starrs

http://www.asliceofbrooklyn.com/pizza.html

Okay, I'm going to rave about this on my trip report, but I HAVE to put a separate post on here so folks know about this tour. I signed up for 4 tours during this week's visit to NYC - and I ended with the best one! I had the best time - and I wasn't the only one. A guy on our bus (from Southern Maryland) said it was the best tour he had taken in his life. It WAS a blast.

Tony is a trip. A great guy and a guy who loves Brooklyn. We loaded up near Union Station in a comfy bus with great a/c and TV screens and we were off. We stopped at great photo ops. We got out and walked around a bit. We visited the boardwalk at Coney Island. Oh. And, we tasted GREAT pizza at two places. Thin crust, fabulously fresh Neopolitan pizza at Grimaldi's and thick crust loaded with mozzarella and sauce at L and B's. Dessert was delicious spumoni. Don't make dinner reservations afterwards because you'll return to the city absolutely stuffed.

All along the way the bus takes you through neighborhoods you have heard of and you watch movie clips you've seen. You trace the path of Gene Hackman's shoot-out and chase scene from The French Connection. You strut along with John Travolta in the opening scenes of Saturday Night Fever. Lots of other clips and Sinatra music to relax to in-between commentary or movie clips.

Tony is delightful. I talked to him on the way "home" and it's going to be tough for him to grow because HE such a big part of the tour. I can't give high enough kudos to the experience.

It's a 4.5 hour tour and it was a perfect "last day" experience in NYC. I could check out of my hotel, store my bags there, take the subway down to Union Square and stroll the Greenmarket and get to the bus on time. Back this afternoon to reverse my route and have the Carmel car pick me up at the hotel. I'm at the airport now, waiting for me flight. Another reason it's a great "last day" event - when your feet are tired, it's good to ride most of the time

I've always been curious about Brooklyn and I found the entire tour and experience delightful. And, yes, the pizza WAS the best I've ever had!

starrs

You can click on a link on the page above and see the Today Show's segment on the tour.

ellenem

Just so no one is confused, the tour starts near Union SQUARE. There is no Union Station in NYC, though there is the Union Square stop on some subway lines.

speckles

Hi Starrs, besides the pizzerias do you regularly get off the bus for photo opps etc, or is it more of a drive-by tour?

starrs

Thanks ellenem. You are completely right. I was tired

You get off the bus and walk around three times.

Centralparkgirl

starrs - I am so glad that you enjoyed this tour. I was born in Brooklyn and lived there through college. I wasn't released until I got married - lol - and then I returned every day for nine years while teaching. Brooklyn has fabulous food - restaurants, bakeries, outdoor markets and shops. Food was a huge part of growing up there and we still reminisce about long defunct delis, butchers, fish stores, bakeries and restaurants and the people who ran them. And pizza - well, there were so many options for great pies and there still are. My current favorite is on Cropsey Ave (near where a cousin still lives).

Thanks for stirring up memory lane (a slice and a small coke for 25 cents).

Aduchamp1

And pizza - well, there were so many options for great pies and there still are. My current favorite is on Cropsey Ave (near where a cousin still lives).

Is that Tontonno's?

There are two in Manhattan now, one on First and about 28th Street which is not as good as the one in the East 80's.

Centralparkgirl

Aduchamp1 - No, Totonno is on Neptune Ave, I think, in Coney Island. This is in Bensonhurst/Bath Beach and I think it's La Casa Bella - not famous or on the pizza radar, but I really like it.

I live near the uptown Totonno. I once ordered up and it was awful - do you think it was because it doesn't travel well? Is it wonderful in the restaurant?

MarieF

Totonno's (the original on Neptune Avenue in Coney Island) is terrific. My family lives in Brooklyn and my DH and I eat there whenever we can when we visit. It's up there with the great pie places in New Haven (Sally's and Pepe's). I understand that the other locations are not as good because it is so difficult to replicate the original pizza oven. It's worth a trip to Coney Island to eat there.

Aduchamp1

The Tontonno's uptown is better than the one in the 80's. (I went to high school near Coney Island's Tontonno's and I could never figure out the hours.)

There is a new and very good slice place on 14th Street between First and Second. It is called Artichoke and that is their specialty which I not yet tried. The basic pizza is very Brooklyn as is the owner. Bialy thick crust with a home made sauce and high quality cheese with a sprig of basil. They have a small refrig for soda but I did not see a fountain.

There is always a line which is only partially indiccative of the quality. First they are exceeding sloooooooooooooow. Second, it is teeny weeny and the only place to eat there is one tiny ledges.

But if you are in the neighborhood is worth a try. $2.50 a basic slice.

dmlove

Thanks for stirring up memory lane (a slice and a small coke for 25 cents).

You must be the same age as me (only we had our slice with a Tab