I can’t recommend this place enough. The pizzas are all ridiculously good, but I am partial to the Oyster Mushroom, Sausage, and Gorgonzola & Pear pies. Since I... read more walked by here a few weeks ago, shortly after it opened, I stop in almost every day—like a moth to a flame. As a resident of the block, I’m so happy that this restaurant is here. A few pizza places have come and gone over the years, but none of them was nearly as good as this. It’s obvious the owner and staff love and care about what they are putting out in the world. I mean, they make a purple potato pizza— it’s beautiful…it looks like art (and it’s also delicious). The moment you walk in, the unmistakeable aroma of fresh, delicious, and high-quality ingredients washes over you, and then you have the lovely burden of making a difficult choice between several equally-good options. This is high-quality, luxuriant, delectable food—yet extremely down-to-earth, convenient, and at a very fair price, considering what you get. House made mozzarella, focaccias, and sauce is also available. The owner himself is a generous, friendly, down-to-earth guy—an Italian native (the name of the restaurant is his hometown) turned East Village original, who for a long while brought the neighborhood the beloved Italian restaurant “Max”, which once operated across the street from his new place. What can I say—I really appreciate what they are doing here. It’s my new go-to spot. Welcome back to the neighborhood, and I sincerely wish your business the best in the New Year, and for many more to come!

Avenue B is back on the rise--recent additions have been a welcome breath of quality...case in point: Potenza Centrale Pizza squeezing into a small spot on the avenue. what makes... read more for great pizza is quality ingredients, a personal touch (hard work), and luck. i daresay Potenza had all three when i stopped by yesterday night and ordered a couple of slices for dinner. spoke to the pizza man aka the owner, i believe...he makes his own pizza dough and mozzarella from scratch. he described his pizza as an homage to pizza to "his hometown / province of Potenza which is in the Basilicata region of Italy." i'd liken the pizza to being similar Roman-style. ordered two slices-- a sausage slice and a cheese slice, both rectangular...no 360° pies here...only squares! the crust is interesting--the underside has a nice char and crunch (so you get the slight bitter of the char plus a crispness which works for me) to it while the inner crust is soft with a good chewy (but not wet or mushy), so it makes for a pleasant bite texture, blobs of melted homemade mozzarella, and the zing of salty sweet sauce on the plain cheese slice makes for giving you an artisan pizza experience within a simple classic style of pizza. i typically opt for a plain cheese slice because the simplest version of pizza is the best, imo. however this Basilicata-n style pizza crust is built for a toppings-heavy pizza which is why the sausage slice at Potenza Centrale is pretty excellent--ample amounts of sausage that tastes like actual sausage that's been seasoned and has balanced fat/meat ratio (not the stuff that you get at a chain supermarket which is often over-salted and greasy/oily). anyway the sausage is piled upon yellow tomatoes and mozzarella...and those flavors really sink into that crust, so every bite has this savory, cheesy, carb-y chew and crunch. to repeat myself as a plain cheese slice purist and enthusiast, the topped slices are the way to go and i sorta regret ordering the plain cheese square as opposed to getting a Purple Potato and Onion slice or the gorgonzola and pear slice. the perimeter of the crust aka cornicione is big and airy so there is a consistent lightness to crust from the outside edge to inside. the pizza shop itself is very, very small--no tables just an order counter, the pizzas for sale, and refrigerators full of ingredients. there is a solo table for two outside and that's it. the best way to enjoy the pizza here is to eat it on the spot right after its been heated up as artisan pizza never travels well. so be a savage, lean against a building, and eat! service is super-friendly and warm. while pizza is often about personal preference, i'd say it's near impossible to not see the effort that is being made or finding a slice here that you wouldn't enjoy. caveat: while the pizza at Potenza isn't "heavy" on your stomach. it is pretty filling so a single slice goes a long way...two slices might induce a nap or an early night...just saying.

A fantastic new addition to the neighborhood. Luigi is the greatest. He's been cooking in nyc for years, and recently moved back from Hudson Valley and opened this pizza spot... read more to be closer to his son. They make roman style pizza, and also sell fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce for fantastic prices. A must hit spot if you live in the area and appreciate a good culinary experience!