Cronkite Pizza
12:55 pm November 12th, 2006 by Sal Cangeloso
Just got back from a short weekend in the city but before I started relaxing I wanted to make a quick post about dinner last night. We went to Cronkite Pizzeria and Wine Bar on 133 Norfolk Street on the Lower East Side. The place has very good credentials, a somewhat well known owner, and the sure-fire idea of wine and pizza, but I can’t say I was too impressed.
The restaurant is below ground, very close to Schillers (a popular LES restaurant), and the space is pretty nice- dark enough to seem cool, though the lack of windows does not help things. The prices are reasonable for high-end pizza 10″ pies starting at about $9 and 16″ pies starting at $12. The wine list looked OK, but there were only about 5 choices available by the glass, the rest of the list was by the bottle only.
For for the pizza, it was good, but nothing extraordinary. It is a nice New York-style pizza with a crunchy crust and a thin slice. I was not wild about the choice of toppings, but there were some interesting ones, in addition to the standard fare. We had a Romana which was mozzarella, olives, tomato sauce, capers, and anchovies.
Anyway, the overall experience was good, but uninspired. For some place trying to bring that classic Brooklyn pizza taste to a hip, LES atmosphere I would have hopped for something more original than a upscale pizza joint with a wine list. It is only their first week so I am sure a lot of things will improve, like the servers’ familiarity with the menu and more wine by the glass, thought I am not sure I will be giving it a second chance with so many other great pizza places just a subway ride away.
they’re not trying to bring a “classic Brooklyn pizza” to new york. that’s domino’s. if you’ve ever been to fornino, then you would know what they are trying to bring to les.
Yeah, I heard about that Domino’s thing, what a mess. There was a great article in the NY Times about it actually.
As for Cronkite, I wrote “classic Brooklyn pizza taste”, so sorry for the confusion. You are right about Fornino’s, I did not mean to say that they are trying to bring over Grimaldi’s or whatever (everyone seems to have their own pick as a representative pizza)
I don’t know what winelist you were looking at but I saw 11 wines by the glass. The room was warm and comfortable and the servers were very friendly and attentive. I really enjoyed my whole experience.
I think you hit the nail on the head with the review. I heard about the place on Thrillist and was pretty exciting, but was not “thrilled” with the restaurant. Most of the problems were because the place is brand new, like that the server did not know the menu well, though both she and the host were extremely pleasant.
I really liked the free olives and was relatively happy with the pie, though Cronkite is not anything too special. As for the wine, can’t help you there- I got Prosecco.
I was there for the first time on Tuesday and liked it alot. My pizza, a mixed mushroom with truffle oil, was delicious. The crust consistency was excellent, chewy with a bit of crunch, but not crackery. Each slice stood out without drooping of flopping over (a pet peeve of mine). I’ve been to Fornino a number of times, and think its very comparable. As for wine, the wine list was very extensive. A few more by the glass options would be nice. My boyfriend had a Chimay beer, which he said went perfectly with his DOC margarita pizza. The staff was clearly getting up to speed with the no place but was very friendly. I’ll definitely be back!
I’ve been there twice already. I’m hooked. Second time they obviously had there act together. Started off with a generous assortment of appetizers which were amazingly fresh. THe pizza was superb-we ordered four different kinds and each one was better than the next (I loved the pizza with truffles and the rock shrimpo with pesto). Bring the leftovers home so you can save some room for those scrumptious desserts.
I was trying to think back to when I tasted such amazing pizza and it was last winter at a place called Fornino’s in Williamsburg. Turns our the the same guy who opened that place is the chef and owner here. Slice.com calls him the “Pizza God”.
I left it up to the staff to suggest different glasses wines for my meal and both times I thought they were excellent. I am not a wine connoisseur, but (although I hate to admit it), I eat dinner out about 4 times a week and have tasted my share of wines. I thought the ones we drank were excellent quality and not your run of the mill vinegry table wine.
I think the place really cares about their product and I loved the atmosphere as well. I will definitely be back.
Yes.. it’s a place to go. Great pizza!! I been like 30 places in NYC and this one is in my top ones .When talking about atmosphere forget those small mistakes of this new place.. they have Fornino quality food; Bringing Brooklyn taste for LES.
Keep going and remember if you are doing good “we” the pizza and wine lovers win!
This place is fantastic. I work nearby and it’s great to have someplace different to go after work. They’re open until midnight and until 2am on Friday and Saturday. I thought the pizza was really good but they also have some fun appetizers you don’t usually see at your run of the mill pizza joint, like clams from their brick oven. The music’s great and the staff is a lot of fun. I’ve been there a couple of times now and everyone is super friendly and helpful. The only thing I don’t understand is how anyone could possibly find anything to complain about with the wine list. There were more than ten solid choices by the glass and about 75 very interesting selections by the bottle. The last I checked it is a pizza place and I usually can’t even find a beer worth drinking at most pizza houses let alone a whole list put together by a pretty well known wine director. A definite recommendation!
Many times a business traveler to NY. First time to this pizza joint. Loved the pizza and tried their sparkling red wine as well. It was interesting, and was even better for the second glass. Pizza was really good. Would definitely recommend!
Cronkite is awesome. There are so many over the top places in NYC that have great decor and horrible food. This is not one of them. Their pizza is great and the assortment of cheeses and olives is an excellent way to start off a meal. every new place has a few little problems when they first open but I have been there a few times already and things get better every time. I think this place is nice and low key a great spot to enjoy yourself with your friends.
cronkite, although a bit subterranean, has an outstanding wine list and superb pizzas. the service was great. my friendly waitress ally was knowledgeable about the unusual ingredients and suggested a great bottle of wine for my wife and i. we will rdefinitely be returning on our next pizza night and will be bringing friends.
Despite the above reviews (placed by staff/friends?), I found quite a few weaknesses during my recent meal there. Foremost, I take issue with the restaurant billing itself as a wine bar. Yes, there is a wine list, with 10 or so wines by the glass, but this does not a wine bar make. Ever been to Otto or Lupa? They have wine lists that would make this one weep. Moreover, our waitress, while perfectly welcoming, was far from knowledgeable, and didn’t even appear willing to seek out the answers to our simple, menu-related questions regarding pizza toppings, ie, their SPECIALTIES.
I will say that the pizza crust is quite good, and the food in general is passable. However, with so many other truly great restaurants in the area, I seriously doubt I’ll be eating there again. Go to Schiller’s; it’s right across the street.
I ate there two nights ago for the second time and think the place is really great. I’m not sure what Michelle (above) is talking about. It’s true that Otto has a monster wine list, but their pizza is truly awful (it’s not even baked in an oven, but “grilled” under a heat coil), and I’ve had rude and amateurish service every time I’ve been there. Plus the music at Otto is deafeningly loud, and it’s expensive!
For my last meal at Cronkite we split a delicious antipasti platter, and I had a pizza with wild mushrooms and truffle oil. It was delicious and flavorful. The crust was chewy and crispy without being too hard. My friend had a pizza Siciliana (no cheese with anchovies, olives, capers and onions) which he loved. The owner, Michael, was there that night, and stopped by to ask us how we were enjoying our meal. The atmosphere and service were all very good. I’ve been to Schiller’s many times and like it (although the food is certainly not the main attraction) but I think Cronkite is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood and I will certainly be back when my next pizza craving strikes!
Cronkite is great. They’re really doing something very simple. Good food, great wine, fun music. I’ve been to Otto and Lupa and I’ve been to Cronkite…a few times. Very different, indeed and I don’t know why one feels the need to draw the comparison but I now, feel the need to reply. The only things that made me want to weep at either Otto or Lupa was my crappy service, mediocre food, and hugely overpriced wine lists. Maybe if you prefer your food from big corporate restaurants like Schiller’s and Otto than you wouldn’t understand something fun and funky like a pizza joint in the basement of a building in the lower east side. Or maybe you did “get it” and YOU work at Otto and you are worried that there could possible be more than one gourmet pizza place in town. I, for one, think that what Cronkite is doing is fun and I’m glad they’re in the lower east side where there is almost nothing but bars in which poorly dressed people swill bad booze and try to hit on each other. I’d much rather eat pizza and drink wine.