Pala

The Scene – Though not particularly fancy--a display counter showcases premade pizzas and antipasti--the interior achieves homey chic with broad wooden tables and a display wall of wine. Service has a knowledgeable Italian accent. – – The Food – It's imperative to save room for the pizza, so start light with a salad of greens, artichokes and generous shavings of parmigiana. But onto the pizza: Commendations go to both the crust--crisped on the bottom with many interior air bubbles, like a less dense version of focaccia--and the cheese--so rich, it's hard to focus on…

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Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:: The rectangular-shaped pizza is ordered by the foot, and one foot easily feeds two. You can also order premade slices (to stay or to go) at the counter if you're in a hurry.
What to Drink:: There's more than 40 wines available by the glass, half or full bottle, plus six beers, including the Italian beers Moretti and Peroni.
Outdoor Seating:: In warm weather, the restaurant sets up a sidewalk cafe.

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User Reviews (24)

ambiance	94.44000244140625% positive	“There's a very comfortable vibe all around, and the staff is extremely friendly and attentive.” “Great atmosphere!” “Nothing beats sitting outdoors, or in their cozy but airy space on a nice autumn evening.” “hunger but bring peace back to this cozy LES treasure.” “The atmosphere reminds me of one of my favorite places in Italy, relaxed and a lot of good food.” “love the decor too and the matching with the wine.”
drinks	100.0% positive	“Tasty and the wine list is impressive.” “have visited Pala a few times and thoroughly enjoyed the simple menu, wonderful roman style pizzas, simple antipasti, great wines, wonderful italian waitstaff.” “Think excellent red wine served chilled with a slight bit of effervescence (and no, not the wine cooler type).” “In actuality, it's the beginning of some pretty amazing, fabulous, sold by the foot, mouth watering, gourmet, 9-12 types of organic flour, two-five days to rise, words can't even describe pizza/italian spot with the best wine I've ever had!” “love the decor too and the matching with the wine.”
food quality	92.77999877929688% positive	“this spot is really high quality and you can either stop for a fast slice of pizza or you can sit and have some delicious apetizer befor your pizza comes.” “Great pizza, decent value” “The atmosphere reminds me of one of my favorite places in Italy, relaxed and a lot of good food.” “Nothing would please me more to see this manager locked in a lion cage wearing Pala's delicious foods.” “If you have a large group the restaurant requires that you order food in advance--that makes perfect sense, but it was a bit tough making choices for 24 people a week before hand.” “FOOD: The fried calimari had a tasty, spicy coating, but the seafood itself was almost tough.” “Appetizer standouts were the meatballs and arancini and the salad with baby spinach, pears and gorgonzola was excellent.” “love the people that run this place and more importantly the food they make.” “The food was great, I reluctantly tried the all wheat pasta with tomato sauce (I was with friends and they wanted to have pizza and something else) and it was amazing.” “The pizza is amazing.” “We had the Zucca and fresh mozarella pizza.” “The thin slices of soppresetta on the inferno pizze were fresh and peppery, perhaps too much so.” “Everything is fresh, fresh, fresh.” “In actuality, it's the beginning of some pretty amazing, fabulous, sold by the foot, mouth watering, gourmet, 9-12 types of organic flour, two-five days to rise, words can't even describe pizza/italian spot with the best wine I've ever had!” “Some of the students who were less adventurous didn't like the pumpkin pizza, but most enjoyed all that they had.” “can't describe the overwhelming cravings I get now for their amazing zucca pizza, or the spinach salad.” “The price is good and the pizza is yummy.” “bite of this pizze reminded me of a delicious ham & cheese omelet on a thin slice of toast made from fine bread.” “The dollops of goat cheese on the zucchina pizze were fresh and flavorful, but the flavors of its other ingredients were not distinctive.” “have visited Pala a few times and thoroughly enjoyed the simple menu, wonderful roman style pizzas, simple antipasti, great wines, wonderful italian waitstaff.” “The appetizers were delicious and easy for sharing.” “They were extremely accomodating on every level and the food was delicious.” “P.S. Big ups to Edena and Gigio for taking three years to bring you the best pizza you're about to have!” “The zucca pizze was the outstanding dish of the evening.” “the service people now are very nice and the pizza it is to die for.” “just love their pizzas and is definately a hot spot.” “good pizza shops in New York City are as ubiquitous as Korean nail spots.” “Pizza was great, fresh high quality ingredients.” “this is the best pizza ever.” “Such a shame the food is SO good but the manager is SO nasty”
menu variety	100.0% positive	“have visited Pala a few times and thoroughly enjoyed the simple menu, wonderful roman style pizzas, simple antipasti, great wines, wonderful italian waitstaff.” “If you have a large group the restaurant requires that you order food in advance--that makes perfect sense, but it was a bit tough making choices for 24 people a week before hand.” “forget about the huge selection of very good italian vino which is very affordable.”
overall	100.0% positive	“Great staff, great service, enjoy this place!”
return potential	0.0% positive	“However my whole experience has been ruined by the female manager/owner who was so rude when we asked her a question that we felt as though we should not return.”
service	78.5699987411499% positive	“Nothing would please me more to see this manager locked in a lion cage wearing Pala's delicious foods.” “Great staff, great service, enjoy this place!” “Service was a bit slow, but still friendly.” “Add to that a friendly, attentive staff and you have yourself a win-win situation!” “If you have a large group the restaurant requires that you order food in advance--that makes perfect sense, but it was a bit tough making choices for 24 people a week before hand.” “There's a very comfortable vibe all around, and the staff is extremely friendly and attentive.” “and the staff always nice and friendly.” “However my whole experience has been ruined by the female manager/owner who was so rude when we asked her a question that we felt as though we should not return.” “the service people now are very nice and the pizza it is to die for.” “love the people that run this place and more importantly the food they make.” “The service was good.” “The staff was amazing and THE PIZZA tastes like a slice of Italy.” “Such a shame the food is SO good but the manager is SO nasty” “The manager, typical machissimo italian businessman, sat outside with his chef scowling and smoking -- an uncomfortable dining experience.”
value	100.0% positive	“The price is good and the pizza is yummy.” “It wasn't too pricey and it was definitely a unique taste that I haven't had before.” “forget about the huge selection of very good italian vino which is very affordable.” “Great pizza, decent value”
wait time	50.0% positive	“Service was a bit slow, but still friendly.”

05/16/11

Great Food for Vegans & Non-Vegans...that's it!

by belladiamondz

Pala has a whole vegan and non-vegan menu which makes it a great place for everyone. Their pizza is amazing!

Hands down best vegan pie I have ever had.

Their “Funghi & Salsiccia Pizza” is so tasty even non-vegan’s that dined with me loved it! Oh and they offer gluten free dough as well.

Now, I can't say enough how great the pizza is.

I must make a complaint…or two.

They tend to have a weird obsession with seating people right next to each other, despite the fact that the restaurant is empty. This has happened to me on several separate occasions wherein there was just a handful of customers and they will not allow you to be seated wherever you would like…instead they make sure to seat you right next to the only other table in the whole place. Oh and the tables are about 10 inches apart from one another.

My other complaint is I have dined here several times, within weeks to months apart and their bathroom is always dirty and very unkempt. Poorly maintained is a severe understatement. Since my first time dining here they still have yet to repair the lock on the door of the only restroom in the place. Never napkins or soap either.

My suggestion, take your pizza to go!

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01/11/10

The only pizza worth eating

by bea mcclam

There simply is no crust like the pizza crust at Palà's. None. I've had many pizzas over the years and this tops them all. As my 16 year old neighbor put it, after tasting a cold left over slice I had brought uptown with me, "it's ridiculous"...in his language this means "it's so good, it's just ridiculous...no words can describe it."

Pros: There is no other crust like it, and the toppings are superb
Cons: Did not discover any

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10/04/09

Pizza to die for?!

by apollon

pizza, home made pasta. gluten free food!!

yes I agree! last years manager was omg a mooonster, it's true, i remember her. But, she is not there any more thank god.. done! she get fired she's OUT. BRAVO! and the place once again is amazing. Gigio the chef and owner of Pala it is such great guy and great cook. as well the ther kitchen staff. the service people now are very nice and the pizza it is to die for. as well the antipasto, oh don't forget the deserters which are made all at Pala freshly almost every other day. YEAH!!!

i was there 3 times the past month.

Pros: the bestest pizza eeeever

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12/03/08

Wow!!!

by Gualterimalde

I have been to Pala` Pizza and had a great experience. The food was great, I reluctantly tried the all wheat pasta with tomato sauce (I was with friends and they wanted to have pizza and something else) and it was amazing. The pizzas are soooo different from anything you could find around... I loved the crust which, again is not common in NY. I found them also easily digestible. But the dessert was what surprised me the most.... over all a great find and the ambience was very interesting mix.

I loved it.

Pros: Food (and that's the most important thing), ambience, good energy
Cons: noisy

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09/22/08

Such a shame the food is SO good but the manager is SO nasty

by Nukemsu

I was so excited to take my friend out to Pala for his 25th birthday after all of the wonderful things I heard about. The food certainly lived up to my expectations and the outdoor ambience of the LES, provided by the open street front. gave the place a great energy. The mixed drinks were well prepared and the gnocchi was out of this world. The pizza is what this place is really known for and between The Inferno and the Cheese with Truffle oil I was in heaven.

Though don't be fooled...heaven and hell co-habitate in Pala. Never did I ever anticipate that my friends would be eating in one of the most tense and uncomfortable enviornments I have ever experienced in my 6 years of New York City dining. Simply put...the manager was a MONSTER. She treated her staff worse than a mix between Cruella DeVille and Cinderella's stepmother...barking at them in front of customers, threatening their jobs, and huffing and puffing around the establishment. This shocked my friends and I considering we watched her act like Dinah Lohan getting herself privately drunk at the corner bar where she hid out taking drink after drink after drink.

Upon further exploration the waitstaff told horror stories that made Anna Wintour look like Mother Teresa. This manager's attitude played such an awful part in our experience that we spent the rest of the evening coming up with different ways that we could tell her off. Unfortunately, we lost track of how good the actual place was because of the evil creature running it. As a result I DO NOT RECOMMEND Pala if you are looking for a place to eat in comfort but rather if you embrace cruelty and heightened tension. Nothing would please me more to see this manager locked in a lion cage wearing Pala's delicious foods...not only would it satiate the lions? hunger but bring peace back to this cozy LES treasure.

Pala

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What People Are Saying About Pala

Erin Behan

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Editor's Tips

05/16/11

Great Food for Vegans & Non-Vegans...that's it!

by belladiamondz

01/11/10

The only pizza worth eating

by bea mcclam

10/04/09

Pizza to die for?!

by apollon

12/03/08

Wow!!!

by Gualterimalde

09/22/08

Such a shame the food is SO good but the manager is SO nasty

by Nukemsu

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