On the evening of our second day in New York City, we decided to take an excursion over the Brooklyn Bridge. A friend had told us that Grimaldi’s, located under the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn, has the best pizza in the city. It’s coal fired pizza (cooked in a coal-burning oven at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit), and that intrigued us. Apparently the dough recipe is 100 years old.
It was 8 o’clock when we started out from our hotel in the Manhattan Financial District. We were a little concerned that the bridge might be empty because it was a Sunday night, but the concierge at our hotel had assured us that there would be plenty of people out and about. And boy was he right! The bridge was absolutely packed. And the walking path is extremely narrow. If two people walk shoulder to shoulder, others are barely able to pass. The other half of the path is reserved for bikers, who whizzed by, in the dark, like they were training for the Tour de France.
The view of the Manhattan skyline from the bridge was spectacular! I only wish we had had newer smart phones to take a better quality picture. As we walked, we talked about the fact that there is a Cold War era bunker inside the bridge. It was recently rediscovered after being forgotten for many decades. The general public knows that it exists, but the exact location has not been leaked, although it is believed to be under an arch on the Manhattan side. Apparently it is still filled with 70-year-old supplies. Perhaps someday they will open it to the public and give tours.
We arrived at Grimaldi‘s pizza after a two-mike walk to find that there was a line and a 30-minute wait just to get inside the restaurant. Must be good pizza, we thought. We decided to stick it out, and Little Buddy was very well behaved as we waited over an hour before tasting a bite of pizza. But it was well worth the wait. That pizza was like none we had ever had. Below are links to my other NYC posts.
Korean BBQ and Saks Fifth Avenue
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
There must be 1000 “Best pizza in the city!” places in and around NYC, and everyone has an “old family recipe.” Walk any block and you’ll see. Glad you finally got your pizza but you probably could have had that same type of experience somewhere in Little Italy, much closer to the hotel but without the view.
People who “whizzed by” on bikes could have been in a hurry on their way to work. This bridge is used as a commuter bridge by those who live in Brooklyn but work in Manhattan. Eight o’clock is the start of the evening, so no surprise that the bridge was packed. There are plenty of people working night shift in The City That Never Sleeps. They don’t like their rush hour slowed down by strolling tourists. Same way with the subway, or walking on the streets. People are on the move doing important business. You just experienced that energy.
BTW, that’s actually a chain pizza place
That’s a good point about folks possibly being on their way to work. Hopefully they are someday able to widen the walking path.
We were shocked to see pizza places on almost every corner in the city, and you’re right that each one boasted that theirs was the best. LOL. I think the unique thing about Grimaldi’s is that it’s coal-fired, which is something that only a few places are able to do. A friend who lived in NYC recommended it. She thought it was the best, but I’m sure everyone has their own opinion. 🙂
Thanks for the link to the article about Grimaldi’s. Very interesting. I don’t post links to my blog, but I took a look at it.
Ellie
It is said that Brooklyn has the best pizza. Obviously it is a matter of opinion. Born and raised in Brooklyn could be we are not objective.
Joan,Marion and Marilyn
I like reading some of your travel adventures because together with your pictures, you have a way of drawing a person right into your interesting experiences and also blessing with some knowledge and facts too! This event was apropos to Mr H. NYC art works! (I still hope that these NYC travel bites are leading up to more about his art there).
I’ve never been to NYC before. I would love to go some time.
Ellie,
Have your trips to New York in conjunction with your husband’s paintings that were on display? I’ve been wondering how the art show went for him. He is such a talented artist. I know that painting is a gift, but I was wondering if he has taken any classes. And have you ever thought about going into photography? Both of you take such good pictures.
Hi Barb,
Thanks for asking for an update. I have been meaning to post about the art show. We visited at the end of the show to pick up the art, and we were pleased to find that four paintings had sold. 🙂
Ellie