Last year, the inaugural New York City Pizza Festival was dubbed the Fyre Festival of NYC food events after attendees paid up to $75 for a "total scam" that had them waiting over an hour to enter a "shady parking lot" in Bushwick for empty tents and barely any food. The Attorney General opened an inquiry into the fiasco, and the organizer apologized and gave out refunds. So it's understandable that some NYers might be deeply skeptical at the news that a new "New York Pizza Festival" (completely unrelated to last year's disaster) is set to hit the city this fall—but organizers swear it'll be nothing like that other one.
This fest, which literally is the New York Pizza Festival (as opposed to last year's "New York City Pizza Festival"), is set to take place October 6th and 7th on Crescent Avenue in the Belmont section of the Bronx, close to Arthur Avenue. It will feature more than 25 different pizza joints from both around and outside of the city (such as Chicago, Las Vegas, Seattle pizzerias).
Among the local fare, that includes favorites like Di Fara's, Denino's, Levante, Pugsley Pizza, Zero Otto Nove, and more. There'll be a Sweet and Spicy pie from Fairfield, Conn.'s Brick + Wood, the Pizza Parmigiana from the Il Pizzaiolo mini-chain in Pennsylvania and a Spinach Dip Pizza from Midtown's Sofia Pizza Shoppe. The website for the fest adds that there'll be slices from "famed Tony Gemignani of San Francisco, Jonathan Goldsmith of Spacca Napoli in Chicago, to Roberto Caporuscio of Keste and Don Antonio and Gino Sorbillo of Sorbillo Napoli."
"The professional pizzaioli that were handpicked to attend are pros at pumping out delicious pies so all slices will be fresh and hot," Fred Mortati, president of the Pizza Academy Foundation which started the fest, told the Daily News. "We have been putting a lot of thought into the layout of the event so that everything flows properly." For those traumatized by last year's fest's lack of actual pizza, he added there will be "full-size slices — no sample sizes."
If you buy tickets to the event (which are required for slices and alcohol) before September 9th, it'll cost $20 for three slices and $30 for six slices (after the 9th, prices for slices go up by $5); beer and wine-only tickets are available at $20 for three drinks and $30 for five drinks. There are also VIP passes available for each day for $100 a day (which gives you 5 beer/wine tickets, 10 slices, and access to a “fast pass” line). Check out all ticket info here.
