The opening of Austin Street Pizza on the corner of 72nd Avenue and Austin Street several months ago has suddenly reinvigorated the pizza competition in Forest Hills. The new Austin Street Pizza is so very good that we thought it merited a little analysis regarding how the local pizza scene--so critical to every New Yorker--will end up being shaken up by the latest entry onto the scene.
First, a few quick comments about the new Austin Street Pizza. It's awesome. Just when you thought pizza couldn't get any better, along it comes. To munch on its delectable crust, to savor its sweet tangy sauce, well, it's quite the culinary experience.
The experience actually leaves me wondering: "Why Forest Hills?" I mean, why should we be blessed with such awesomeness? What did we do to deserve this? This has happened a couple of times food-wise in the nabe. But not often. Whatever the reason its purveyors decided to pick FoHi, I'll take it.
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| Austin Street's New York Style |
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| Austin Street's Margherita Style |
In fact, after trying Austin Street Pizza a few times it appears the only thing it doesn't have going for it is that it is, incredibly, a pizza place that doesn't deliver in New York City. And during the last days of a historic pandemic to boot when most sensible people avoided going out for pizzas! Go figure.
What does the arrival of Austin Street Pizza mean for the pizza scene in FoHi? Below is a list of those places I think it will pretty directly compete with, in order of magnitude:
1) Nick's Pizza
2) Dani's (Kew Gardens)
3) Numero 28
4) Portofino
5) Gloria
There are other great pizza places in the area, but they either don't deliver to most of Forest Hills, or they are only really accessible by a car, which for the majority of people in the neighborhood means they may as well be in Nebraska.
Will all of the current pizza places survive the new shakeup? I'm not so sure. I think we may end up losing one of them and am not sure which. It could be one of the places a bit further out that is not on my list.
In any case, what do you think will be the outcome of Forest Hills' reignited pizza wars? And what do you think about Austin Street Pizza? Which of their styles is your fave? Share you opinions below...
