1424 Avenue J
Brooklyn, NY 11230
718-258-1367
Many people looking for great New York pizza may not venture outside Manhattan to find it. I’m even guilty of this myself. But after reading flawless reviews of Di Fara’s Pizza in Midwood, Brooklyn it was finally time to check this place out. My only regret? Not doing it sooner.
This past week, Jason Feirman, of the blog I Dream of Pizza, and I headed out to Avenue J to experience the magic of Di Fara’s. The famous pizzeria is run by none other than Dom DeMarco who makes every pie by hand and has been doing it for the last 45(!) years. But DeMarco doesn’t just make pizza, he puts his heart and soul into every pie. Using the finest, freshest ingredients: San Marzano tomatoes, fresh hand-pulled mozzarella, grated Parmigiano, fresh basil and only the best Italian olive oil, DeMarco layers the ingredients, cuts the basil by hand and serves each pie with confidence and complete affection.
Jason and I waited only thirty minutes for a classic, plain Margherita pie which was nothing compared to wait times of two hours or more which they’ve been known to have. The space itself was closed for a private party but the take out window was open for business since we made it in time for the 6-8:30 dinner hour.
What ensued was nothing short of life-changing. The first bite was a tantalizing mix of flavors. The thin crust was perfectly cooked and the fresh basil combined with the melted mozzarella, slightly tangy tomato sauce and sprinkled Parmigiano for the most well-balanced bite. Every pie gets a drizzle of olive oil as well which added to the robust flavor — simply mouthwatering to think about even days later.
Get a preview of my first bite of Di Fara’s. Maybe this will better convey just how unbelievably tasty this pizza really is:
People ask me all the time, “What’s your favorite pizza place in New York?” and now it’s easy for me to say I’ve found it. But it’s not just the pizza that makes it my favorite. It’s the experience behind it and the passionate creator who makes this pizza worth coming back for. As Jason put it when we managed to eat an entire pie between the two of us, “No two slices are ever the same.” This is homemade New York pizza that you can’t get just anywhere and I’ve never found anything that has measured up to this.
As you wait for your pie to finish, it’s worth studying DeMarco’s moves. Every step is calculated and every move intentional, and his passion for pizza-making does not go unnoticed by his customers. You truly feel like the pizza you get was made just for you and there’s something special about knowing that the same man that made your pie this once will be the same pizzaiolo who will make it for you next time you are feeling intrepid enough to travel to Midwood for another delicious bite and an authentic New York experience. A pizza from Di Fara’s is truly a gift from DeMarco himself.
Special thanks to Jason for sharing in the adventure with me. Check him out on The Cooking Channel’s Log On & Eat with Eden Grinshpan for another glimpse at what makes Di Fara so delicious.
Until next time!
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