, does NOT mean you get half the price on the topping. They still charge you all the same. This made this pizza to be…drum roll please…$31! It did come out great, and tasted great, but still, can’t get over the price tag…
We ended our pizza-frenzy with some desserts. We wanted a cup of coffee or cappuccino or something to go with our dessert, but to our surprise, we were told that they ran out of coffee…really? I think it was my first time to hear that at a restaurant. LOL. Anyways, we ordered Cappuccino Gelato Truffle ($7). If we can’t drink cappuccino, then we shall eat it! It came out all neatly sliced and placed on a paper plate. We were not expecting this presentation, and quite impressed. It made it easier to eat also. It was a nice portion, enough to share among two or three, and really tasty!
They had a couple of bathroom locations, just follow the subway sign looking sign that says Restroom.
The bathroom was large, clean, and well lit. They only had a few bathrooms, so expect to be in a line for bathroom…
This new location of Grimaldi’s still operates CASH ONLY. If you didn’t know, or forgot to bring cash, they have a few ATM machines near the staircases for your convenience.
It was a fun visit, with great pizza-loving friends. Other than the crazy price tag, we had a great time. I wouldn’t say it will be by go-to pizzeria, but is a nice place to bring visitors outside the city, or someone who just want to have the experience just once. And after all the calories, it is always nice to walk over to the water and enjoy the view of Manhattan. DUMBO is a really great spot, relaxing, beautiful, and always something interesting going on.
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria – 1 Front St, Brooklyn, NY 11201