The Margherita (with sausage) at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. This very pizza (a different version of the same) won some award claiming it to be the best pizza in the country. It was a damn good pie, no question, but best in the country? Sorry Charlie, not in my book. I’ll always be a fan of Grimaldi’s in Brooklyn. But my favorite ‘za is from another Tony’s, a little known, unacclaimed, and unassuming local joint in Windsor Terrace Brooklyn. There’s something so charming and simple about that one, like they’re not trying too hard. They just make damn good pizza. Period.
This one in North Beach is a little too…froofy. Walking in, you can tell that they think they’re the shit—A lot of horn blowing going on. They rendered all the charm out of the classic dark pizzeria and turned it into a Disney-like pizza experience—too family-e, too predictable with their Italian-ness. However, they figured out the formula, and they churn out a very respectable pie. I will go back. Absolutely. What choice do I have? I don’t live in Brooklyn these days.
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