Grimaldi's Pizzeria

Grimaldi's Pizzeria is an American pizzeria chain from the New York City area with over 40 restaurants throughout the United States. Its most famous restaurant is under the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn at 1 Front Street, next door to its original location. Zagat Survey rated Grimaldi's the No. 1 Pizzeria in New York in 2007. With a carry-out and delivery service model in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2022 it had 43 restaurants in operation overall. Slices are sold at all locations except Brooklyn and Palazzo locations,[1] which are cooked by coal-fired brick ovens. It also sells wines and appetizers, as well as calzones. Among desserts are cannoli and tiramisu, as well as New York–style cheesecake.

History

Original ownership (1990–1994)

Patsy Grimaldi (1931-2025), the founder of Grimaldi's Pizzeria, learned to make coal-fired pizza at Patsy's Pizzeria, his uncle Patsy Lancieri's restaurant in Italian Harlem.[2]

Pandemic and delivery (2019–2022)

Grimaldi's Pizzeria started a national domestic franchise program in April 2019.[5] The franchising, however, was put on pause during the start of the coronavirus pandemic.[26] In May 2020, Entrepreneur reported that Grimaldi's had pivoted entirely to a carry-out and delivery service model in response to the pandemic.[27] The historic Brooklyn location, which had never offered delivery, began using delivery partnerships with other companies in early 2020, and an area was created for outdoor seating when patio dining was opened up by New York City. By later that year, the company had again started offering dine-in service in New York.[5]

In November 2020, the Grimaldi’s Pizzeria To-Go concept debuted in Scottsdale, Arizona, in conjunction with Kitchen United. Again focusing on franchising deals,[26] in 2021, it was announced that Grimaldi's was partnering with Power Brands Hospitality Group and opening a new location in Huntsville, Alabama, their first in the state. It was Grimaldi's first domestic franchising deal.[26] At the time, Joseph Ciolli was CEO of Grimaldi's[28] and the company had locations in South Carolina and Florida, as well as "to-go" locations in New York along with its primary Brooklyn location.[29] In October 2021, the company continued to expand in Austin, Texas, with a full-service location after previously opening "to-go" locations.[30]

As of 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were active locations in Meridian, Idaho, as well as Sparks, Nevada, and others in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, New York, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin.[31] According to its website, the company overall had 41 company locations in the United States in ten states,[32] and the company stated it was looking to expand internationally, stating it had 43 restaurants in operation overall.[33] All the locations "re-create the Brooklyn location" and import ingredients from the same suppliers.[7]

There are satellite kitchens in cities such as Frisco, Texas, for example the Grimaldi’s Pizzeria To-Go at Kitchen United MIX.[34]

The company traditionally does both carry-out and in-restaurant dining.[21] Restaurants feature New York Italian decoration, with a coal-brick oven displayed centrally so patrons can see pizza being cooked through a glass partition. The ovens are "heated by 100 pounds of coal per day at a temperature of up to 1,200 degrees."[21] During the pandemic in 2020, the company ceased in-restaurant dining in its over 40 locations, instead delivering via DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub, and creating separate carry-out areas to allow for social distancing. The menu remained the same, but deals were added to allow bundling of alcohol and family discounts.[27] Dine-in had been re-added to some locations by 2020.[5]

In 2010, the company had hired "chemists to analyze and recreate the mineral content and composition of New York water," and that a "custom water system simulating New York water' is installed in every Grimaldi's Pizzeria to ensure that the dough tastes as authentically New York as possible."[35]

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Grimaldi's crust is known for being thin and "cracker-crispy," explaining "its cheese and sauce do not drip with olive oil" like other New York establishments that used the oil to keep the pizza from burning when reheated. Grimaldi's pizza, on the other hand, can't be reheated or it chars. As such, takeout pies are only cooked two-thirds of the way, with customers instructed to finish cooking at home.[7]

As of 2022, menu items included coal brick-oven pizza, with styles including traditional, pesto, and white with garlic. Pizza sizes included 12", 16", and 18", and calzones are sold in the same sizes. There is also a 12" cauliflower pizza, starters and appetizers, wine and drinks, and the company's own vintage of Italian pinot grigio. Among deserts are cannoli and tiramisu, as well as New York–style cheesescake.[36] The Las Vegas Sun described it as having a "crispy, chewy crust dotted with homemade pesto, roasted red peppers and the best fresh mozzarella in town... other gourmet toppings include kalamata olives, Italian sausage, ricotta cheese and artichoke hearts."[12]

established	1990
food type	Italian-American pizzeria
street address	1 Front St
city	Brooklyn
county	Kings
postcode	11201
country	United States
other locations	Idaho, Nevada, Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, New York, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin
website	http://www.grimaldispizzeria.com/

Grimaldi's Pizzeria

History

Original ownership (1990–1994)

New owners and expansion (1995–2011)

Growth and franchising (2012–2018)

Pandemic and delivery (2019–2022)

Menu

Accolades

Separate chains

Pop culture

See also

External links

References