Cello’s Pizzeria now in soft-open mode on St. Mark's Place

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Cello's Pizzeria debuted in soft-open mode on Wednesday afternoon at 36 St. Mark's Place, between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

I spotted the chef and pizzamaker, James Jaworski, behind the counter...

He was also with the previous pizzeria here, Funzi's (more on them in a sec). 

We understand the new partners include some members of the Rosa's Pizza family, the operator of Whitman's on Ninth Street, and the owner of Dough Doughnuts, which may explain the presence of these for sale...

There are no menus or prices for the pizza (we were told approximately $4 for a slice) just yet, only what's listed on the wall and/or prepped behind the counter.

Hours for now are noon to 8-9 p.m. during the week, with a 10 p.m.-ish close on weekends. A beer-wine license is on the way.

A little pizzeria history here... Funzi's opened late last June and aspired to be an East Village throwback with a 1970s-80s decor modeled after owner Kevin Cox's grandmother's house.

Cox left the business in November, taking Funzi's name with him for a new version of the pizzeria in another EV location. (Funzi was named after the youngest of Cox's three sons.) We never heard anything more about a new spot for Cox. 

After Cox departed, the business pivoted to St. Marks Pizzeria, with a message on its website noting, "Same Pizza. Same Chef's. Same Location. New Name." This post-Funzi concept went dark in December, and paper covere the front windows until this recent unveiling.

A new pizzeria for the former pizzeria at 36 St. Mark's Place

As the pizzerias turn at 36 St. Mark's Place.

Cellos has been added to the existing Pizzeria signage here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. This development comes as an applicant is on this month's CB3-SLA docket for a beer-wine license for the address. (The applicants have already received administrative approval.) 

The questionnaire isn't online, so we don't know more about the new owners.

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Updated: The questionnaire lists the operator as Larry Kramer, who owns Whitman's on Ninth Street (and Hudson Yards).

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A little pizzeria history here... Funzi's opened late last June and aspired to be an East Village throwback with a 1970s-80s decor modeled after owner Kevin Cox's grandmother's house. 

Cox left the business in November ... taking the Funzi's name with him for a new version of the pizzeria in another EV location. (Funzi's was named after the youngest of Cox's three sons.) We never heard anything more about a new spot for Cox.

After Cox departed, the business pivoted to St. Marks Pizzeria... with a message on its website noting, "Same Pizza. Same Chef's. Same Location. New Name." This post-Funzi's concept went dark in December, and paper went up on the front windows several weeks ago.

You can see where the new operators simply put Cellos over where Funzi's was on the sign... and the post-Funzi's version below (both pics last year by Stacie Joy)...

Cellos marks the ninth food establishment at No. 36 — St. Marks Pizzeria, Funzi's, Oh K-Dog & Egg Toast, Joe's Steam Rice Roll, Cheers Cut, Friterie Belgian Fries, Fasta and the $1.50 branch of 2 Bros. Pizza — since 2015. 

St. Marks Pizzeria (the former Funzi's) has not been open lately

Photos by Stacie Joy

We've fielded several queries in recent weeks about the status of St. Marks Pizzeria, the former Funzi's Pizzeria at 36 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

The shop has been closed during advertised hours (noon to 10 p.m. daily) since before the December holidays. All the items on the online menu are marked "out of stock." The phone is not in service at this time.

This development comes after hospitality vet Kevin Cox left the business in November following a June debut. He took the Funzi's name with him for a new version of the pizzeria in another EV location. (Funzi's was named after the youngest of Cox's three sons.) We haven't heard anything further about a new Funzi's.

Funzi's opened in late June and aspired to be an East Village throwback with a 1970s-80s decor modeled after Cox's grandmother's house.

After Cox departed, the business pivoted to St. Marks Pizzeria... with a message on its website noting, "Same Pizza. Same Chef's. Same Location. New Name." 

While the slices here got solid reviews, the budget 2 Bros., a few storefronts to the west, always looked to be doing a much brisker business... even their customers enjoyed using the Funzi's bench for dining...

H/T Steven!

No more Funzi at Funzi's Pizzeria on St. Mark's Place

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.

On St. Mark's Place, Funzi's Pizzeria is a throwback modeled after grandmother's house

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Funzi's Pizzeria, now in soft-open mode at 36 St. Mark's Place, aspires to be an East Village throwback here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

Hospitality vet Kevin Cox is behind the venture, which he calls "a passion project."

You've likely seen him hanging out in a lawn chair on the Funzi's patio in recent months...

Cox refers to this outdoor space as St. Mark's TV, "where you can watch real New Yorkers of all shapes, sizes, ages, fashions, etc. And there are no commercials. All while eating fantastic pizza."

Funzi's is named after Cox's youngest of three sons... seen here during a recent visit...

Cox calls the place "an ode to the East Village in the 1970s and 1980s," the design is inspired by everything he loves, especially a family member. "This is my grandmother's house — I tried to rebuild it," he said.

Other Funzi inspirations include artists, thrifting, weird inside jokes, and fine attention to detail. 

That detail is evidenced in the signage, hand-painted by artist Joe Lotto, the custom woodwork and stucco by Giovanni Martini, and chain-stitched uniforms by Jose Ballena.

Cox boasted that the Funzi's team "has arguably the best culinary prowess of any NYC pizzeria." Head chef James Jaworski previously worked at Nolita hotspot Pasquale Jones, then Brooklyn-based L'Industrie and Baby Luc's. He is joined by Chefs Aminu Tedla and Alberto Estévez — also vets from Pasquale Jones. 

"We are all happy that we were able to get the band back together to launch Funzi's," Cox said.

Cox hired some of his front-of-house after meeting them on the Funzi's patio... a few days after they purportedly crashed the Met Gala...

As for the pizza, the soft opening best-seller has been the burrata tomato/Rosso pie, with a crisp thin crust, herbaceous sauce, and "no slice flop."

Also available is a chicory pie with dandelion greens, cream, housemade pesto, and bacon lardons with a lemon squeeze finish. Cox and Jaworski refer to this as a green pie.

There is a vegan pie available, but no gluten-free options just yet.

For dessert, there's an ice box cake, whose flavors include a housemade lemon curd with coconut whipped cream and crushed wafers and a banana pudding flavor with a crème anglaise. 

During this soft opening, hours are in-flux... usually opening at 5 p.m., earlier on weekends...

If you're on Instagram, you can find Funzi's here.

Your Funzi's Pizzeria signage on St. Mark's Place

Photo by Steven

Some classic-looking signage is up now at 36 St. Mark's Place, where Funzi's Pizzeria is set to open soonish here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (They are currently hiring.)

We're told that it will be an old-school slice joint with a few Italian dishes as well. 

And we're betting that Funzi's will break the curse of one-and-done quick-serve concepts at this address. (Reminder: Oh K-Dog & Egg Toast, Joe's Steam Rice Roll, Cheers Cut, Friterie Belgian Fries, Fasta and the $1.50 branch of 2 Bros. Pizza — all since 2015.)

Previously

Funzi's Pizzeria next for 36 St. Mark's Place

Signage is up at 36 St. Mark's Place for the next quick-serve tenant — Funzi's Pizzeria.

We need to find out who the operators are...  as well as the opening date. The signage simply states, "Funzi Hath Arrived."

This was a quick turnover at the address between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. Oh K-Dog & Egg Toast just closed here at the end of February.

Funzi's marks the seventh food concept at No. 36 — Oh K-Dog & Egg Toast, Joe's Steam Rice Roll, Cheers Cut, Friterie Belgian Fries, Fasta and the $1.50 branch of 2 Bros. Pizza — since 2015.