25 September 2008

Inside the New House of Pizza & Calzone


The House of Pizza and Calzone, legendary pie place on Union Street in Brooklyn, is back open for business, after a month-long renovation.

I've reported earlier on the new hand-painted sign and the sliding glass-door frontage. Inside, it doesn't look anything like it did before. The joint boasts yards and yards of elbow room you never imagined was there before. Cramped before, the pizzeria is now ridiculously spacious. In a nod to the past, the old, boxy, gray-marble tables are still in use. Above them are some modern lighting fixtures, attached to warm brown walls. The bathrooms are big and on the fancy side for a slice-monger. The ceiling remains unfinished, as does a huge, brick-walled, additional dining room in the space, and a backyard patio. I'm guessing seating will top 200 when all is said and done.

And the pizza. Still good, still the same. Though I wish they'd dust the floors of the pizza ovens with semolina flour the way the old owners used to. Just a suggestion, guys.

Outside, a shiny black town car with tinted windows, and a shiny black SUV with tinted windows were idling, waiting for their pies. I'm not saying anything.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

i've been living in this neighborhood for 10 years now. i Knew the previous owners, they were great and im so pleased that the new owners are just as great i got to know Gino and paulie very well, two great guys!. I was scared that they would change everything after changing ownership and even if the pizzeria looks so different and sooo nice now... Thank Goddd the pizza and calzones stayed the same id say even better than before When they reopened i hoped they were going to get rid of the no ham in the calzones on friday but then that would just change everythinggg, so im glad they kept the tradition !

mvrox16 said...

i've been living in this neighborhood for 10 years now. i Knew the previous owners, they were great and im so pleased that the new owners are just as great i got to know Gino and paulie very well, two great guys!. I was scared that they would change everything after changing ownership and even if the pizzeria looks so different and sooo nice now... Thank Goddd the pizza and calzones stayed the same id say even better than before When they reopened i hoped they were going to get rid of the no ham in the calzones on friday but then that would just change everythinggg, so im glad they kept the tradition !