Ray's

One of the most famous appellations in the NYC pizza scene is Ray's. Over the past 50 years, we have witnessed Ray's, Famous Ray's, Famous Original Ray's, Ray Bari, and Not Ray's. Some have closed, some have moved, some have been sold and morphed into a soulless chain, some lost their lease, some lost their owner. At the end of the day, the epitome of what Ray's should be is actually the pizza joint formerly known as Famous Ray's: Famous Roio's.

Mario DiRienzo opened Famous Ray's in 1973 at the corner of West 11th Street and 6th Avenue, and named his pizzeria after his Italian family's nickname. The pizzeria changed hands many times, eventually closing in October, 2011 after landlord and legal drama. However, Mario DiRienzo swooped in, changed the name to Famous Roio's, after his Italian family's town, and reopened in April, 2012 with the help of his 27-year-old nephew, Christian. Sadly, Mario DiRienzo passed away in September, 2012, leaving the business and recipes to Christian. As with many things in New York City, this pizzeria is full of people, memories, ghosts, and history.

Famous Roio's has always been known for its major abundance of juicy cheese and thin, but soft New York style crust. These two elements really distinguish Famous Roio's from your average slice joint. Famous Roio's is also generous with their distribution of sauce, a smooth purée packed with concentrated tomato flavor. Finally, they have a prime location with lots of foot traffic, which ensures freshness. Many times I'll go for a slice, and just happen to get one from a fresh pie. For me, there is no other true Ray's in the city. Only Famous Roio's.

Crust Thickness: Thin

Crust Softness: Soft

Sauce: Smooth

Cheese: Grated, Average (though Abundant)

Pepperoni Crisp: Flat

Re-Heat Factor: Good

Style: NY Style

Slice Appeal: Good

** - Very Good

What the Stars Mean:

Stars are awarded similarly to the New York Times restaurant reviews. 1 star is recommended, 2 stars is very good, 3 stars is excellent, and 4 stars is pizza perfection.

http://www.famousroiospizza.com