"Comeback" - A Seaport Artois Event

Ask New Yorkers for their favorite slice and you’re bound to get at least 10 different answers. Some swear by Joe’s, others by the 99 cent, and still others by Juliana’s. The truth is New Yorkers just love pizza—which is why, in celebration of NYC’s reopening, Stella Artois is partnering up with South Sea Seaport over the course of the summer to offer an array of exclusive, one of a kind pizzas from a few of the best kitchens in town. 

A six part event series, Seaport Artois’s “Comeback” night, the fifth in its lineup, took place at Pier 16 in full view of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Guests were escorted through a photo-ready lounge area, complete with complimentary bottles of special edition Stella Artois, before heading over to the patio-like dining area, where they were greeted with the first slice of the night: a summery corn, pesto, and fontina slice by Barbuto’s chef Johnathan Waxman. Made with the freshest of ingredients, this slice was my favorite out of the three pizza interpretations—unique and flavorful, I wished out loud more than once that Barbuto would reopen just to add it to their everyday menu.

For our second slice of the night, my guest and I polished off an anchovy flatbread from La Vara in Brooklyn. With heaps of cheese and perfectly salted anchovies, this pizza interpretation was the perfect precursor to our third slice: a clam laden flatbread with oregano, chili flakes, and parsley. Both slices were delicious and just the right amount of bread to cheese to topping ratio—no easy thing, but, as every New Yorker knows, a surefire way to get a slice on a personal pizza favorites list.

So if you’re craving a slice that’s slightly off the grid, be sure to stop by at Seaport Artois’ final event of the season on August 19th. Aptly named “New,” this event will feature pizza from a brand new city spot that’s been raved about, as well as the chance for guests reconnect with friends, family and the city they’ve missed.

Secure your spot at Seaport Artois at https://www.stellaartois.com/SeaportArtois and follow them on their instagram, @stellaartoisusa. 100% of the proceeds from this even will benefit New York restaurants and the James Beard Foundation.

Fornino Pizza

Weaving my way through the heart of the bustling neighbourhood of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, I soon arrived at Fornino, a true treasure trove of a pizzeria. Upon entering, we were greeted at a bar space buzzing with chatter. The rustic tones of brick and wood were brightened with warm lighting, setting the fun and relaxed mood for the evening as we were shown to the cozy table area past the bar.

We sipped on elegant Strawberry Lemonade Hibiscus Ice Tea as we browsed the seemingly endless choices of pizza which progressed through “generations.” The “first generation” selections included more simple choices such as Marghertia Classica and Marinara. The “second generation” began to include more creative combinations such as the Cosenza adorned with n’duja, butternut squash, stracciatella, oregano and spicy honey.

The “third generation” pizzas were the most inventive, with topping selections that I thought one could only dream of having on pizza. After much deliberation, we selected a new addition to the menu, the Zucchini e pesto which included zucchini, mozzarella, goat cheese, mint pesto and Fresno chilli for an extra kick, along with the Funghi e prosciutto which had shiitake mushroom, prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, fontina and pecorino. Options for gluten free and vegan substitutes were available, as well as a range of lavish salads and Antipizza.

Due to the smaller size of the restaurant, the atmosphere was intimate and amicable, with the staff providing incredibly friendly and efficient attention to each and every patron. The pizza arrived shortly, presented on a stand ideal for sharing onto separate plates.

I’d never seen pizza that looked so irresistibly inviting and was torn between which to try first, eventually taking a slice of the Funghi e prosciutto. The balance of each ingredient was perfect, with the dough being the ideal consistency so as to enhance rather than overpower the taste of each topping. The Zucchini e pesto was delightfully light and refreshing with the combination of mint pesto and chilli really awakening the taste buds.

Of course, there was still room for dessert with a range of ice cream sundaes available. We chose the Brownie Sundae for Two, quickly devouring the exquisite mountain of warm brownie topped with chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, salted caramel, and chocolate sauce dusted in powdered sugar.

Be sure to visit Fornino’s at 849 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn 11222 to taste some truly scrumptious and inventive pizza with a setup and atmosphere ideal for socialising and sharing. Fornino offers a brunch pizza menu, lunch specials, and a main dinner menu; or if you fancy a night in try their take-out and delivery options!

Pizza Coast to Coast at BigA

“Contemporary pizza with an Italian heart and an American mind”

When it comes to eating pizza in New York City, the options for urbanites are overwhelmingly endless. But few may realise how the gastronomic experience of pizza is changing into one which considers both palate and nutritional value.

Pizza Coast to Coast demonstrated, at BigA pizzeria in the Lower East Side, the concept of ‘dynamic pizza.’ This is a ground-breaking new way of crafting pizza in which the flour miller and chef work in tandem to produce true contemporary pizza that values quality, nutrition, and taste. Chef Crystian Dangelo from Terún in California and Chef Giovanni Barberi from BigA in NYC converged their expertise, gained from training at Italy’s elite teaching facility Università della Pizza, to craft two fundamental traditional pizza models using flour from Petra’s Molino Quaglia. The ability to form dough of varied textures and the distinguishability of each ingredient in the pizzas was due to Petra’s different combinations of grains and the use of type 0 flour. Additionally, her flour is produced through a unique process known as augmented stone milling that combines stone grinding with cylinder grinding to produce flour that is both flavorful and nutritious. The final products of this collaboration between innovative chef and miller were distinct yet equally delectable pizzas.

Conducted by the rules of the ‘Manifesto of Italian Contemporary Pizza’ Chefs Dangelo and Barberi proudly prepared a series of pizzas for tasting, in a kitchen open to observation from the guests of the restaurant. Barberi prepared pizza Napoletana with a round base style dough that was thin, soft and elastic. Dangelo’s pizzas were en palla alla romana, textured thick and crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside due to the blend of whole wheat and type 0 flour. All pizzas were topped with carefully combined fresh and seasonal ingredients.

To complement the lightness of the pizzas, platters were paired with refreshing Italian beer from Birra del Borgo.

To include your taste in the evolving gastronomy of pizza be sure to visit BigA pizzeria at 1 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002.