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Lombardi's

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quirine
quirine
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
3
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2
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Lombardi's

  • July 16, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by LR2 from Houston, Texas
I heard about this restaurant on The Food Network. It is known as the first pizzeria in the United States and was established in 1903, if I remember correctly. I highly recommend checking this place out for dinner; however, the wait can be very long (1+ hour).

From journal New York City

Lombardi's

  • August 9, 2005
  • Rated 2 of 5 by justinef from London, United Kingdom
Nearly everyone we know who has been to New York recommended Lombardi's to us, so we went there on our first visit and loved it, although we over-ordered, having underestimated the size of the pizza slices. Unfortunately, when we returned just over a year later, it seemed to have lost some of its character. Despite having expanded, there was now a 45-minute wait for a table and the staff was less friendly than before, seeming unable to cope with the pressure of so many customers. And the pizza didn't seem as amazing as the first time around - the meatballs seemed smaller and things didn't seem as fresh as before. The food is still a lot better than in most other places, but just not as good as it was.

From journal Returning to New York

Editor Pick

Lombardi's

  • May 4, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by quirine from Brooklyn, New York
Lombardi's

I know, I'm only supposed to be writing about stuff you didn't already know. However, I'm writing about Lombardi's because if you absolutely HAVE to go here, this is what you should know.

If you haven't heard of Lombardi's by now, you've been living under a rock. It's even been mentioned in a Nissan commercial. So, the days of nursing a hangover Sunday afternoon with a large pie at Lombardi's are over. No one wants to stand in line with a hangover! Lombardi's has expanded their little two-room pizzeria, adding a huge bar (sans ambience) and a huge awning claiming that they have the best pizza in the city. And they're right.

Here are some major tips for getting in without a wait.
- Don't go with a large group. The smaller part of the restaurant has a lot of two-seaters, so go with one person if possible.

- Don't go on the weekend, period. Try to go during off-peak hours and during the week.

- Get takeout to beat the crowds - pick up the pie, walk over to that poor excuse for a park a block away, and gorge yourself there.

- Have drinks at the bar Sweet and Vicious and bring it in there. They don't seem to mind.

There nothing to say about decor. It's tacky and cheap, and the new room is a poor attempt at chain-restaurant design. The older part of the place is quieter and more authentic. The starter salad is worth the $7. It's a mesclun mix with fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, red onions, and a vinaigrette. It's fresh and a bit spicy. Also offered as an appetizer are slices of tomato with mozzarella covered in a vinaigrette (starting to see a pattern here?). Always order a large pizza, because why would you not want leftovers from this place? I've flown them over to Chicago for my in-laws who crave for this pizza nightly. The toppings include a lovely and crispy pepperoni, tomatoes, olives, red onions, mushrooms, meatballs, peppers, etc. Go for the pepperoni. It's awesome!

Dessert is something I've never done here. I actually don't know if they offer it. If they do, it's probably like a cannoli or something. Let's face it, you're stuffed by now. And if you're not, you're in Nolita for God's sake. Walk a block or two and you'll find cafés left and right.

So, I hope your trip to Lombardi's is successful. If the wait is a bummer, just think, you'll have forgotten all about it when you take one bite of the pizza.

CASH ONLY (although by now they've installed an ATM)

From journal Manhattan: What You Can't Find in a Guidebook!

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