Speedy Romeo

Any economics professor will tell you that in a crowded market, product differentiation is crucial. Speedy Romeo, in Clinton Hill, manages a seemingly impossible feat on this front, offering a pizza found nowhere else in New York. An homage to the Gateway City's homegrown pie, the Saint Louie comes covered in Provel (legally a cheese product rather than a cheese) and a nostril-opening number of pickled chilis, as well as the more standard sausage and pepperoni. There's no getting around the fact that Provel tastes like, well, not quite cheese, offering a greasy, guilty pleasure. The chilis have a briney heat that we'd never associated with pizza but thoroughly enjoyed. (The server will bring a jar of them to the table --- we just about emptied it.) 

We also got a King Salami, topped with both hot and sweet salami, finocchiona, and red peppers. The underwhelming crust took away from the lively toppings, unfortunately. Our friend Howard, however, had a much better crust experience with the Speedy Romeo, which is the only grilled pie on the menu, topped with ricotta, tomato, basil, lemon, and chili.

While the pizzas weren't as awesome as we were hoping, the space definitely was. Speedy Romeo is housed in a former auto parts store, and echoes of its past abound: the kitchen staff wears monogrammed shirts, for example, and old signs decorate the walls. Rather than destinationy, as in 'make a special trip,' it's neighborhoody, as in 'go if you're in the area.'