Tasty-Ass Slices of the Ivy League: Koronets, and Other Columbia Pizza Places
Welcome to the second installment of our guide to Ivy pizza (we've already done this with sandwiches and drinks). In our first installment, we reviewed the pizza at Harvard. I know, I'm also skeptical Boston has good food. But let's table that for a moment and focus on today's post: The Slice at Columbia. Reviewing Columbia's pizza is complicated by the university's location. In New York, good pizza, great pizza, abounds. But it's not to be found in Morningside Heights (try Nino's in Bay Ridge, or Grimaldis in DUMBO, or anywhere in Bensonhurst). Regardless, there is a pizza hierarchy at the school Law and Order keeps calling Hudson University.
1. Koronets: You may know Koronets as the place with the gigantic slices of pizza. For around $3.00, you get a slice the size of two normal slices. It's freaking huge. It's also gooey, greasy, and wonderfully moist. Koronets is great when you're drunk but it's a decadent delight when you're sober. The next time you're walking on Broadway and wanna grab lunch? Fuck Chipotle. Go to the place with the large pizza slices.
2. Famiglia's: Decent but overpriced (average one-topping slice will run you $3.25), Famiglia's offers a wide variety of slices and toppings. If you want a slice of Hawaiian, this is where you go. Famiglia's is also the option most like a real pizzeria: the decor is closely modeled after that of an authentic pizzeria and the kitchen dishes up hearty favorites like lasagna and baked ziti. In short, Famiglia's is a good but pricey fake.
After the jump, Pinnacle, Papa Johns, V&Ts.
3. Pinnacle, Meat Lovers Slice: Pinnacle should be at the bottom of this list. The pizza is sometimes hard and tastes like it may have been frozen. But Pinnacle has the slice that stole my heart. The Meat Lovers slice is a meal. It's a normal slice piled high with pepperoni, canadian ham, sausage, and other meat products. It's all held in place by that elastic white cheese used to fasten toppings onto pizza. If you like a lot of meat and cheese for under $5, this slice is for you (Editor's Note: Pinnacle's also has good soup and is open nearly 24 hours).
4. Papa John's: Sure, Papa John's is delivery. But, honestly, it's better than a lot of the "real" pizza places out there. And garlic dip? A thing of beauty.
5. V&Ts: A neighborhood mainstay, V&Ts comes last. Why? Because the pizza kind of sucks. The cheese is runny. The dough is soggy. It's a flimsy product. Why does V&Ts persevere (it's been in business for a shockingly long time-- maybe decades)? Because going to V&Ts is fun. The ambience is chummy but also romantic. Great for outings with your bros or a second date (with your bros?). Even the crummy pizza becomes delicious, somehow.
And so concludes another chapter of "Tasty-Ass Slices." Feel free to write in and strenuously object to my opinions/inform me I have overlooked an amazing pizza spot.
Editor's Note: The Cinna Swirl at Papa John's is as goo as it looks. I will also be extremely overweight and unbelievably content if I ever live too close to any of these spots.
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April 28th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
More like tasty ass-slices amirite? lolol
But seriously, Pinnacle baked ziti pizza is a party in my mouth. Also, Koronets tastes like ass.
April 28th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Uh, Che Bella much, Dan? Easily the best pizza in the neighborhood – Also the only pizza place in Morningside with halfway decent garlic knots.
April 28th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Two excellent comments before mine – Baked ziti pizza = A+, as do Che Bella’s garlic knots.
Koronet really steals the show though.
April 29th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
papa johns?? whaaat
you might as well talk about pizza hut in times square or domino’s which is closer to columbia, anyways. Pinnacle’s veggie and/or meat pizza is great but their ziti pizza is easily the best deal… 3 ish for a slice piled an inch up with ziti and melty cheese. it is a meal. agree with cc10.
also, you forgot lombardi’s if you consider more stuff south of the UWS.
and why pizza, anyways? pizza is ONLY a drunk food to me, and many columbians.
April 29th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
also, the new pizza oven at strokos is turning out some excellent slices. the plain kicks the shit out of anything near the quad (pinnacle i’m looking at you) and the hawaiian is to die for (if a bit pricey)
April 29th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
can’t believe you didn’t actually mention the best pizza on the heights which is served at Sezz Medi. Wood-fired real Italian style pizzas. Super delicious. But in terms of New York style pizza really Koronet is the only good one. The rest are rubbish and the fact that some Middle America crap like Papa John’s even is on the list makes me question your ability at discerning good from bad.
April 30th, 2009 at 12:05 am
I couldn’t disagree more. All of Pinnacle’s offerings are acceptable verging on mildly pleasant; V&T’s offers some of the best pizza I’ve had in a long time.
April 30th, 2009 at 9:18 am
WHAT ABOUT SAL & CARMINE’S??
Also, Zitipizza at Pinnacle was my drunken mainstay
April 30th, 2009 at 10:57 am
And what about SliceBun? It’s $1/slice!
Also, Koronet is $3.25/slice this year.
May 1st, 2009 at 8:26 am
You really need to include Sal & Carmines on 102nd and Broadway. It’s been around since 1965, the place is always filled with Columbia students and professors.
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:32 am
“The next time you’re walking on Broadway and wanna grab lunch? Fuck Chipotle. Go to the place with the large pizza slices.”
Seriously? That you’d even consider a chain fast-food place as an option devalues your opinion on food significantly.
May 3rd, 2009 at 3:03 am
… I’m guessing papa johns is ad revenue. It’s the only reasonable explanation.
May 6th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
you didn’t even give mention to pinnacle’s bake ziti pizza, which is possibly God’s greatest gift to mankind.
May 26th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Wow, if you like Koronet then go for it. At 1pm in the middle of the week watching a roach walking across a pie in the case said nope this is not for me and I’ll never be back. I’m not a peta supporter but if you like extra protein at no extra charge Koronet gives you a giant slice more.