Bruno for... Pizza!

$$, East Village, NY.

Photo Credit: Bloomberg

It's late summer, the City is getting busy again and the weather is cooling down.
It feels good to be here, right now recollecting and remembering little stolen memories from the holidays...
And how about our recent Vacanze Romane?!?! Where pizza was the undiscussed queen of the nights and a feast for soul and body ( well... maybe less for the body...)?
Back in the Big Apple we were definitely missing our blushing red pie and so we had an idea... how about trying ten, twenty, thirty different restaurants featuring pizzas and choose the best, the very best one, the one that, eyes closed, could send us back to Italy, to Roma, Citta' Eterna? And so... we did! 
Bruno was the final verdict.
Bruno is a small, sweet, intimate restaurant. Seats are few and quiet spartan. The design of the space might look frugal at first sight, but it is a curated urban and underground vibe that gives charm to the place ... expect banquette and beautifully distressed white plywood seats as well as minimalist tables, exposed white bricks and high stools at the bar as option for the counter-lovers. 
Are you going to seat in a plush, glorious couch? No.
Are you going to lounge as the king after the royal banquet? No.
But ( and it's A LOT for a relatively new, young, little restaurant) you will eat from China especially made and designed for this gem of a space. Graffiti, urban vehicles of all kinds ( little boys will eat anything, even vegetables in order to discover the magic image depicted underneath their food) and symbols of New York are the delectable pictures that decorate your plates.
In addition the restaurant is one of the few in New York that proud itself to pay (well) its own staff and no tip is required. Thank you Bruno!
But let's go back to the real deal here... Miss Margherita...
Bruno's menu highlights different interesting plates. Pizza is featured in all its glory and declinations. Don't take us wrong... you won't have the choice between thousands of names and toppings. You will find just the right amount of  concoctions to look into. 
Combinations are refreshing, creative, beautifully palatable. Ingredients of excellent quality are sourced with passion and knowledge by the chef Phil Marokus.
It's truly tempting to try all the different flavors your stomach can take, but sometimes less is more and simple things are the better surprises. Try the Margherita, the most plain and "reserved" of the pies. She will be your queen for long time to come...!
With its homemade flour ( made from whet berries grown Upstate), homemade fermented red tomatoes, homemade mozzarella ( succulent, milky and luscious, you will feel like the star of a Fellini movie while eating) and incredibly fragrant lovage, this classic Margherita is a revelation to itself. Try to believe!
Bruno, we will be back!

Children at Bruno: Little princes and princesses are welcome here. As usual Politeness wins the confidence of princes.
 

Bruno is located at 204 East 13th Street New York, NY 10003