PIZZA REVIEW: Pizza by Certé

My search for the best pizza in New York continues….

Certé looks like any other generic lunch deli in Midtown. Glass counters of salads, an array of cookies, and coolers full of soda and orange juice. If I didn’t know there was some serious focus on food quality and chef-driven dishes in this unlikeliest of places, I’d walk right by it.

But as a previous Thanksgiving video of mine showed, Certé is by far the most gourmet deli in Midtown. I knew that they also had a location specializing in pizza, but I never got around to visiting it… until now.

It’s a bit further east than the original, but the ethics and standards are the same. Again, this looks like any corner slice joint but upon further inspection (and taste), the ingredients and quality of the pizzas are top notch. It’s evident in the list of their farm-driven seasonal toppings, like hand-dipped ricotta, roasted cauliflower, and Long Island potatoes. Those are not the usual toppings for your typical slice joint.

I picked both the classic Margherita and the Bianco (with hand-dipped ricotta, truffle oil, and arugula) to get a sense of the traditional and the not so traditional.

Unfortunately, my first slice came out a bit lukewarm and sad. I watched an employee accidentally drop my first slice on the floor, so they rushed the warming up of my second (floor-free) slice. When I told them it was cold, they quickly made me another.

The difference between hot and cold was huge. When the slice was served at the right temperature, the crackly crust was almost burnt but it had a much better char and lots of evident buttery notes. The melted cheese played wonderfully with the well-seasoned, herb-forward tomato sauce.

My Bianco was right on the first try with a subtle hint of truffle cutting through the rich creamy ricotta. A dash of lemon might have improved it even more, but it sure tasted good, especially with that crisp, thin crust.

I have a feeling that the casual fast-food like set-up could result in inconsistent slices. But if they get it right, they get it very right. And the fact that they use responsible ingredients and the slices are in the $2-$3 range puts all the other greasy, to-go slice joints to shame.

Is Pizza by Certé the best pizza in NY? It’s certainly one of the best to-go slices in Manhattan and as long as it’s served hot, they can reach a solid 8 out of 10.