Cost: $3.50/slice.
I want to love Greenpoint Original. It’s a small local business, is owned by a grumpy Italian guy, and is right around the corner from my apartment. It’s got a real neighborhood feel, a place where I would love to become a regular and know everyone’s name. But unfortunately, the pizza is just okay.
The issue with Greenpoint Original is the crust. It is totally under-baked (look at the blonde strip by my thumb in the pic above) and has a dry, crumbly, and unsatisfying texture. I’m starting to see a pattern with pizzas baked on mesh sheets (notice the diamond pattern on the bottom) - they often lack the marbled texture of pies baked directly in the oven deck. There must be purported benefits of the mesh sheet, but I can’t think of any when eating the slice.
The poor crust is especially disappointing because the sauce and cheese on this slice are great! Great cheese coverage with decent browning, and the sauce is a nice, middle of the road pizza sauce (could use a bit more salt).
If this were the only slice in my neighborhood, or if I did not live in NYC, I would be incredibly happy with it - and the vibe in the shop is excellent. But the competition is just too high, and the reality is there are two or three places in the area I’d just rather go to.
2.5/5.