Dine Out : Emily

While we still haven't made it to the original Emily in Brooklyn, we did manage to dine at Emily in the West Village not soon after they opened. Both the original and Emmy Squared come from the chef-restaurateur and husband-wife team of Pizza Loves Emily known for their well loved inventive take on Detroit style pizza. This newest location occupies the former home of Blue Ribbon Bakery on a charming corner in the West Village. The restaurant itself is a long narrow bi-level space outfitted with plenty of wood and rustic touches throughout. The bar is situated right inside the entrance and the downstairs dining room offers a view of the pizzas cooking in the wood fired ovens. We were seated in the upstairs dining room which has a decidedly homey vibe. The seating situation is cozy since all the tables are placed in very close proximity to one another. This is typical of many a New York dining establishment.

Emily is known for their pizzas and burgers so we ordered the Grammy pizza and Emmy burger. This was our first time trying Detroit style pizza and it did not disappoint. Cooked in a pan, the square shape is notable as is the crispy and cheesy crust beneath a pillowy layer of dough topped with classic red sauce and mozzarella cheese. I usually prefer thin crust pizza but I didn't mind the thickness of this as it tasted divine. The Emmy burger features a double stack of LaFrieda dry-aged beef topped with Emmy sauce, caramelized onion, American cheese and pickles on a Tom Cat Pretzel bun. It is served with curly fries. The burger was a perfectly cooked medium and each bite bursted with a delicious combination of umami flavor and texture. The Emmy sauce which was tangy, savory and slightly reminiscent of buffalo sauce was like crack and if I could've taken it home I would've. I actually used the excess that dripped out of the burger as a dip for my fries. This burger is $26 but it is ridiculously good and hearty enough to easily feed two people. We couldn't even finish our pizza and they were more than happy to wrap up the rest for us to take home. It's easy to see why they've done well based on the food we tried alone and I would definitely return to explore more of the menu. Hey they make a pizza with bacon, kimchi, sesame and miso queso! The staff was friendly and service was attentive throughout our meal. The atmosphere and the music were both on the loud side. The only negative was that our pizza and burger were served at the same time which presented a challenge of what to eat first without the other getting cold. They do accept reservations through Resy. Prepare for a wait if you go late or on the weekend. We dined there at 5:30 in the middle of the week and were promptly seated right away. My preference for eating dinner early works out sometimes.

What's your favorite kind of pizza?

Emily West Village
35 Downing Street
NYC
917.935.6434
$$ - $$$