Leo

This is one of those spots that the Brooklyn “foodies” & hipsters say is good cause they think that’s what they’re supposed to say to be cool. This is nothing more than “looks better than it tastes” Neapolitan pizza. All aesthetics and no substance. Gimme a big ole New York slice any day over this overpriced mini pizza nonsense.

This spot opened a little over 3 years ago, just before the pandemic, serving somewhat fancy sourdough pizza. I ordered a Margherita pie, which is slightly larger than personal size, cooked well with much more crisp than the standardly soft wood-fired Neapolitan pies. The dough is fairly firm with a nicely charred quality undercarriage, minimal flop, along with a crust that is a tad chewy but still crunchy nonetheless. Unfortunately the sauce is a bit soupy and watery, an unspectacular mix of sweet & salty, not packing as much flavor as I would have liked. The cheese was pretty tasty but not melted well, a tad cold and congealed; it might have been sitting out too long. This pizza is better than the average wood-burning Neapolitan but not by much. I’m not a huge fan of sourdough unless it’s exceptionally crispy; and this pie was not. A little fresh basil seems to be more for show than taste, as there’s no distinguishing ingredient other than the prevailing flavor of the sourdough. I can see this being a trendy date spot but there’s much better pizzerias in the neighborhood. This pie gets a Gronk-inspired 6.9 cause it looks a lot sexier than it tastes.

Got a margarita slice and the pizza is very good. Slice had a lot of flavor and the freshness and quality of the ingredients were immediately apparent. The crust was good but threw me off. It’s doughy but super crispy and is closer to a quality loaf of bread rather a traditional pizza crust. Still really enjoyed this slice maybe a bit too fancy for me but I can see why others would give this an 8+

7.8 slice premade pizza but it was solid

Good dough sauce needed a bit more kick

This is a spectacular pizza. The pizza has a great bite to it. I think it’s from the pecorino but it could be from the garlic too. The best thing is the bread. The crust and the undercarriage has a great char just like New Haven. Plus the pizza is perfectly thin. The pizza sauce is pretty good but it’s not what really stands out. The only draw back is that it cost $28. I also recommend the clam pizza, very tasty.

It’s a good slice for an artisanal sort of brick oven style pizza. Nothing crazy special.

Great sauce

8.6 honestly higher than I expected. First review, I understand the 1 bite rule and the standard. That bite was over whelming and I don’t think many spots will top this.

This place has very similar vibes to Bread and Salt in Jersey City - which is definitely a compliment. The shop doubles as a bakery with a healthy selection of sides (I gotta come back for the meatballs). Initially, I found it curious that they would open up around the corner from two other pizza power house (Emmy Squared, which also does squares, and L’industrie). However, Leo has clearly carved out its own niche. Its countertop display hosts an inviting array of squares with options that make it difficult to choose: sliced meatball, mushroom, sausage and peppers, even squash. They are clearly ingredient centered, and the results speak for themselves. The crust is flavorful - almost sourdoughy (though that might reflect the smells of sourdough permeating the joint, not that I’m complaining), but without a high rise to the crumb. The result is a nice tight crumb that isn’t dense or too chewy. And it gets a nice crisp too. While you could get a quick slice here, you’re better suited setting aside a few minutes to enjoy this fresh space, try a glass of wine or cup of coffee, and relax in Leo’s own corner of Williamsburg. Pro tip: get the Rossa (plain tomato sauce) slice. It’s 🔥