Cost: $20/pie, $3.33/slice
Before I get to the pizza, this: at Paulie Gee’s, an unassuming neighborhood Neapolitan pizzeria with a rustic retro vibe, you'll find Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-St-Vivant on the wine list. For the uninitiated, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is one of, if not the most, coveted wine producers in Burgundy. The estate dates back to the 13th century and produces absolutely minimal quantities each year, and their wine fetches exorbitant prices as a result. A bottle of their 1945 vintage sold for $585k in 2023, making it the most expensive bottle of wine ever. Younger vintages can range from $5k to $30k. Basically, it is absurdly expensive and rare.
So at $999, Paulie Gee’s is offering a goddamn bargain! Of course, nobody should be spending a band on grape juice, but the relative value is undeniable. So much so, that our waiter said they had a customer buy two bottles and left with them unopened (to resell), prompting the restaurant to implement an open-on-site policy.
Paulie Gee’s offering DRC is like Gap selling Patek Philippe watches, or a go-kart track renting Ferraris. Which isn’t to disparage or belittle Paulie Gee’s! It is just a gulf of expectation so wide that I had to dedicate most of this review to it. One expects to see wines like this only at the most exclusive three Michelin star restaurants, so to see it listed on a pizza menu insert under the heading “Baller Wines” was an utter delight and surely an “only in NYC” moment.
And the pizza? It’s great. Salsa remains the king of Neapolitan pizza, but Paulie Gee’s is a close second. The sauce is incredible - unmistakably simple and fresh, surely just Roma tomatoes and salt. The mozzarella is rich, fresh, and creamy, and they are not shy about the quantity. And the dough is nearly perfect, light, airy, and chewy with nice char marks. My two minor complaints are that the dough felt just slightly underbaked, and there was only a single leaf of basil on the pizza. Gotta have more basil than that.
Paulie Gee’s has a cozy, relaxed atmosphere and a full menu with many different pizza offerings. If you want Neapolitan pizza and a sit-down experience, or have a grand burning a hole in your pocket, check out Paulie Gee’s.
4/5.