31 Days of Pizza: Day 22, 2014: Luzzo's BK (Brooklyn Heights, NY)

DAY 22: OCTOBER 22nd, 2014

LOCATION: Luzzo's BK (145 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, NY)

GUEST(S): Chuck Divak, Alana O'Brien, Robin Rothman

ORDER: 1 slice of Luzzo's BK (tomato sauce, mozzarella, speck, fresh ricotta, black truffle pate), 1 slice of Mikele (mozzarella, mushrooms, prosciutto d.o.p., truffle paté), 2.5 slices of La Pizza Quadrata Margherita, 1 slice of Melenzana (mozzarella, tomato sauce, fried eggplant)

REVIEW:
Manhattan mainstay takes on Brooklyn. Less than a decade after owner Mikele Iuliano unearthed a turn-of-the-century coal oven in the East Village, the name "Luzzo" has become a top name in Manhattan pizza. With the opening of Luzzo's BK, Mikele hopes to expand that reputation into Brooklyn - a very pizza-centric borough. Armed with both a wood-fired brick oven and a conventional oven, Luzzo's BK churns out authentic Napoli style pizza and a whole lot more. The quadrata, for instance, the dough is sculpted into a square pan then loaded with toppings before being cooked in both ovens for a crisp, sturdy, and delicious result. Luzzo's topping arsenal includes speck, imported Italian prosciutto, black truffle paté, fried eggplant, tuna, and several other high quality ingredients that appeal to palates of all maturity levels. The cozy dining area allows you to enjoy your mouthwatering artisan pie by candlelight and non-intrusive music. Pair it with a fine beverage from the full island bar for a date-worthy dinner. This charm and elegance comes at higher cost than the typical New York pizzeria. But Luzzo's BK is far from typical and, if history is any indicator, it may just be the next big thing.

PHOTOS:

Island Bar in the entryway

Wood-fired brick oven

Melenzana

Quadrata pie

Luzzo's BK

Mikele

La Pizza Quadrata Margherita

Underside of La Pizza Quadrata

MISCELLANEOUS:

Sean Taylor with Antonio Giaccio

1. I had the privilege of meeting and chatting about Italian vs. Italian American pizza with manager Antonio Giaccio.

2. Chuck Divak likes cats and is an amazing editor during the week, and an even more amazing softball player on the weekend.

3. Alana O'Brien loves her dog Ruby. She has given her nearly a dozen nicknames.

Rockin' Robin at Scallywags

4. After pizza, Robin Rothman and I grabbed her guitar and hit up an open mic at Scallywag's pub. She was incredible and even earned a tip - her first dollar as a professional guitar playing singer!