Greenwich Village's Best Pizza - John's of Bleeker Street

I love the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City.  I've blogged about sights and sounds there many times.  I think if I could live anywhere in Manhattan this would be the place. It's old, and crumbly, with tiny apartments at outrageously expensive prices, but it has heart and soul and history.

I took these photos on a hazy rainy day which somehow seems perfect for this area.  There is a sort of moody, artsy, hip feel about this neighborhood where so many writers, poets, artists, musicians, and bohemians once lived such as Isadora Duncan, writer William Faulkner, and playwright Eugene O'Neill,  beat writers Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs,  authors James Baldwin, Truman Capote, poets Marianne Moore, e. e. cummings, Edna St Vincent Millay, Dylan Thomas,  Maya Angelou, singer songwriters Rod McKuen, and Bob Dylan, among many many more past and present, too numerous to name.

Just look at some of the beautiful architecture!

All the photos will enlarge when clicked on to see more detail.

I love all the little surprises that I can find on almost every block.

Even the souvenirs look vintage!

Now we are on Bleeker Street -- which always makes me want to hum the old Paul Simon song titled Bleeker Street.

It is here where I find the best pizza in Greenwich Village -- John's of Bleeker Street, located at 278 Bleeker Street, between 6th and 7th Avenue.  Among one of the oldest pizzerias in the city it was founded in 1929 by Joe Sasso.  It makes New York style thin crust pizza with fresh toppings cooked in a coal fired, brick oven, at 850 degrees.

No slices are served, only whole pies, cash only, and on a first come, first served basis, as this pizzeria can be jammed packed during the nicer weather, with a line outside full of hungry New Yorkers and tourists alike, waiting to get in.  If you visit, try to grab a seat in one of the original old wooden booths.

The booth's walls are full of scratched on graffiti from countless prior patrons.  Sorry that my photo is blurry but my pizza was coming and the aroma made me jump into the booth before I could take a good shot.

Perfection! It was so hot and steamy it clouded up my little pocket camera's lens!

My husband and I gobbled this whole pie up and savored every delicious bite.  There is nothing like a good New York City pizza!

I'm linking this post to Jenny of the Jenny Matlock blog's Alphabe Thursday blog event.  The letter this week is "G"  --  for me G stand for great pizza in Greenwich Village!

Thanks Jenny! 

Stone Street, Lower Manhattan

Stone Street, a narrow, cobblestone alley first developed by Dutch colonists in the 1600's is said to be the first paved street in the city of New York.  It originally ran from Broadway to Hanover Square, in the Financial section of lower Manhattan, but was divided into two sections by the construction of the Goldmans Sachs building at 85 Broad Street in the 1980's. Surrounded by modern high rise office buildings it is a quaint little street that invokes scenes of old New York.

 

Once close to the thriving East River seaport, it was filled with maritime businesses and warehouses during the 1700's and 1800's. In the 1900's commercial maritime business shifted to the Hudson River and Stone Street slowly went into decline. 
 

Community activism revitalized the area by having the eastern portion of the street and the surrounding buildings protected in 1996 by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, and named as the "Stone Street Historic District."

With additional financing secured from New York City, and the Alliance for Downtown New York, Stone Street received a well-earned makeover, including a new street bed that duplicated the street's original cobblestone paving, and new bluestone sidewalks lined with quaint, traditional looking lighting fixtures.

The historic street was reinvented, attracting restaurants, pubs and shops, and has outdoor dining when the weather permits. 

It has became a popular destination for tourists and New York natives alike. 

I meet my husband for lunch at The Dubliner Pub on Stone Street, a little bit of Ireland in New York.  Where is the snow?  All gone!  Luckily we've had lots of sun since Friday and what snow that wasn't shoveled away has melted.

The Dubliners outside menu board. The grilled salmon was delicious!

This is what happens when there is a snowstorm in New York City and the regular garbage pickup is delayed because NYC Sanitation has been bust plowing the streets.  It looks like this is all paper recycle.  I'm glad local businesses are doing their part to save the environment!

I'm linking this post to Susan at A Southern Daydreamer blog's  Wednesday "Outdoor Wednesday" event!  Please visit Susan today to  see her outdoor post,  and also a list of other participating blogs.  Thanks Susan!