Keste Pizzeria & Vino from pizzatherapy.com

Keste Pizzeria & Vino

Photo by Eugene

This exclusive review comes from Eugene, our man in New Jersey.

Eugene reviews an incredible pizzeria, Keste's located on Bleeker Street, in New York City.

Eugene shares the following:

I recently took a Pizza Tour of my own making in NYC. I'm going to recap my experiences for you to add to your website. Having spent the last 45 years searching for excellent pizza the World over gives credence to my remarks IMO.

Keste, Bleecker St, NYC

I had made it my 'destination pizza place' on this trip in to NYC. As is my custom I like to be there when a place opens for the day to see how the place looks before it gets busy.

I met Mr. Roberto Caprusioti, an owner and Pizzaiolo of Keste's, as he was dashing out to drop something off down the block. He quickly returned after I had been seated along with my friend at the head table for 2 closest to the Pizza making station. Roberto was kind enough to spend a few minutes with me discussing his history with Pizza and Places he'd opened in the past, Pittsburgh, A Mano, and now Keste's.

 I settled in as his efficent wait staff served us a carafe of fresh water. I took a minute to look over the menu, and then decided to ask if there was a special pie of the day? Of course there was! I suspected that after speaking with Roberto whatever he deemed 'special' would be rightly so, and so I indulged the waiter and ordered the 'Bufaluta Pizza'.

Keste's got busy within MINUTES of opening their doors, and we were glad to get a table up near the make counter. As I watched Roberto and his 2 flanking Pizzaiolo's work the oven, and make the Pies, I was enamored with the way the dough was worked, sauced, dressed, and peeled to the oven. It was definitely a show worth the price of admission IME.

The Pizza arrived at our table within 20 minutes of ordering, amazing seeing as how the place was full, and orders were being sent to the counter by the minute it seemed. What a beautiful looking pie, with olive oil glistening on the Buffala mozzeralla, the abundance of cherry tomatoes and fresh basil evenly spread across the crust. We dove into the pizza which is cut into 4 large slices if a small pie.

This is THE Pizza I remembered from my trip to Naples, Italy only 10 years ago! The crust is light and fluffy/bubbly, soft and foldable like a wrap/lavash style bread would be around the great ingredients. It was topped with deliciously fresh, buttery, Bufalla Mozzerella that kept me wanting another bite. It was so good I wanted to lick my plate before the waiter carried it off!

I decided I could manage to eat another pizza, and asked the waiter for another recomendation, and was told the 'Prosicutto, Arugala, Mozzerella Pie is highly regarded. I ordered it and it came in 10 minutes.

In the mean time, at the table behind us were 3 guys out for pizza, one of whom was a pizza loving type who had brought his friends here. I suggested they try the 'Bufalata Pizza special' which we had just eaten. I told them if they did'nt like it I would pay for it, so they ordered it and 2 others. In the meantime our second pizza arrived and it was abundantly topped with Arugula, Prosicutto, and mozzerella topped with oilve oil. It too was a very worthwhile Pizza to be dining on; and reminded me of why I ordered Pizza along with salads and vegetables when dining in Naples!

All in all a trip to Keste's is the begining of discovering Pizza in the Style of Naples IME! This is the KEY to going to Keste's, one cannot bring a desire for NYC Style Crust with them, this is a TOTALLY different crust in a good way! The prices are fair for the service and quality in the pies served IME.

This is a place for wine, pizza, and friends to experience. It's not a 'NYC street walking slice of Pizza', but a great pizza in it's own right. It's busy from when the doors open, so line up early if you are in a hurry to catch a show or have a planned night out. My choice is to go between Noon and 3pm and relax and enjoy the experience with no rushing.

Keste Crust from pizzatherapy.com
Photo by Eugene

Keste Pizzeria & Vino

271 Bleecker St, New York,
NY 10014
(212) 243-1500
website: Keste's Pizzeria

Thanks so much Eugene, for this incredible review.

pizza all over Manhattan,

Albert Grande
The Pizza Promoter