Established in 1971 by Luigi Petrozza (aka Louie Ah PIZ), who retired in 2023 after 52 years of serving Yonkers & the surrounding NY area, turning over the pizzeria to his “honorary nephew,” Vin Prelkuva. Locals swear by this pizza, which has me questioning: is it the actual quality or the legacy? Seemingly a fairly standard New York football pizza, this is a very straightforward pie. Moderately thick, not overly doughy, the undercarriage is modestly firm but not particularly crispy, to go along with mild floppage & above average taste, embodying a typical gas oven texture. The crust is easily the crunchiest part of the pie but doesn’t pack a tremendous amount of crisp or crunch in the absence of char. Better than a generic shredded mozzarella blend, the cheese is melty with a rather creamy consistency, harboring a manageable amount of grease but not enough to ruin the flavor with saltiness. The taste & texture of the cheese are about par for the course for a traditional football pie. The biggest saving grace keeping this pizza from dipping below a 7 is the uniquely delicious sauce. Zesty & zingy, possessing plenty of punch & pizzazz, the sauce has some real character, well-seasoned & spiced, bursting with flavor & extra pep, separating this pie from run-of-the-mill NY football pizza. The dough, cheese & sauce are all well-balanced, with a cheese-to-sauce ratio that’s perfectly on-point, creating beautiful harmony throughout the pie. Overall, the sauce shines & carries this pizza, accentuating the ingredients & bringing the flavor to the forefront, pushing the rating to the mid-7s. A thinner & crispier dough could catapult this score into the 8s. Locals might slightly overrate this pizza pie but it’s very solid anytime neighborhood football pizza that should certainly satisfy your pizza itch.
