Bruno Pizza is quite an interesting place in many ways: first of all, they mill their flour that had a whole grain color and taste, and then, their pizzas are not your classic pies. They may look like it, but they have a twist, like the standard margherita made with fermented tomatoes. Another particularity of this place is that prices include tip, providing I guess a fair compensation to all staff, following the path of Chefs like Danny Meyer.

I was there with my friends from Tabelog, the largest community of foodies in Japan that is already making its mark in the US, as well as Jean, a food connoisseur who has an amazing Instagram account. We ended up in this rustic decor that was brightened by enough light so we could see what we were eating, a rarity these days. And I should mention the noise level that was perfect, so we could entertain a nice conversation mainly focused on food...

We had a feast that was definitely dominated by the pizza made in their wood fire oven, giving them a nice char and a bit of crispness.

Wood fire oven at Bruno Pizza in the East Village

The pizzas were thin crust with inflated sides, similar to a Neapolitan one. We tried:

The Early spring greens (my least favorite, missing some sauce and thus dry), made with Dorset, onion soubise, arugula and pecorino cheese. It looked like a pizza perfect for people who want to have the impression they are eating healthy, although they are still eating a pizza!

The meatball (my favorite), made with amatriciana, cacciocavalo, cipollini, Calabrian chili. This was delicious, especially the sauce that was very good and is what often makes the difference between pizzas.

The Finocchiona, made with fennel sausage, almond romesco sauce, shisito peppers, bernie (cheese with a texture close to cheddar).

After the pizza, we tried couple of appetizers:

Fluke crudo with aguachile, red onion, avocado spuma and radish. Light and refreshing dish with a nice acidity.

Fluke crudo at Bruno Pizza in the East Village

Razor clam casino, served with smokey mountain bacon, breadcrumbs and an "ocean herbal" broth. That was very good and I loved that they proposed razor clams rather than clams, mussels or oysters for this, making it a bit unique. It was also beautifully presented, with amazing colors.

The last appetizer was the Long Island squid that was made with black garlic, treviso, olives and pine nuts. Another beautiful presentation. The squid was perfectly cooked and not rubbery at all.

Long Island squid at Bruno Pizza in the East Village

The last dishes we tried were pasta. The first pasta dish was the bucatini cache e pepe, that was just ok, being a bit dry.

Bucatini cacio e pepe at Bruno Pizza in the East Village

And the second dish was the squid ink tonnarelli, served in a spicy tomato sauce that I did not like...

To accompany our meal, we went for a bottle (or two) of Foradori, Teroldego 2013 from Italy. They have a nice selection of wine there, with lots from Italy, as well as an impressive beer list.

Foradori, Teroldego 2013 Italian wine at Bruno Pizza in the East Village

I had a nice time at Bruno Pizza: good company and the food was for the most part good. I would pass on the pasta for sure. But know that Bruno Pizza offers a very creative menu and could be the place for you if you are looking for that. On my side, I would stick with classic Neapolitan pizza places like Luzzo's or Motorino that are not too far from there.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Bruno Pizza

I Just Want To Eat!