Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
After nearly five months, Funzi's Pizzeria has a new name at 36 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.
The restaurant is going for now as ... Pizzeria...
As of yesterday, the Funzi's name has been removed or taped over...
... from most places...
We're told the investors are taking over the business with a yet-to-be-determined new name. Hospitality vet Kevin Cox, who launched the restaurant, is out, and he took the Funzi's name with him to use for a new version of the pizzeria in another EV location. (Funzi's was named after the youngest of Cox's three sons.)
The pizzeria opened in late June, and aspired to be an East Village throwback with a 1970s-80s decor modeled after his grandmother's house.
Wow that was fast - what happened? The place got great reviews and always seemed sold out of half their stuff so I assumed they were doing well. The pizza crust is very good.
ReplyDeleteBest crust in NYC. James J is genius.
DeleteThere were a lot of accusations about staff (counter help) not being paid in the months after the opening, and some 1-star reviews showed up on Google with those claims. Most if not all of those reviews have been deleted. There seems to be a lot of finger-pointing all around.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking I oughta eat there nore. I'd better go see if the pizza has changed.
ReplyDeleteI hesitated and lost. I'd been meaning to get over there but life got in the way, darn it.
ReplyDeleteI ate there. It's...a pizza.
ReplyDeleteNot sad to see him go - had a bad experience there a few weeks ago. Bought a whole pie, and got home to find not a freshly made pizza, but something that had been sitting around and re-heated. My mistake was waiting on their homey "porch"outside, and not thinking I had to watch them like Christo the hawk. Karma is truly a bitch.
ReplyDeleteVery, very average pizza but the location looked cool
ReplyDeleteActually, the pizza was great. Last had it on Friday. Same chef seemed to be there. But they were out of white pie chicory/lardon which was my favorite. Weird story about name and investors though...
ReplyDeleteKarma is reserved for future life, not for this one. Please stop appropriating it.
ReplyDeleteFunzi knows what he did!!!
ReplyDeleteInvestors. No more mom and pop allowed.
ReplyDeleteJust stopped in. Kitchen staff was the same and told me: “We aren’t going anywhere. We are still making pizza here. One of the owners was trying to coast on her work, but he took his IP and left”. I assume this was a reference to Cox. The Pizza I had was indeed the same delicious slice.
ReplyDeleteI can only hope that the fabulous chicory and bacon pizza will remain unchanged.
ReplyDeleteNot surprised. They served one of NYC’s best slices — but horribly managed
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed everything about this place the pizza was very good they had the crust i really like. the specialty slices were great and the cake/dessert was Soo good .they would run out of stuff because it was so popular which is good it means they don't have pizza lying around or they use cheap ingredients. I always enjoyed Mr Cox's presence he was very passionate about the Pizza and it was great seeing him in the little alcove area hanging out and talking with everyone.for the most part he was the heart and soul of the place I'll be sad to see him go. good luck to him on his future projects
ReplyDeleteSince Kevin left the place looks derelict.
ReplyDeleteThe pizza wasn't good.
ReplyDelete