Motorino
I’ve been to A LOT of pizza places in my life, from Hong Kong to Paris to NY to LA. Many are good, but not many are excellent. I’m a sucker for an outstanding slice, and of all the places I’ve tried, Motorino is my favorite. The restaurant specializes in Neapolitan pizza – thin and crispy, with a fluffy crust and just the right amount of char.
Equipment is the secret
You can have the best ingredients, but if you don’t have the right equipment to cook them in, the pizza will fall flat. This is where Motorino shines. They utilize a wood-burning pizza oven made by Stefano Ferrara, whose family has been making them for over 100 years. These things are the best of the best (and they should be, given the price tag). They start around $10,000 but can easily reach over $25,000. Motorino’s ovens are about ~$17,000 each. Enough said.
Worldwide approval
Motorino has three locations in NYC, as well as locations in the following international cities: Hong Kong, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Manilla. I’ve been to all three in NY as well as the Hong Kong location, and they’re all remarkably consistent. My favorite is the East Village location, but that’s only because I love The Village.
Highly recommended:
As always, I’ll outline my favorite choices for you to choose from (though you won’t go wrong with anything you pick!):
Brunch Pizza (served 11AM-4PM on Sat/Sunday only): PIZZA AL'UOVO FIOR DI LATTE // SUNNYSIDE FARM EGGS // SMOKED PANCETTA // PECORINO // FRESH BASIL // CHILI OIL. Some people might not think of pizza as brunch food…curse them! It’s amazing.
BRUSSELS SPROUT PIZZA: FIOR DI LATTE / GARLIC / PECORINO / SMOKED PANCETTA E.V. OLIVE OIL – No sauce. It’s a white pizza. And it’s also my favorite of anything on the menu. You don’t often find a brussels sprout pizza, so this is eccentric, exciting, and maybe even a little (gulp) healthy? A+ for pizza. I love the restaurant for that.
AMATRICIANA: TOMATO SAUCE / FIOR DI LATTE / SWEET SAUSAGE / SCALLIONS / FRESH CHILIES / SEA SALT. You can’t go wrong with a simple sausage/scallion/chili combo. Just sayin’.
PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA: FIOR DI LATTE / FRESH OREGANO / PECORINO / E.V. OLIVE OIL – no sauce. This is a white pizza, and it’s delightful.
ANY PIZZA SPECIAL WITH BURRATA. Need I say more?!
Dessert? Yes, please.
I’ve only had the cheesecake at the SOHO location in Hong Kong, but if they have it, ORDER IT. I’d rank it in the top 5 cheesecakes that I’ve had. It’s a small slice, but it has an amazing, buttery crust to go with the light and creamy “cake.” It’s not too sweet, either, which makes it a home run in my book!
