Grandma's Pizza Staten Island

Staten Island is the disproportionate home of great pizza in the USA.  How do I know this?  Not only do we have the highest concentration of Italians in the USA (US Census data) we had the highest number of high rated pizzerias in the last NY Times ratings I remember.  NYC also has great hard water to make pizza dough that does not fall apart when folded. Food is part chemistry after all.

Pizza crust is VERY important.  New Yorkers fold their pizza to eat it.  Politicians eat pizza with a knife and fork to ward off accidents in front of a press looking for gaffs involving a stray hit of cheese doing what it should.  Remember Donald Trump and Sarah Palin in Times Square last year?  A bit like eating Thai food with Chop sticks.  A Faux Pas.  Only non-Thai Asians are allowed to eat Thai food with chopsticks.  OK, on with it.

Al's Pizza, of Meiers Corners in Staten island  was a beloved institution in this neighborhood for many, many years.  After two failed administrations since, it looks like we may have a winner.   It is renamed as Grandma's Pizza.   Got a Vodka pie delivered tonite.  Terrific.  Believe me, pizza, a simple food, CAN BE REALLY FOULED UP in many different ways.  This is the second location of the 987 Bay Street establishment.

1.  Crust:  Perfect roman style thin.  A millimeter thicker than Joe & Pats up the block.  Tasty and chewy.  Folds well without cracking.  The vodka sauce was tasty and creamy.  The Mozzarella was sufficient and well covered.  No burned semolina underneath.

2.  Delivery: prompt (30 min) and pleasant.  No crazy driver.

3.  Phone ordering, competent with no untrained teenager drama.  No internet coupon complications / no advertising deceptions.

4.  Pricing fair.  $18 for a large (18" diameter) Vodka Pie.  The usual pie here is 16."

Fingers crossed.  Hopefully a welcome addition to the neighborhood.  James, Michael, and Ali are the folks I spoke to and I wish them luck.  718-720-3330  Corner of Jewett and Victory.  Free delivery nearby.  Sorry Neil, they will not go to California.  The TSA inspectors will steal the pizza from the luggage!

JA