The aroma of coal-fired pizza hangs heavy in the air. This is Patsy’s Pizzeria a New York City institution.
Patsy’s opened in 1933 in East Harlem. It was one of New York’s first pizzerias. Pasquale “Patsy” Lancieri founded it. He is said to have learned his craft at Lombardi’s. Patsy’s claims to have pioneered selling pizza by the slice. A revolutionary idea for its time.
The original Patsy passed away in the 1970s. His widow sold Patsy’s to Frank Brija in 1991. Frank Brija an Albanian from Kosovo trademarked the name. He expanded the business creating a franchise. This led to a legal battle with another Patsy’s. The dispute revolved around the name itself. It became a tale of family feuds and legal wrangling.
The 1990s saw a pizza renaissance. Patsy’s along with a few others kept the traditional style alive. Environmental regulations made it difficult to build new coal ovens. Patsy’s however persevered. They even had a memorable incident in 2019. A waiter returned a lost $423987.55 check. The customer who had left it behind hadn’t even tipped. He complained about a lack of women’s photos on the walls.
Patsy’s Pizzeria is more than just a restaurant. It is a piece of New York history. It’s a testament to tradition perseverance and a good slice of pizza. Frank Sinatra and other celebrities frequented this spot. The legacy of Patsy’s continues to this day. Their coal-fired ovens still churn out those delicious pies. The story of Patsy’s is a delicious slice of New York’s past. And it continues to be written today.