Famous Joe’s Pizza in the Village has gained considerable popularity in New York, even recently being named the fifth best pizzeria in the city by Time Out magazine. How Joe’s has received good press is beyond me. It is a typical New York slice joint; nothing special.
Walk into this cramped pizzeria on Carmine Street and you will notice three to four pies behind the glass of the front counter. On the day that I visited, pies with commercial aged mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, and pepperoni were all waiting to be reheated and served. I ordered one slice of each, common aged mozzarella and fresh mozzarella, to compare the differences between the two. Other standard toppings are also offered for made-to-order pies including anchovies, broccoli, meatballs, mushrooms, olives, onions, peppers, sausage, and spinach.
On the positive side, Joe’s does produce a slice with a very crispy, thin, and (considering it is baked in a gas oven) nicely charred crust. Also, the tomato sauce is supposedly made fresh daily. It was nice to find a slice place that serves a fresh mozzarella slice, and also distributes the cheese evenly in good quantity on top of the pizza.
However, the pizza lacked any special flavor and overall, Joe’s is not much of an improvement over a run-of-the-mill New York slice place. The sauce was too watery and lacked good flavor and the crust, while maintaining a good texture, also lacked much taste. While the fresh mozzarella was a pleasant surprise, the aged mozzarella was not creamy, and was ordinary in flavor. All-in-all, Famous Joe’s is overrated.
"The Sicilian slices at Joe's have an unusually light and airy crust."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle
"If you want a taste of old-time New York City pizza-by-the-slice, Joe's plain slices are the way to go."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle
"Fresh mozzarella, a surprise at a slice joint and worth the extra quarter when compared to Joe's regular mozzarella slice."
Jack Barry
"Patrons line up to order their slices."
Jack Barry
"Joe's is most definitely a food-of-the-people kind of place, with no pretense whatsoever. Be prepared for crowds, jostling, and that unique brand of New York "directness.""
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle
