NYC pizza restaurant consistently snags top spot
NEW YORK - New Yorkers love their pizza, so coming in tops in the Big Apple is no small feat. Ribalta, on 48 East 12th St., has consistently snagged the number one spot.
More than 300 years ago, the Neapolitan’s created the pizza pie, and Ribalta owner Rosario Procino says fresh ingredients and lots of passion make his pizza a slice above the rest. "What we do here is we try to bring the authentic recipe from over 300 years ago by sourcing the right ingredients, using the right technique," Procino said.
Ribalta has a full bar and lots of other things on the menu, but it’s the pizza that keeps racking up rewards. At the NYC Food and Wine Festival, Ribalta's pizza was voted fan favorite. Timeout and New York Magazine also voted it tops. In an international competition, Ribalta's pizza just won the 11th best in the world.
"For absolute best pizza in New York and for the best spaghetti pomodoro, which is another signature dish of Ribalta," Procino said. "Timeout, best gluten-free pizza, we are very well-known for our gluten-free as well."
So what makes Neapolitan pizza different from all the rest? For starters, the crust has just four simple ingredients, which make it light and bubbly.
"The crust is only made with four ingredients: flour, water, sea salt and a bit of yeast," said Procino. "There is no egg or sugar or anything else. It cooks in a wood burning oven for less than 90 seconds. So it cooks very fast."
The crust is one visual indication you've got a Neapolitan pizza. Procino points out the true test of a Neapolitan pizza is being able to fold the crust and have it bend, not break.