Report: Pizza delivery guy robbed for $22 on Avenue D

[Via the NYPD]

On Tuesday night around 7:30, a man delivering a pizza to a building on Avenue and East Fifth Street was robbed.

Per CBS 2:

[H]e was attacked in the elevator by a man who demanded his money.

The delivery man handed over $22. The suspect took off.

The suspect is described as Hispanic, about 25 years old and weighs about 160 pounds, police said. He was last seen wearing camouflage pants, multi-colored sneakers and a jacket with stripes on the sleeves.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online.

Abandoned slice of stuffed pizza doesn't seem to mind being abandoned

[Photo via @pgilks]

Meant to post these photos earlier… they are from last night on Avenue B near East 11th Street. We do not know what happened here… but based on the pizza's goofy grin in the top photo, all seems to be well (all things considered)…


[Photo via @andreahong]

Anyway, not nearly as sad as abandoned stuffed teddy bears…

Another pizza concept, awning for 35 First Ave.

[Photo by Mary Jones via Google]

We have our third pizza place and awning combo in the past year or so at 35 First Ave. near East Second Street… where we went from Empire Pizza II to IL Gusto Italiano to, now, Farid's Middle Eastern Grill Food & Pizza…



Sadly, we could not locate our photo of IL Gusto Italiano for comparison. (And we do not know a thing about any of these places. Anyone?)

Also, we do not know if Farid's will be employing the awesome* flashing sign… let's go back to the summer of 2012 for some Empire Pizza II razzle signage dazzle…



[* not really awesome]

A clarification about the 'no pizza' petition on the Lower East Side

As we first noted last Thursday, an 18-year-resident of the Lower East Side created a petition "to promote diversity in low to mid-priced food options for New York City's Lower East Side."

Via Change.org:

Are you sick and tired of pizzerias opening up all over the Lower East Side? With the closures of so many restaurants in the neighborhood, our low to mid-priced food options are dwindling. Pizzerias have over-saturated this part of Manhattan. Sign this petition and maybe Community Board 3 will take notice. *Enough of the L.E.S. pizzeria takeover!*

The person behind the petition, who goes by No More L.E.S. Pizzerias, made an amendment to the petition to help set the record straight. This is NOT about calling for an end to $1 pizzerias (misinformation that we helped spread).

To clarify the point of this petition: It is not an anti $1 slice pizza petition. We're sick of ALL pizzerias. No more $1 slice pizzerias. No more expensive brick oven pizzerias. NO MORE PIZZERIAS!

Despite a lot of media attention (NPR, CBS 2, among outlets), there have only been 27 signatures added to date.

And here's the report from CBS New York...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Petition calls for an end to so many 'shitty' pizzerias opening up on the Lower East Side

Petition calls for an end to so many 'shitty' pizzerias opening up on the Lower East Side

Are you tired of all the $1 pizza places popping up around the neighborhood? Then you're not alone. There's a petition campaign underway directed toward Community Board 3 that calls for more food options… Here's the description of the petition via Change.org:

This is an effort to promote diversity in low to mid-priced food options for New York City's Lower East Side.

Are you sick and tired of pizzerias opening up all over the Lower East Side? With the closures of so many restaurants in the neighborhood, our low to mid-priced food options are dwindling. Pizzerias have over-saturated this part of Manhattan. Sign this petition and maybe Community Board 3 will take notice. *Enough of the L.E.S. pizzeria takeover!*

The petition was launched by No More L.E.S. Pizzerias. The person behind the campaign has lived on the LES for 18 years. We asked the petitioner a few questions via Facebook:

"Yeah, every time a restaurant shutters, it seems like a shitty pizza place is born. I'm sick of it."

What would you like to see an an alternative?

"Anything besides a chain or $1 pizza. More small local joints like Mimi & Coco's Japanese spot. It's just so hard for small places to cover the rent and expenses and still scrape a living wage together."

And without asking...

"And if you were wondering, Rosario's and Nonna's are my favorite pizzerias in the hood."

You may find the petition here.

Former AAA Amici Pizza space for lease on 3rd Avenue; no coffee, Chinese food, sushi or burgers

AAA Amici Pizza on Third Avenue at East 12th Street closed last July. At the time, EVG regular Muzz talked to the owner, who said that the pizzeria was rent-hiked out of there.

The Newmark Grubb Knight Frank listing has the asking rent at $21,000 per month for the 1,600 square feet of space.

Description
Vented Corner for Lease. HOT NYU / UNION SQUARE AREA.

NO COFFEE. NO CHINESE FOOD. NO SUSHI. NO BURGERS.

And dreams of a coffee-Chinese food-Burger-sushi bar are squashed.

A Slice of Naples now open on the Bowery

The space at Forcella on the Bowery between Bond and Great Jones has been cut in half... proprietor Giulio Adriani is now offering up slices at the appropriately named A Slice of Naples next door ...



Time Out previewed A Slice of Naples:

The rolled-thin specialty is built atop rectangular, meter-long crust and slow-cooked in an imported electric oven. The Naples native turns out five varieties, including the Stracchino-cheese-and-prosciutto Ripiena and a Caprese topped with hand-pulled mozzarella, tomatoes and pesto, plus a rotating pie of the day.

Find their menu here.

AAA Amici Pizza has closed

AAA Amici Pizza on Third Avenue at East 12th Street has closed... there was apparently an auction on site yesterday. EVG regular Muzz talked to the owner, who said that the pizzeria was rent-hiked out of there. And they will not be looking to open anywhere else.

A rent hike isn't much of a shocker given the towering new retail-residential building going up at 84 Third Ave. across the street... and the incoming high-end Han Dynasty opening right next door...

"It's too bad, because it was another place where you could get a good meal — especially for takeout — for under $10," said Muzz. "The old way of doing business in the EV is just being hammered out, block by block."

L'asso EV has closed

[July 10 via @davidsokol]

L'asso EV has closed... there's no sign on the gate or announcement about the closure on its website on social media properties... the pizzeria on First Avenue between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street opened in late 2011...

We had talked with Greg Barris, a partner at L'asso EV, in the past. (He gave us the info on L'asso EV's hardcore/punk cassette art exhibit last summer.) When we reached out to him over the weekend, we learned that Barris left L'asso about six months ago and was not aware of the current situation. However: "It is disappointing. I spent almost every day for a year working on building that place and getting it going — it's a shame," he said via email.

The original L'asso outpost on Mott Street remains open.

In August 2011, when news of L'asso's expansion arrived, Rebecca Marx asked a reasonable question when she was writing for Fork in the Road: How much more pizza does the East Village really need?

At that time, there were 44 pizza places in the East Village.

Per Marx:

"[W]hile we appreciate the plenitude and variety, the whole thing is getting a bit rote: fancy pizzeria announces intentions to open/expand into the neighborhood, promises to forever alter the pizza landscape, opens, gets blogged about, and settles into comfortable mundanity. If you want to worry people, open a slaughterhouse."

zPizza finally opens on First Avenue

A branch of the zPizza franchise finally opened this week here on First Avenue at East Second Street ... BoweryBoogie noted this impending arrival back on Dec. 23, 2010 ... and we spotted the sign last August.

Here's some info via zPizza:

Our dough is made from certified organic wheat flour prepared fresh every day, hand-thrown and fire-baked until uniquely crisp. We combine select ingredients such as certified organic tomato sauce, part-skim rBGH-free cheese from grass-fed cows, MSG-free pepperoni, and additive-free sausage. Even our fresh produce sets us apart. Exotic delights like Cremini and Shiitaki mushrooms, roasted eggplant, pili pili and truffle oil, pine nuts, artichoke hearts, roasted bell peppers and caramelized onions assure you'll never experience a boring pizza. The same holds true for our gourmet salads and sandwiches. That said we hope you enjoy our unique and authentic recipes as much as we enjoy making them for you.

I tried a slice and liked it. Enough to get it again if I was in that particular area. (Disclosure: I like most all pizza that costs more than .99 cents. Or $1. Or that comes from a microwave.)

This is the Laguna Beach, Calif.-based company's second NYC location... right there with Terminal 4 at JFK...

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.

Updated: Gruppo Thin Crust Pizza opens at new Avenue B location tonight (free beer alert)

The renovations are done here at 98 Avenue B between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street... Per the Gruppo Facebook page:

Grand Opening at our new location, 98 Ave B (6-7 st), Free Draft beer when you dine with us! See you tonight!

Their previous home at 186 Avenue B is now closed.

Updated 8:21

The sandwich board out front via @dens

First Avenue $1 Pizza Wars — now with draft beer

@evgrieve $1 #Pizza wars on First Ave. Vinny Vincenz holding the lead with bigger signage and draft beer. twitter.com/tenementcity/s…

— Tenement City (@tenementcity) March 14, 2013

Indeed. Go Vinny's!: 2 slices AND a draft beer for $5.

Previously.


[Dave on 7th]

Your East Village pizza update

New signs are up in the windows of the long-time coming Apizza on First Avenue at East Second Street... noting that this California-based healthy pizza place is "coming soon." BoweryBoogie first noted this impending arrival back on Dec. 23, 2010.

-----

Speaking of healthy pizza... the transformation of the former Naked Pizza on East 14th Street continues... this will be the second NYC location for good old-fashioned Joe's Pizza ...

-----

...and signage arrived for the new 2 Bros. Pizza on First Avenue near East 14th Street...

Rumors: 2 Bros. Pizza is opening another East Village location

BaoBQ closed here on First Avenue between East 13th Street and East 14th Street in August. The for rent signs are down... and someone put up black trashbags on the windows...

We've from several different tipsters now that a 2 Bros. Pizza will take over this space... there hasn't been any official confirmation on this from 2 Bros., who continue to expand in the city... If this is true, then this could be one more reason why Vinny Vincenz Pizza close by on First Avenue is now selling a $1 slice, as noted yesterday.

Of course, there's already a lot of cheap pizza right around here, from Papa John's and Joey Pepperoni across the street to the other Joey Pepperoni's and 7-Eleven around the way on East 14th Street...

The first 2 Bros. opened on St. Mark's Place in 2008.

From Naked Pizza to Joe's Pizza on East 14th Street

In recent months, we've noted for some reason that Naked Pizza on East 14th Street near Third Avenue has been closed ... turns out that's a permanent closure, though with a promise of a new location.

Meanwhile, The Daily Meal reports that the second location of Joe's Pizza will be taking over this space.

Here's what New York has to say about the Carmine Street pizzeria that has been around since 1975:

It's the epitome of what a slice is supposed to taste like: thin-crusted, with the proper balance of bold sauce and cheese that tastes like cheese, not rubber. Joe's also bakes Sicilian slices and pies, but he doesn't do fancy pie concoctions, heroes, garlic knots, or other diversions.

H/T Grub Street

Breaking: Workers gutting Little Italy Pizza on Third Avenue

Little Italy Pizza opened up here at 23 Third Ave. at St. Mark's Place in August... and EVG regular Stephen Popkin notes this afternoon that workers were gutting the space... not sure yet if this is some kind of renovation or permanent closure...

Most recently, the space was home to Tahini, which closed for good in June... and a few years back... St. Mark's Pizza.

Anyway, did anyone ever try Little Italy Pizza? They had a breakfast deal too... Almost seemed like the brightest storefront around...

Free slice for kids 10 and under for a time today at Lebrini's Pizzeria

Bobby Lebrini, proprietor of Lebrini's Pizzeria on Avenue C and East Third Street, passed along word of this deal:

Kids 10 and under get a free slice of .99-cent pizza (limit 2 per kid) today from 11 am to 2 pm.

Gruppo signage arrives at new Avenue B digs

As you may know, Gruppo is relocating to a new home down Avenue B... to 98 Avenue B between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street (at the former Layaly space) ... Dave on 7th notes the letters are up ...

No definite timeline for an opening date... you can see there's a little work left to do on the inside...

Famous 99-cent Pizza is now open on East 14th Street

The Famous 99-cent Pizza signage arrived on East 14th Street at the former Desi Roti back on Nov. 17...

And now — it's Grand Opening time this week here just west of Avenue A...

East Village Hawkeye, who took the above photo, ate here and noted that it was pretty tasty as far as 99-cent slices go...

Meanwhile, as everyone has noted, it does seem as if there are more and more cheap-slice shops here. One theory, per Pinch in the comments on the original post:

I'm starting to think this is some kind of reality TV show, like let's see how many cheap pizza shops we can gradually (or may not so gradually) put in one neighborhood and watch people's reactions.