Five Borough Challenge - Stop #2: Patsy's (The Original) in Manhattan

Manhattan - Patsy's Pizza

There may not be a restaurant with a more storied and controversial history than Patsy's Pizza. Pasquale “Patsy” Lancieri learned the art of pizza-making at America's first pizzeria, Lombardi’s. In 1933, Patsy ventured out on his own and created his eponymous restaurant in East Harlem. The pizzeria gained legendary status over the years for creating classic New York style pizzas with a signature char on the crust that can only come from a coal fired oven.

You don't get char like that from gas...

Patsy passed away in 1974 and his widow Carmela, took the reigns of this nationally recognized pizza destination. Carmela then sold the business to several long time employees to ensure the continuation of the restaurant's reputation for quality. The place was as popular as ever and Patsy's continued to be the name most associated with great New York pizza even after the death of it's namesake.



In fact, the name Patsy's was so well known, that in 1991, a group of business people seeking to create a chain of pizzerias in Manhattan offered to purchase the rights to the name Patsy's Pizza. The offer was too good to pass up, and there are now six "Patsy's" scattered throughout Manhattan. These additional Patsy's have led to confusion and dilution of the brand as only one of the six new Patsy's has a coal oven like the original (environmental laws prohibit the construction of new coal ovens in New York City). Taste-wise, these new Patsy's pies are generally pretty solid, but in direct competition, let's just say that Patsy's is no Patsy's.

Maddox Jolie-Pitt is neither a Jolie nor a Pitt. Talk amongst yourselves.

Like Maddox Jolie-Pitt, the six new Patsy's may share a name with the original, but not DNA. To taste the true legend, we will be making our way to 118th street and 1st avenue to sample one America's national treasures, the original Patsy's Pizza.