About a week ago I was reading through L Magazine’s Best of Brooklyn 2013: Food, and one of the categories was “Best Bushwick Pizza That Isn’t Roberta’s.” They named Verde Coal Oven Pizza, and said “the pizza [is] equally if not more delicious.” More delicious than the sainted Roberta’s (hallowed be thy name)? For all of its faults, and there are many, Roberta’s is making some incredibly great pies. I just had to check out Verde. So is it better than Roberta’s? Uh, no. Not by a long shot. The pizza wasn’t bad, but it’s nowhere near the level of Roberta’s pizza. The biggest issue was the crust; like many coal oven pizzas, the crust is thin and cracker-like. When I picked up a slice and started to fold it it snapped like a saltine down the middle, making for a very crunchy eating experience. The sauce was also a little watery, but because the crust was so crisp it didn’t get soggy, the way some Neapolitan pies do. Verde Coal Oven is located even deeper into Bushwick than Roberta’s, but unlike that restaurant Verde doesn’t seem worth the trip.
Verde Coal Oven Pizza — 254 Irving Ave
brooklyn vegetarian 