• 106 W Houston St
  New York, NY 10012
• b/t Thompson St & Broadway
  Greenwich Village

I can’t go home and not think pizza, so every time we hit New York city the quest begins.  This time the dart landed on Arturo’s, in the Village.  One of the few remaining coal fired oven pizzerias  in the city.  We walked up from our hotel and just enjoyed the sights.   Once there, the line was out the door spilling into street.  There is outside as well as inside seating, and we would take what ever opened up first.  We only waited a short time and managed to get an inside seat.  Once in the door we were actually relieved, it was pretty warm out so the AC was welcomed. The place was “jumping”  a busy Friday night, bar packed, live music playing, people chatting and having fun,  it was just what we wanted to experience.  We finished up in the back room and settled in a comfortable 2 top table.

Outside is popular

Music in the bar area

Back room dining……..

Specials of the Day

Well the first thing we spied at seating was the SOTD board and at the top of the list Mac and Cheese Balls.  Who would not order these?  Once our server arrived with the menus we ordered our drinks, and asked for the Mac special.  The menu is painfully packed with so many goodies, it would take months to sample each dish.  I started to waiver about pizza as I looked at all the pasta offerings.  There are not very many excellent or even good choices for Italian where I live, so the temptation is hard to overcome. But we were there for the pizza so I reeled myself in and picked my pie and my companion did the same.

Beverage of choice for the night

Our appetizer arrived and we placed our order.  We each ordered a small pizza with different toppings.  Our waitperson, questioned if we knew the small was actually a quite big.  He pointed out one to us and we started to laugh.  We quickly ordered a small pizza  half  and half.  He certainly saved us.

Mac n Cheese Balls

Not too impressive on first sight, we asked for some dipping sauce, cause these were looking dry.  Well until we cut them open………….

The beauty of the dish

Once inside, the creaminess and aroma jolts the senses.  A slight hint of truffle is  evident, and once it was cool enough to sample we dug in.  The dipping sauce was taken off the table, we wanted nothing that would alter the taste of this gift from the food gods.  The richness of the dish is so wonderfully decadent, it is swoon worthy.

Then the second gift arrives, a thin crusted, crispy, slightly charred/well toasted crust covered in an aromatic red gravy, half with Italian sausage the other half Pesto and Sun Dried Tomatoes and a beautiful layer of cheese.

Small pie half and half

What can I say, just look at the photo………………The temperature from the coal is so hot the pizza cooks quickly, and has a unique flavor not experienced in conventional ovens.  This was the perfect pie we hoped it would be.

Thankfully there are only a few dessert offerings, none of which moved us.  We were done.

So if NYC is in your travel plans in the near future, or if you live in NYC and have not been to this particular spot, make the trip.  I am only saddened but the fact I will be back home in a few days, and will have lower my expectations for Pizza to die for.