Nino's is back open

The 27-year-old pizzeria on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place reopened today after two bouts with the health department in the past month.

Per a report by DNAinfo's Lisha Arino:

Owner Nino Camaj, however, denied most of the allegations. He said there were no mice in the restaurant and that the inspector overstated the number of flies observed.

“This place is the cleanest place in New York City. I tell the truth,” said Camaj, who has owned the pizzeria for 27 years.

Camaj said there were only two or three flies in the pizzeria when the inspector visited Monday and that they came from Tompkins Square Park across the street.

“Every time the door opens, you see a fly come in and out,” he said.

Anyway, we stopped by for a slice today … and found it to be as good as always…

Nino's unveils gluten-free pizza option

Slum Goddess passes along this photo. We mention it because a) we love Nino's b) in case you are in the market for gluten-free pizza and c) well, there isn't actually a c.

Anyway! We are very happy that the original Nino's is back here on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place. We're still waiting for the Christmas decorations to return.

In the meantime, the random 19th-century horse lithography will have to suffice...





Horsey pics by Dave on 7th

Nino's is back open on Avenue A

[Bobby Williams]

Nino's — the real Nino's — is back open as of today on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place...Nino Camaj has reopened the pizzeria that he previously sold...



... the pizza was just as good as we remembered it... though the interior still needs to be warmed up a bit. Plenty of time for that.

No sign of a soda fountain machine just yet, though they do sell Italian ices...

Previously on EV Grieve:
New Nino's will be the old Nino's

Nino's Pizza is nearly back in the East Village

And in some welcome news ... Work continues on the northwest corner of Avenue A and St. Mark's Place ... where Nino Camaj is reopening the pizzeria that he previously sold... signs went up yesterday noting that the original Nino's Pizza is "comin soon" ... looks close to opening ...



Meanwhile, no sign of a soda fountain machine just yet ...

Previously on EV Grieve:
New Nino's will be the old Nino's

New Nino's will be the old Nino's

[Bobby Williams, from Thursday]

You may have noticed some renovations going on at the former Nino's space on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place... A tipster shared this:

A friend said they saw work going on in Nino’s space and asked what was happening? An older guy said he was Nino’s brother and they were re-opening. He said they sold it to this other guy and he screwed the place up so they are coming back and put it back the way it was. If it is true it is pretty cool.

Indeed, it is true... Via Eater, we learned that Nino Nino Camaj is returning to reopen the pizzeria that he previously sold, as first reported by the Local.

Do you think this means the return of the fountain drinks and year-round holiday decorations?


As for the last version of the non-Nino's Nino's, well, let's just try to forget about that stripped-down, charmless place.

Previously.

Sad saga of Nino's Pizza 2.0 comes to an end

Yesterday morning, we noted that the new Nino's Pizza on St. Mark's Place and Avenue A had been closed (again) of late... this after extensive renovations...

And just like that ... Later yesterday, workers cleaned out the space...

...and a For Rent sign went up.

I miss the old Nino's. I liked their pizza and corny year-round Christmas decorations and fountain drinks. And it was one of my favorite spots for sitting and staring out the window, watching the East Village go by...

We didn't spot the listing online just yet...

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Also. After a really, really long time, workers finally removed the sidewalk bridge here...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Nino's Pizza has closed, again

At this point, it is safe to say that we have no idea what's going on with the Nino's Pizza space on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place.

To recap.

Nino's Pizza on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place closed sometime after Superstorm Sandy... and we heard multiple stories about its future ... Then! A few days later, a sanitized, woody Nino's reopened under new ownership, but the place didn't seem the same. One reader said, "It looks like the inside of a pine coffin."

Plus, the pizza was a little different. Then the place closed again. The it reopened. Then closed. Then closed. Then reopened. (Or maybe it's the other way around?) The DOH temporarily closed the storefront in early December... It reopened by the end of the month.

We first noticed that they were closed again this past Sunday, when we walked by during the Super Bowl. A fine time for a pizza place to be closed.

For now Nino's 2.0 remains closed. Outgoing message says that the number has been "temporarily disconnected."

So. If you happen to know the status here, please let us know via the comments or the trusty tipline.

EV Grieve Eatery Etc.: Nino's 2.0 back open; crepes for East 7th Street

The newly remodeled Nino's on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place is back open after a bout of the DOH... Inspectors found 9 violations points during a revisit on Monday...

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Salon Champu moved from 122 E. Seventh St. to new digs on East Fourth Street ... Dave on 7th got word that the former salon space will be home to a cafe specializing in crepes...

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There's a new broker for the former dry cleaners at 137 First Avenue next door to Joe Dough on First Avenue... the new sign says that the landlord will now consider "food use" ...

We didn't spot the listing online at Bond just yet... so we don't know what the asking rent is here...

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Verso opened in May 2011 on Avenue C at Eighth Street. The Italian bistro hasn't been open since Sandy's floodwater filled up the restaurant's basement ... earlier in the week, Matt_LES noted the following back-rent noticed taped to the eatery's front door...

DOH temporarily closes Nino's

Late Friday afternoon, we noted that Nino's 2.0 had abruptly closed once again on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place... at the time, we didn't spot the DOH's calling sticker...

The DOH inspector found 86 violation points during a visit on Wednesday. The top 4 listed violations:

1) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
2) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
3) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
4) Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.

Also, as we pointed out in that same post, the 2 Bros. supreme slice joint on St. Mark's Place had reopened... They were closed for renovations following a fire in a nearby apartment in September.

2 Bros. back open; Nino's 2.0 closed again

One of the 2 Bros. on St. Mark's Place that closed after a nearby fire in September is back open... this is the one that sells the $1.50 "supreme" slice...

And down on St. Mark's Place, weirdness continues at Nino's 2.0 at Avenue A. Reopened. Closed. Reopened. Now closed again...

Now what's going on with the Nino's space?

So, Nino's Pizza on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place closed sometime after Superstorm Sandy... and we heard multiple stories about its future ... Then! A few days later, a sanitized, woody Nino's reopened, but the place didn't seem the same. One reader said, "It looks like the inside of a pine coffin."

Plus, the pizza was a little different. And people didn't recognize the workers. Now, in the last few days, the place has closed again. Looks as if workers are refurbishing the interior again... (maybe the communal table will become a reality?)

Anyone know what's going on here...? Workers have painted the exterior and removed the Nino's lettering...

Finally, a random find on YouTube ... a video shot at Nino's after news circulated about Whiney Houston's death this past February...

[Updated] Nino's is back open, but...

We noted the other day that Nino's on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place had closed... either for renovations or to become something else... No one ever got a straight answer ... anyway, a sanitized Nino's is now back open (no xmas decorations or fountain drinks so far) ... a reader said that he tried it, and the pizza didn't quite seem the same... and he didn't recognize the workers... Anyone else try the new Nino's?

[Interior photo by Shawn Chittle]

[Updated] Nino's Pizza has closed

Another item we meant to note sooner... Nino's Pizza, a longtime favorite hub on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place, closed at the end of October. There's paper over the windows, and we saw the tables and chairs stacked up on the sidewalk.

Back in March, we noted that Nino's was for sale. According to the listing, "owner retiring and looking for a quick sale." No mention of key money, though the rent was listed at $13,200 a month...

We heard that another pizza place was taking over, but no one has officially confirmed that... hopefully it won't be a franchise (Papa John's, etc.) and that the new owners keep the walk-up window. Ray's is the last one left on Avenue A.

Updated 9:25

Added a photo of Nino's fountain drinks machine... Gojira mentioned it in the comments.



And via a reader in the comments:

[The new owner] He said he will still have pizza and mediteranean food and that it will still be fast food. He said that they were going for an industrial look with a communal table.

He said that he would apply for a beer and wine.

Nino's Pizza is for sale

We came across this listing for Nino's Pizza, a favorite hub on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place ... According to the listing, "owner retiring and looking for a quick sale." No mention of key money, though the rent is $13,200 a month...

It's certainly possible that another pizzeria will take over the space, maybe even keeping the year-round Christmas decorations and the fountain drinks...


Or, possibly, given the way things seem to go around here, the space becomes [insert absurd foodie concept here]

Meanwhile, Sal's remains closed down the Avenue.

According to Nino's, we're still in a recession

Indeed we are. Still, as this newish sign says, pizza deals abound at Nino's on Avenue A at St. Mark's.



Meanwhile, after another slice of the artichoke pizza at Nino's...



By far a better slice than my last trip to Artichoke Basille's around the corner on 14th Street....(OK, only been there twice. Tried a few other times. I dislike the line...and a few of the people standing in it...)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Nino's vs. Artichoke

A note for the ATM thief

Outside Nino's on St. Mark's and Avenue A.

Nino's vs. Artichoke

As Grub Street noted last week, Nino's at St. Mark's and Avenue A is now serving an artichoke and spinach pizza, perhaps to rival that of the too-crowded-and-expensive-for-my-tastes Artichoke Basille's around the corner on 14th Street.

So I thought I'd try Nino's new slice for a Very Special Easter Holiday Weekend. With the Christmas tree still up, it's easy to be in the holiday spirit at Nino's.

For starters, can you tell the difference between Nino's ($3) and Artichoke ($4) in the two photos below? (Also, I realize that none of this pizza looks very appetizing thanks to my photos and the lighting. Kind of looks like a car just drove over them...)




Yeah, the top photo is the work of Nino's. (By the way, I love the fountain drinks machine at Nino's.)



Anyway! As for Nino's new artichoke slice... Well, I'm not much of a foodie/reviewer type, though I do like to use "drizzled" and "artisanal" and "seasonal" in everyday conversation... Oh, so Nino's was quite tasty...less of a gutbuster without so much cheese and the overpowering goopy garlic aftertaste of Artichoke. And it's $1 less...and Nino's has fewer annoying people in line...

Also, I've been to Artichoke twice. Back in August. I was walking by and there wasn't a line, so I wanted to see what the fuss was about ... And more recently, well, I just felt like a slice. Too bad I got stuck in line behind the NYU students who were — seriously — debating where the best ski spots are in Switzerland. (Totes, Zermatt!)

Anyway, I swear the slices at Artichoke were smaller during my second visit...the photos don't quite do them justice, but... And the Artichoke slices weren't as good as the first time. But is it ever?

Recently:



August:



P.S.
The reality is that I miss Five Rose's Pizza. That was the best. By the way, a rumormonger at Eater says the Five Rose's space on First Avenue will be home to another pizza place.

Nino's is back in business; hearts float over the East Village

Nino's on Avenue A and St. Mark's was back open yesterday after a temporary closure by the DOH...(and yes -- the naked Santa is still on the window...)



Meanwhile, a Nino's employee had dozens of heart-shaped helium balloons (Valentine's Day goods gone unused...?). And he simply walked out out Nino's and let them go...



And we watched the balloons go up...



...up...



and up...until we couldn't see them any longer.