Roberta's Pizza - Bushwick

Since my previous attempt to visit Roberta's Pizza was diverted due to dinner-rush-wait-times this second try was aimed at the normally empty time when brunch turns over into dinner. Of course, this being Roberta's, the place was still mostly full but there were a couple of free seats to be had, and my sister and I made sure to have them.


Two stops into Bushwick off of the Morgan L, Roberta's is the pretty much the worst kept secret in the neighborhood. Its reputation for fantastic pizza draws in foodies far and wide while the restaurant's sourcing is, generally speaking, a locavore's dream. Meat comes from small-farm friendly Heritage Foods offering grass-fed, antibiotic-free, hormone free protein while some organic produce comes from New York's own Blooming Hill Farm. I say 'some' because Roberta's grows a measure of its own herbs and vegetables in a greenhouse atop some retrofitted shipping containers out back. Inside the containers lives the studio space for Heritage Radio broadcasting all manner of sustainable-centric programming.

The storefront of Roberta's Pizza is easy to miss (come armed with the address) and once inside a spirit of jovial informality reigns. Seating is communal with picnic tables seemingly plopped down in the middle of an old warehouse storeroom. This might sound dismal but the opposite is true - the exposed brick giving way to old tile with exposed crossbeams overhead offer a sort of familiar charm.

If the "Porta Baller" pizza ($13) is indicative of Roberta's in general then the crowds and wait-times are well worth it. The crust was soft and airy on top with a nice crunch underneath and the mix of two cheeses (mozzarella and parmigiana) worked well together. The garlic was subtle and paired with the portabella mushrooms gave the pizza a wonderful, warm earthiness which contrasted nicely with the sweet hit of the basil and thyme. As an added bonus small bottles of chili oil rest on every table, ideal for spicing up the last bits of crust.

While pizza certainly dominates the experience here - customers walk past the pizza oven on the way in - Roberta's has a full kitchen as well offering a selection of dinner entrees*. The skirt steak ($17) was well-prepared to a nice medium-rare and tasted about as well as a skirt steak will taste. It was tender and moist, and went well with the roasted kale and fingerling potatoes. The real gem of the dish, however, was the mint pesto that gave the meal an interesting kick.

While there are likely better meat courses around for $17 the pizza at Roberta's is well worth both the price and the trek to Bushwick.

Roberta's Pizza
261 Moore St
Brooklyn, NY 11206


*A note for the animal-treatment conscious: Roberta's does, indeed, serve foie gras.