Eating at Di Fara Pizza. Brooklyn. OVERRATED or the BEST Pizza in NYC?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 มิ.ย. 2022
- I eat and review the original Di Fara Pizza in Midwood, Brooklyn. I decide if this legendary pizza restaurant is overrated or is truly one of the best in New York City. For years, the establishment has ranked among the most notable pizza spots in the country and remains a destination restaurant for pizza aficionados.
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I live in NYC and I’m about food, travel and work.
Hey Andrew, I always enjoy your well made videos. You seem to be one of the kindest people in the world, answering to all of your comments writing nice stuff. The atmosphere you create in your videos is peaceful, the food you destroy is always delicious. Keep up with your inspiring work, I wish you all the best of luck. Totally random: I have no more teeth, they had to be removed not long ago...and eating something crunchy with my prothesis is apretty big pin in the ...mouth XD. I will keep Pizzas like yours in good memory though.
Thank you so much for the kind words! Reading it makes me very happy! I really appreciate it! Yeah, I can figure that not being easy, but thankfully there's a lot of wonderful non-crunchy food in this world.
Gosh, I love this channel. You make us feel we're journeying alongside!
Thank you! I really try to showcase my overall experience, not just how the food tasted.
Thank you for sharing again one more to go in my pocket list🍕🍕 bucket list
Thanks for watching!
Nice! Been waiting for this one
Thank you! I appreciate it!
I love every family owned restaurant. The quality is 100% guaranteed and they serve foods with love.
Indeed! I really like supporting family owned businesses!
Thanks for the videos James!
Thanks for watching!
thank you for taking us on another culinary adventure. too bad about the brand taking a turn.. glad you had a good experience ish
Thank you! I still enjoyed everything, but sometimes things don't always come out 100%.
Love this honest review, you didnt let other reviews cloud your own…thanks!
Thanks for watching! I appreciate it!
When I saw you pull that slice out I knew it wasn’t right. Dom did it best! Give his family another shot
Absolutely! I really want to go back. Plus, I still have to try the square slices. Yeah, even the best restaurants can make mistakes. I was just unlucky, but still, I mostly enjoyed the pizza.
What a great, honest summation of the pizza at the original DiFara! I've visited 5 times and had one bad experience. Not sure why the consistency suffers at times, perhaps it's because most of the attention has been diverted to the new Staten Island location. But even before the new location, I've had a bad pie...the oven is hard to manage I heard...and Dom Jr. is only there twice a week...
Thank you! I think I just got unlucky. It was still very good, but not exactly perfect. I did go when it just opened for the day. I wonder if the oven was up to its full temperature, but either way I definitely want to go back. And I have to try the square slices.
I am going to go tomorrow, I really hope the under carriage is done enough. The inconsistency worries me.
@@jayden7306 Awesome! I hope you enjoy it! Even with the pale under carriage I had, the combination of cheese, sauce and basil still made it a very enjoyable pizza.
@@jayden7306 I know what you mean, but it's mostly great. Go on Tuesdays and Sundays when Dom Jr. is working there. Although, it's usually good.
The music when you taking the first bite out of that pizza. 😂😂😂 nice choice of music hahaha
Thank you! I wanted to make it seem epic, haha!
This is exactly my experience. I’ve been to Di Fara twice. The first time Don’s son and daughter were working and it was the best pizza I’ve ever had. The second time was somebody different and they weren’t there. I was very disappointed in the pizza. The last time I visited New York I sadly didn’t go because of the chance that the Dom’s children weren’t there and I’d have travel so deep into Brooklyn for average at best pizza.
That's unfortunate. Consistency seems to be the biggest problem at Di Fara. I hope they become more reliable, because you're right. It's very far to go for pizza, especially when it can be pretty costly.
Great to see you do honest reviews on food
Thanks. I don't like bashing any restaurant, but it's always important to showcase how I actually feel about a place.
For someone moving to Astoria next week, defiantly have so many recommendations thanks to your channel.
Thanks! That makes me happy to hear! I hope you enjoy Astoria, it's a great neighborhood!
Try Rosa’s in Ridgewood if you want taste-test a really good slice.
Great review James, my personal favorite is Angelo’s coal fire pizza in the city. Thanks for saving me a trip to Brooklyn lol.
Thank you! It was still good pizza, but it could've been better. I definitely have to check out Angelo's sometime.
try ralphs pizza in nutley newjersey always cooked to perfection
@@mikejohn7273 Thanks for the recommendation! I'll have to check it out!
Thanks for always providing such detailed, honest reviews! The crust is a big deal to me and I don't want to take a chance on it being pale at the bottom and undone (by my standards) if the quality (of the crust) is inconsistent.
Thanks for watching! I agree, the crust can make or break a pizza.
Shows what a legend Dom was. Pizza making is an art. I've seen a lot of variances between the pies which is a shame.
Absolutely! I envy those that got pies made from the legend himself.
Had the best works pizza of my life there when Dom was still around, haven’t been back since
Nice! Dom was certainly a legend!
Glad I came across an older vid. I've honestly never eaten here, but I remember when Dom passed. I lived in Dyker Heights for a bit, but between there and Bay Ridge, there was plenty of good pizza. Now, back in Queens, there's still many great options. I regret not going before his passing, but unless I'm in the area, I doubt I'd take the pilgrimage.
Yeah, I'm really envious of those that were served pizza from the legend himself! I would definitely wait if Dom was making the pies. Indeed, there are so many other great pizza restaurants these days and the original Di Fara is pretty out of the way.
That looks like a pretty solid slice right there! Totally with you though -- we like some crisp on the bottom and that did look a bit pale.
I'm definitely a fan of a nice crisp to a pizza, but there was also a lot to love about other aspects of the pizza as well!
This is my local supway stop. Use to be a great pizza place till around 1999-2004 when a bunch of new york times articles came out. Boom the owner started raising the price like crazy and the lines got long. 😢
That's a shame.
*subway
It’s probably not the best pizza I’ve also tasted as well, but it’s certainly up there with the best.Great video and keep up the good work.
Thank you! Yeah, it's still really good pizza and I'm glad I got to final try it. I've been wanting to go there for awhile now.
Rest in peace James. You will be missed you got me through hard times.
I'm still here. The pizza wasn't that bad.
Love your videos
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
I just drove an hour and a half to try a pie I have been dreaming of for a few years now ,I was happy that they squeezed in the last pie of the night for me at 8:00Pm, I was able to sit inside at one of the few tables they have there and after a few minutes of it cooling down I proceeded to take a few bites and with no bias from other pizza reviews I scored it a disappointing 6, there was nothing special about the taste and was actually quite bland, I crossed of this spot from my bucket list and hopefully better luck at the next location
I'm sorry to hear that. Yeah, I've found the quality of Di Fara to really vary since I first tried it. Even when the pizza was good, I still think that there are many other better spots in NYC.
Went to NYC in June and tried six of the most top rated pizza joints in the city. Di Fara was my favorite and it wasn't even close.
I'm glad that you liked it!
Love your videos. Next time get a bottle of red wine 🍷 housed in brown paper bag.
Thank you so much! Haha! That's a good idea! You can't beat a good pizza paired with a bottle of red!
Looks your videos James
Keep them coming
Thank you! For sure!
Nice review!
Thanks! I appreciate it!
Appreciate the recent review!
Growing up in Brooklyn, I had the luxury of going to Di Fara many times in my youth. The last time I went was when they reopened during the pandemic and Dom was still there!
I would always recommend Di Fara any time a friend from an outer-borough visited BK for the first time, and wanted to do something unique.
Funnily enough, out of all the times in my youth that I went, the 1 inconsistent time was when his kids helped lol. They’ve gotten much better since then but sucks to hear from others whenever they get an inconsistent experience that does not live up to the hype. Lately I’ve also become quite apprehensive to unconsciously recommend Di Fara, especially at the price point, wait time, and inconsistent taste/texture.
I hope things improve back to the point where 2 hr waits were worth it lol. Otherwise, it may be great for a neighborhood pie but a miserable experience for everyone else.
I envy that you got to go when Dom was there. He was a true legend! Yeah, I hope things get better with Di Fara. I still enjoyed the pizza, but I expected a bit more for $30.
coming to the cruise port area in July. Where's the best pizza spot nearby?
Awesome! Corner Slice is pretty good, but if you're up for walking a bit more I would recommend Pizza Suprema.
Sucks that you had a bad experience. I’ve been there several times and I still feel like it’s in the top 3 in terms of pizza spots in NYC. I always ask for my slices to be cooked well-done, no matter where I go. Their slices are always crispy and well-charred when I ask for it well-done. Just a suggestion to avoid slices being undercooked or floppy.
Thanks! Yeah, that's a good suggestion and one that I'll remember for my next visit. Even the best restaurants make mistakes sometimes. It was still pretty good pizza and a great experience to visit such a legendary establishment.
for those of us that grew up in that area and know pizza there are tons of great pizza places and not limited to a famous one that costs double of many other shops. 30 bucks for a plain margherita pie is absurd.
Indeed, I think the price has also risen since I made this video too.
Great review with excellent production quality. It seems like your pizza was like the time a meet my movie crush in person. She was sexy but I could see the flaws close up.
Haha! Thank you and great comparison!
So sorry you had to rake pie to go so much better right out of the oven love your videos
It happens sometimes. Thank you so much!!
30 dollars is a lot. Some people have referred to the crispy spots on the bottom of a pizza as 'leopard' crust.
Absolutely! Yes, I've also heard about the spots being referred to as "leoparding."
I dont know how you did those cut aways and reposition the camera! LOL
Haha! I did a lot of running around to set the camera up in this video.
My guess is that the deck needed to be recharged. Not giving enough time to maintain the heat mass. When Dom made the pies, he took his time.
That could be. I really envy everyone that got to eat a pie from Dom!
I'm from Bensonhurst Brooklyn born and raised I was born in 1987 and I've had plenty of pies made by Dom(rip) his son dom jr makes one just a good as his dad so does his daughter but there only there 2 days a week there both busy with other locations ect and having been going here my whole life dom knew how ti manage the oven because that oven can be fickle the waits could be brutal because dom was a master he took his time and if the oven was acting up he knew where was best to cook in it which could make the wait even longer but totally worth it id guess if you go back another time you'll get that crisp on the underside of the pie u were missing this time
Yeah, I really envy those who got a pie made by the legend himself. I think I just had a bit of bad luck. It happens and I still enjoyed my pizza, but I will definitely be going again. I especially want to try the square pie.
I used to eat there back in the 1970s
I lived only a few blocks away
Nice!
I’ll say it now this is why Sally’s is the best in the world to me hands down. It’s the most consistent pizza place in the world!!!! Always phenomenal
I really enjoyed Sally's when I had it! I hope to try it again soon!
@@Jamesnu 👍 have you done johns of bleecker on your channel?
@@alpo2567 I have, back in 2020. John's is still my favorite pizza in NYC.
@@Jamesnu same!
I need to revisit. On my last visit, the video got written over :(
That's unfortunate! Yeah, I really want to go back too sometime to try the square pizza.
@@Jamesnu that was what was deleted :( I have some footage from the phone, but the camera had better broll and a roll
@@NoahEats That's unfortunate. Losing footage or photos is one of my worst nightmares.
It's good, maybe not $5 a slice good. Since you're an Astoria guy, Rizzo's on Steinway is one of my favorites
I've been to Rizzo's a few times and enjoyed it. It's definitely a good spot in the neighborhood!
You should come to napoli pizza in Astoria QUEENS simply the best pizza 35th Ave 33rd street you should give it a try
I keep meaning to try it, but I'll definitely get around to it!
That is a fine example of what pizza should be, can you ask for a little extra color on the bottom?, Without Dom it's not looking good
Yeah, I'm envious of those that got to eat a pizza from the legend himself. He's certainly missed.
When dom made the pizza, the pizza was the best. Wasn’t a fan when the kids made the pizza though due to inconsistency. Been going there since late 80s.
Dom was an absolute legend! I'm envious of those that got to eat a pizza from the master himself!
Ate there for a private 3 hour party. Anytyhing we wanted & Dom made everything... He made us Calzones too...
I'm envious! That sounds amazing!
DiFara = Best pizza in Brooklyn
John's of Bleeker = Best pizza in NYC
John's of Bleecker Street is one of my favorites.
Yep, definitely better when Dom did all of the cooking. I had a nice conversation with him about 6 years ago. He used the same ovens that he used in the 1960's when he opened the place. I thought it looked way over cooked when I got my first taste of Di Fara pizza. It had a lot of charcoal on it and I thought, this is going to be bitter but I was completely wrong. By some strange miracle, what looked like a burned pizza was absolutely perfect. The flavor is still there even though Dom isn't making the pizza but you're right, the cooking is inconsistent and the pies just don't look same as when Dom made them. I guess some things just can't be passed down.
I envy you getting pizza from the legend himself. He's definitely missed.
you ate the whole pie?
Yep! It's very light and thin so it wasn't too difficult to take down the whole pizza.
@@Jamesnu nice, im diabetic so that is off limits for me,,,,torture temptation ,,thanks btw for great video
@@JOHNNIEUSA Thanks for watching!
It's too bad it wasn't a perfect pizza, but at least you were able to find a bench to eat it on!
Finding benches is one of my talents!
Definitely have to go there. I haven't been impressed by any NY pizza yet.
I miss the NY pizza haven't had anything even remotely close anywhere else 😕
@@adrukova1407 I'm from CT so I have new Haven pizza
It's worth trying, but the expensive price tag is probably the worst part about it.
Looks like you got screwed. The undercooked bottom resembles the pie that we got. Good sauce for sure, but there's no excuse for this misshapen, yellow and partially burnt on top pizza. It's almost like they saw their great reviews and it went straight to their heads. Lots of bad reviews cropping up more and more.
Yeah, I know what you mean. The restaurant no doubt played an important part in the NYC pizza scene, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it today.
Try out Zazzy's on west 11th street/7th avenue and let me know what you think
Thanks for the recommendation! I'll try it out sometime!
I was trying to find a quick spot for lunch today and I remembered your recommendation of Zazzy's so I gave it a try. I enjoyed it! It was definitely some solid pizza! Thanks for the suggestion!
@@Jamesnu amazing that's awesome. You're welcome. Told you it was fantastic. Glad you enjoyed it. I have yet to try out the vodka pesto slice.
@@FoodMaster64 That's one of the slices I had today. It was really good!
zazzys is very ggod
I was fortunate to have a pizza made by Dom Demarco and it was phenomenal. Lucali though is more consistent.
Nice! I envy that experience! Dom is a legend! I've only been to Lucali once, but loved their pizza!
@@Jamesnu Difara and Lucali inspired me to start making my own pizza from scratch back in 2018. Today I have a pizza popup.
@@aeofilmsinc.9768 That's awesome!
It's always good, but when it's excellent... it is fucking excellent. The pepperoni is my fave ;)
Yeah, I definitely want to try a pie with toppings the next time!
Yeah it shouldnt fold like that when u pick it up. But over all looks ok.
Exactly! I still really enjoyed it, but it wasn't perfect.
I didn’t get to meet “The Man” RIP, but I will get to Di Fara’s💪🏾 .
I envy those that got to eat a pizza made by Dom himself!
@@Jamesnu I was watching the pizza show and I was wondering if it was still open. But it’s like a landmark so it won’t go anywhere.
@@cecilharris1156 Thankfully it's still open, but I don't believe the indoor dining section has reopened since the pandemic started, which makes getting pizza there more difficult.
@@Jamesnu I would sit on the side or the stoop and eat the whole pie. Just post up right there 👍🏾
@@cecilharris1156 That's the way to do it! The only bad thing is when winter comes and eating outside isn't as easy, but still, I would go to great lengths to eat this pizza too!
Thnx. Looked like no char and a little floppy.
Yeah, even though the flavor was good, the pizza had some problems.
I personally like Di Faras & Krispy the most…IMO That whole southern end of Brooklyn has the best NY Pizza. I find Joes, Scarrs, Bleeker St all overrated
Fair enough. Indeed, there is some really incredible pizza in the southern part of Brooklyn! I've got to get out there more often.
Di Fara is the best pizza I've ever had. So good.
It's been around all of these years for a reason. It's great pizza indeed!
Thats a bona fide awesome pizzeria. It used to be mostly locals there and became the most famous pizzeria in NYC.
There still seems to be a lot of locals that frequent it, but also a lot of pizza fans like me who make a sort of pilgrimage to try it. Di Fara is iconic!
@@Jamesnu DiFara inspired places like Lucali Artichoke Basile and Pizzeria Beddia, it was one of the first pizza shops to use premium ingredients.
@@user-or6yn8pm3c Absolutely! It's influence extends all over New York and beyond while raising the standard for pizza.
@@Jamesnu The same family owns DiFara since it opened in the 1960s. Thats pretty stunning for a small business in NYC to be open that long let alone have the same owner.
@@user-or6yn8pm3c Absolutely!
I went there TODAY and bought a regular Sicilian Pie for................ wait for it................$34.
The place is a friggin' dive. A real hole. Now you might say, " I don't care because I'm taking it out. My reasoning is, if it looks like sh!t on the inside/outside then God knows what it looks like where the food is kept.
The crust was NOT crunchy/crisp but more like biting into cardboard. The sauce was so-so. The mozzarella was so-so. Essentially it was a WASTE of $34. I came here as a kid in the 70's /80's and I remember it being very good. I'm f'ing DISGUSTED. Disgraziara!
That's a shame. I didn't mention in the video that this restaurant had some health code violations in the past. I've never been to the old Di Fara when Dom was around, but from what it sounds like, this place has really gone down hill.
I know their pizzas are supposed to look imperfect and not round but something just looked off with that one. It was too inconsistent, the crust was missing on the one side, and it wasn't cooked like it should have been. Honestly I am sure if the owners saw this they would be disappointed and want a chance to redeem themselves. The pizza also looked cold which lets be honest, if you are going to make a pilgrimage all the way to Di Fara you gotta eat it fresh out of the oven.
The pizza was still enjoyable, but it definitely wasn't perfect. I started eating it maybe 5 minutes or so after I got it. It just wasn't cooked properly. When it comes down to it, I feel like the owners need to do a better job to instill quality control with their staff.
The pizza is not the same anymore. It was very good when Dom made the pies. It has gone downhill since.
I really wish I had a chance to see him at the restaurant and eat one of his pies.
@@Jamesnu If you are back in Brooklyn, try Luigi’s on 5th Ave next to the cemetery. Very good pizza and it has the old school Di Fara’s vibe.
@@MrNphillips22 Thanks for the recommendation! Yeah, I've heard a lot of great stuff about Luigi's and I hope to visit soon!
I really hate to say this, but that place seems to have gone downhill since Dom passed.... and not just the pizza quality. Unfortunately, this happens too often in famous family-owned businesses. When the long-time founder and maestro passes, things just aren't quite the same anymore. Things slide downhill little by little. It's overlooking the small details that once made it very special. Even if it's just one detail that's overlooked like the bottom crust...it can easily dampen the entire experience. Even before you took the first bite, it didn't quite look like it used to before when Dom made it. Do you think if Dom had cooked that same pizza, the undercarriage would've looked like that? No way in hell he would've sent a pizza out of his shop looking like that! He took deep pride in every single pie he put in the oven and he made sure each one came out perfect. Every little detail mattered to him. Hey, I'm sure it's still really good pizza, but for thirty bucks?? Hmm....with so many great pizza shops in NYC, it's not such a easy slam-dunk recommend place anymore.
Well said! I completely agree. It's a shame, but it happens and I feel like Di Fara has seen better days.
Unfortunately Di Fara hasn’t been the same in many years. It was for me at one point many years ago in the early 2000s was the best slice back when Dom was running the show full time. I’ve been many times over the years and the quality has suffered greatly as the time has gone on and haven’t felt the need to go back again. When Dom was creating these pies it was different, even if it’s the same recipe he just seemed to care more about providing an exceptional product. Guess I’ll cherish the times when you could sit inside, order your pie, and watch the master take his time perfecting every pie that came out of oven. Sad it doesn’t look the same like I’ve had years ago. RIP Dom
That's unfortunate. I wish I would've gotten the chance to see the legend himself at least once. RIP Dom.
Margareta was their famous slice pre internet days.
Quality has fallen off greatly from a decade ago.
That's a shame.
@@Jamesnu how it often plays out when a place gets famous, increased traffic flow comes at the direct cost of quality.
@@theboringchannel2027 Indeed!
Have you been to Rubirosa
I have. I really like Rubirosa! They serve my ideal style of pizza, nice and thin, but with a good crisp and quality ingredients.
Lol in nyc we stand and eat our pizza.
I would've done that if necessary, but I wouldn't have been able to film this video.
It don’t look that nice
That would have never happened if don was. Still there
Yeah, he really is missed.
If you sell a pizza like that here in italy you go to jail.
Haha! I really enjoyed the pizza when I went to Italy! I hope to go back soon!
James, Let me give you...5 Michelín stars. Thanks for your videos..
Haha! Thank you!
An undercooked bottom. A hard pass.
It didn't completely ruin the pizza, but it could've been a lot better.
their pizza fell off a little imo... ever since the old guy Dom died... well ever since he stopped making the pies... it's still good, just was better. It's all about the pizza maker.
That's exactly what I hear from most. I really envy those that got to eat a pie from Dom, the legend himself!
$30? What a scam.
It's so expensive. You can definitely get great pizza in NYC for so much less.
Are we just going to ignore how this guy eats a slice of pie?
di fara is the best in the world. i had them twice with Dom making my pies.
I'm envious that you got pies made by the legend himself! That's awesome!
@@Jamesnu it was even better than pizzas in Italy. its true that even cold, they were delicious. thanks for the video.
@@eroskaw5423 Thanks for watching!
Lol. Ate the whole pie then complained. Ate your words.
I meant what I said, it was still good, but it did have flaws. It wasn't Di Fara at its best and when I pay $30 for a plain pizza, I expect more.
Looks like chef boyardi
Poorly shaped, under fermented and not cooked on the bottom. Basically it wasn't made with love.
Indeed! It felt like it was rushed.
Might still be delicious, but to me, your pizza was underdone. Everytime I saw Mr. DiFara make one, it was much darker, and in my opinion, the way a great pizza should be made.
Underneath has absolutely no color. I think you got the classic, "get the customer out of here so we can throw another one in the oven", pie. Not cool.
For 30 bucks, a pizza should be perfect.
Indeed, the pizza was underdone for sure, but the cheese had nice color. I'm thinking that the oven just wasn't hot enough. It was still good, but you're right, for 30 dollars, it should be perfect.
That pizza looks like trash. I cringed when he opened the box. Then when he lifted up the slice…floppy mess
No way I'm eating a pizza that is not cooked on the bottom. Must have some black on the bottom. BOO!!!!!!!!!!! I rather spend my $ at Johns on Bleeker st NYC
I know what you mean.
Wanting to try for years
An hour and 20 minutes away
Its cold old every winter
Hmmm. Hard to take your opinion seriously when u over exagerate and are lazy about trying a "legendary " place
Well considering that when I made the video that I only had been living in NYC for a couple of years, which took place during a pandemic, and the restaurant was subsequently closed for indoor dining, that's not being lazy, that's dealing with the situation.
Definitely overrated, especially for a common type of food that has much competition with its businesses and for a run-down looking place. And garbage in front of the store?!!! Not clean! Super overrated!
I didn't mention it in the video, but the place has been closed by the health department a number of times.
I've seen better looking pizza for sure.
Exactly! At the same time, the flavor is the most important aspect of a pizza to me.
Dude this looks horrible
The spot has definitely made better pizzas than what I got.
MEGA OVERRATED
I liked Di Fara, but I definitely think that there are better pizza places in NYC.
You must like drugs then
Unsubbed, guy eats a cheese pizza and pontificates about it like it changed his life... ridiculous.
I'm sorry to hear that. I'm simply passionate about pizza and food.
I went once, not sure who was in there or who made it. But that thing was so overrated it wasn't funny.
It wasn't even as good as my regular non special local slices.
Yeah, I think the restaurant gets more credit than it deserves.