After weeks of looking longingly into the window at 1120 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica, the day finally came. N.Y.& C. finally opened their doors last night, giving the good people of Santa Monica the option to choose between New York style pizza and Chicago style pizza, along with a variety of other hometown type appetizers, sandwiches, and calzones.
N.Y. & C. was started by the guys behind another popular Santa Monica hangout, South. The owners, Adam Milstein, Philip Boyd, Robyn Landrum, and Chris Shanley, all hail from either New York or Chicago, and apparently returned to their roots to research the perfect recipe for both styles of pizza. N.Y. & C. also features a nice selection of beer taps, wine (served in stemless wine glasses, I like stemless wine glasses) an old school Ms. Pac Man table top game, and like 6 or so lcd screens each playing something different. I’m pretty sure one of the tv’s was showing chariot races live from Yonkers. That could have been the Guinness, but I don’t think so.
The decor is split 50/50 between New York and Chicago. The tables, booths, and walls on one half of the restaurant are decorated with photos of New York, Subway signs, and Yankees jerseys, while the other half is designed with photos of Chicago along with a White Sox and Cubs jersey.
Congrats to the N.Y.& C. guys for pulling off what will obviously be a huge success. I tried the Chicago deep dish pizza (pictured below) and it was beyond awesome. We boxed up the last two pieces and then ate them as soon we got home 10 minutes later. We’ll be back really soon to check out the New York style pizza (spy-pictured below). When you stop by, say hi to Sam, who told me that he and his buddies were starting this place when I saw him at Floyd’s Barbershop a couple months ago. You should get to know Sam because he is a Santa Monica celebrity (I think he works at every bar in Santa Monica.. at least Sonny McLean’s, South, and now N.Y. & C. I also think I saw him in a Mastercard commercial.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
on Oct 7th, 2009
I forgot to mention the pitchers of beer. I'm always surprised about how few pizza places in the area have pitchers of beer. I'm going to need to figure out how to make this place walking distance.
on Oct 7th, 2009
what a brilliant idea! vegan cheese, anyone?
on Oct 7th, 2009
It's worth a request
on Oct 7th, 2009
wow. decent chicago pizza in LA? i dont believe it. yet.
on Oct 7th, 2009
I didn't believe it either. But here I am, 5 pounds heavier than I was yesterday.
on Oct 7th, 2009
I go for the NY every time
Thanks for the tip!
on Oct 7th, 2009
They also had garlic knots and mozzarella sticks. I'm going to start training for a marathon so I can visit regularly.
on Oct 7th, 2009
Yummmmmm.
on Oct 7th, 2009
Mmmmm, garlic knots. Is it lunchtime yet?
on Oct 7th, 2009
I think it actually is..
on Oct 7th, 2009
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by emosweater. emosweater said: all my dreams came true: RT @LAsnark Awesome new NY and Chicago pizza place opens in Santa Monica: http://bit.ly/BPY9d http://bit.ly/BPY9d [...]
on Oct 9th, 2009
I can't wait to get back to Santa Monica to see that cute Sammy the celebrity bartender from the East Coast! I hear he's the biggest Red Sox fan on the west coast!
on Oct 9th, 2009
It did hurt my brain a little to see Sammy working in a room with Yankees jerseys on the wall. I plan on only sitting on the Chicago side.
on Oct 13th, 2009
Finally! Been waiting for these guys to open for months!
on Oct 13th, 2009
Finally! Been waiting for these guys to open for months!
on Nov 20th, 2009
I am sorry – unless things have changed in the past two weeks, this place was a bust. We waited a very, very long time for our disappointing pizza. I wanted it to work – but alas, not so good.
on Feb 13th, 2010
pizza hut still my preferred place to get pizza. It just rocks!