[Via]
As we noted last August, Nicoletta, chef Michael White's Midwestern-style pizzeria on Second Avenue at East 10th Street, was going to appear before CB3 to upgrade to a full liquor license.
CB3 signed off on the upgrade in September. (You can read the minutes from the CB3 meeting on page 19 of this PDF). And as Eater noted this morning, Nicoletta, which opened in June 2012, now has the license in hand. Per Eater: "AMG beverage director Hristo Zisovski and Nicoletta GM Rob Cryan are working on a cocktail menu that will be rolling out in the coming weeks."
An EVG reader, who shared the Eater link, noted this about Nicoletta: "It's always empty when I walk by."
Perhaps a full liquor license will inspire you to dine here?
Previously on EV Grieve:
Cafe Centosette closes on Second Avenue
Former Cafe Centosette space becoming a
Nicoletta looking to upgrade to a full liquor license on 2nd Avenue
not nicoletta but some of these places are going to start offering everclear alcohol enemas I heard, its a deal with uber, because no one is walking away after a 200 proof enema. And the alcohol taxes help to pay for programs for the poor. Sure they do.
ReplyDeleteAt least it might inspire me to drink here.
ReplyDeleteThey got the full liquor license because of their "good behavior", which was no one ever complained about their patrons because there never were any patrons to complain of. This is just a loopholed version of a bait-n-switch.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm. let me see what would be a good pairing with that white Wisconsin pizza. Maybe, a white Wisconite Russian: 5 parts Midwestern vodka made from Idaho potatoes, 3 parts coffee liqueur -- coffee beans harvested by bearded bros who travelled to the Himalayas, and cream made from Wisconsin cheese.
What the heck is a Midwestern-style pizzeria?
ReplyDeleteBill, who grew up in the Midwest never having heard of Midwestern pizza
Booze won't save that ghost town.
ReplyDeleteI'm always astonished that Nicoletta is still in business.
ReplyDeleteBill - it's not Midwestern pizza. It's Midwestern *style* pizza. You don't have it in the midwest because you have the real midwestern pizza. You know, the stuff that people flee to New York to escape?
ReplyDeleteThis obviously doesn't augur well for the restaurant, which is why they need alcohol. I like nygrump's idea of Everclear but don't know how they'll be able to tell the difference between oral administration and enemas given their probably customer base.
This is where you all lose me. See you all hate the full license deal, and the drunks that wil follow. But without a full license there is no way they can continue to operate and remain profitable/afloat. The place will close and you'll all cheer, but then the only people who could afford the rent will be a chain.
ReplyDeleteThen you'll all boo, and say that a shop that couldn't afford a 10th of the rent should move in.
I walk by nearly every day...some evenings it is actually quite full, but true indeed more often it seems nearly empty.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do think the pizza is excellent. Wish they offered vegan options though.
The vegan pizza at 00 & Co is very good, but I can't "stomach" the too-close-for-comfort cafeteria seating there.
I would certainly go to Nicoletta often if they had vegan pizza options.
- East Villager
Having done some time in Michigan... Midwestern pizza is bread pizza. Kind of pizza that a wasp mom would make on ethnic dining night. Nicolette has a bad version of artichokes bread pizza in other words.
ReplyDeleteMost New York sit down pizza places do not require a full liquor license to entice people to eat their pizza, a decent beer and wine selection --- or just beer -- is usually enough. You know who does have full liquor licenses? The Pizzeria UNO chain, which also specializes in Chicago style deep dish, a/k/a Midwestern pizza. They also have big screen TVs wth non-stop sports programing, just like Nicoletta, and cater to groups of people spending a lot more money on pizza and drinks than average. What UNOs does have that Nicoletta does not is a very popular deep dish pizza, something Nicoletta toyed with but never quite figured out. And stop the PR spin about this being a local business, it's a chain restaurant with major expansion plans that is still in it's infancy. Their other location is in upscale Bernardsville, so this is basically a mini chain restaurant trying to be a more upscale version of Pizzeria Uno. It's just too bad they can't figure out how to make deep dish pizza.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually my favorite pizza, if a little pricey... The pepperoni and sausage they use are amazing!
ReplyDeleteNicoletta is actually some of the best pizza in the city. I suggest trying it before you trash it. Some of you folks just live in negativity. They are also a great place to bring toddlers and kids too. I have lived on the block for a long time and some of you are just absurd in your hate for everything.
ReplyDeleteSee, this is why we have so many chain stores and Subway Sandwich shops around. The newbies actually think this kind of food is good.
ReplyDeleteNicoletta has excellent pizza. The crust seems super-glutinous , maybe that's the Midwestern style. But they also have a good low-gluten pizza. It is part of the Michael White empire, but I wouldn't call it chain pizza. Maybe the staff is Midwestern style too, because they are friendlier/nicer than your usual New York waitstaff.
ReplyDeleteWho is Michael White??? Sorry I am not up to date on the celebrity chef/food groupie scene.
ReplyDeleteNicoletta is actually some of the best pizza in the city. I suggest you try it before you trash it. Or eat actual trash. There's a lot of wasted food in the trash. Why be so wasteful? Why hate on fresh food you fresh food haters! Kids love trash too! It's a toy! It's a food! It's fun for a boy or a girl! Trash!
ReplyDelete@12:43
ReplyDeleteMichael White is a celebrity chef with at least 9 restaurants around the world (according to Wikipedia). Many of them have received Michelin stars. So maybe he thought this neighborhood would flock to his restaurant based on his name rather than an understanding of the constiuency and how many other pizza places there are already. Maybe when all the condos fill up there will be people who appreciate his style of food and will then populate his restaurant. For now, he's got to make it on selling alcohol...
Nicoletta pizza is great, that's why place is mostly empty.
ReplyDeleteAnd Nicoletta pizza is great-er-est after imbibing 3-5 $20 cocktails; then again so do the $0.99 pizzas.
You want Pizza, go get two slices and a drink at Vinny Vincenz for $3. You want fancier pizza, go to Artichoke Basiles and spend a few more dollars. We don't need Michelin star celebrity chef pizza, we just need something good and affordable to eat every single day.
ReplyDeleteArtichoke Pizza = 7 locations. Nicoletta = 2 locations. Which one is a "chain"??
ReplyDeleteAt 9:51 AM, Anonymous said:
ReplyDeleteNicoletta is actually some of the best pizza in the city. I suggest trying it before you trash it. Some of you folks just live in negativity. They are also a great place to bring toddlers and kids too. I have lived on the block for a long time and some of you are just absurd in your hate for everything.
Toddlers and kids are a great draw for us single people who are just dying to be around toddlers and kids after our day of depressing singlehood.
5:05 PM: You call him a Michelin-starred chef as if it is an insult. Somtum Der has a Michelin star. Maybe I should dislike their tasty reasonably-priced Thai food on that basis. 3:04: The pizza is excellent, whether or not the restaurant is crowded. Some places are overrated, some are underrated or underappreciated. In my mind, Artichoke is way overrated. If you want a cheap slice go to Joe's.
ReplyDeleteA theory: Nicoletta survives thus far on take-out and delivery.
ReplyDeleteI see the Nicoletta boxes being carried, and in my building's cardboard recycling, frequently.
- East Villager