Keste Pizza & Vino

A new addition to the west village's fierce competition for the best pizza - all of which claim they are THE BEST pizza, citing the unofficial and dare I say arbitrary, awards they have won in years past. All formally presented on an erasable chalk board.

John's: Best brick-oven (but NO SLICES!! Which was screamed at me soup-nazi style, circa 4am)
Bleeker St.: 'Best pizza' by the Food Network. And by Kelly Ripa? C'mon, a pizza expert at 65lbs? Flag.
Spunto: Best pizza served on a cracker - I told you they were arbitrary.

And now Keste: Ranked #1 by New York Magazine. This immediately put on a chalkboard outside.

Was it the best pizza I have ever eaten? No. But I have also deemed every slice post 2am THE BEST pizza I have ever had. It's all about what you're looking for: Are you jonesin' for a traditional slice of NYC, oozing with cheese and a slightly charred, chewy crust? Or maybe it's a nice night with a gourmet pie and a bottle of wine. Perhaps it's a few slices of thin crust for lunch, to avoid the impending food coma. Or are you just that drunk that 'best' would be defined as a slice as big as your face? (A pizzeria down in our nation's capital deserves a shoutout here - The Jumbo Slice of Adam's Morgan - which put my large noggin to shame).

My point being, I treat pizza like I do eggs: sometimes I want 'em poached and served with a side of hollandaise - and other days I just need a nice scramble. We all have our favorites and we all have our places. So if you find yourself craving a Neapolitan pie with artichokes, smoked mozzarella, red and yellow peppers and a healthy smattering of butternut squash cream...well then it's a Keste day my friend.

- The Heat

For nymag's take on the top 20 pizzas in NYC: http://nymag.com/restaurants/cheapeats/2009/57893/


Keste Pizza & Vino 
http://www.kestepizzeria.com/
271 Bleecker St
New York, NY 10014-4102
(212) 243-1500