Sal & Carmine’s Pizza
“If you are on the UWS and need of a quick slice, go nowhere else than Sal & Carmine's!”
“I now live just 2 blocks away and count myself lucky to have a connection to this Upper West Side legend.”
“This was my first experience with true NYC pizza and I wasn't really disappointed at all!”
Sal & Carmine’s Pizza
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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One of the worst slices of pizza I've been served in this city. I knew when it was handed to me that it wasn't going to be good just by the way it looked, but I wanted to reserve judgement till I'd tasted it.
I took three bites and couldn't choke down the rest. This was bad. The crust had to be the worst part, its shape was sort of irregular and there was a ton of flour on the bottom that hadn't gotten baked in. I can't eat a slice of pizza covered in raw flour. The sauce and the cheese tasted canned and processed, and were just all around unpleasant. To top it all off I paid $3 for it.
As others have said, the old man working behind the counter is on his last leg and has a look of such abject misery. I threw away my uneaten slice and beat a hasty retreat.
I was staying on the upper west side and my cousin suggested we go here since it was close by. It's a cute hole in the wall pizza place. I got a slice of pepperoni that they heated for me. I thought it was good – the pepperoni had good flavor and the crust was crispy and chewy. I've had better pizza, but it was a good first meal in NY.
A friend recommended I try this place so here I was. The old guy serving folks didn't say a word and served me efficiently, though with the attitude that he was literally chewing human shit every second he was doing so. The young guy was engrossed in conversation with an older regular and couldn't be bothered with anything other than back of counter maintenance.
The pizza itself was decent, albeit a bit salty. It's a little bit pricey for the slices you get. It's summer and it was HOT in there (the decor is basic, old and dingy anyway). Eat and run, or get it to go.
It's not bad if you're in the Columbia area and want something that isn't monstrous like Koronet, but it's not a prime destination.
I am a bit scared to write this review, since Sal & Carmine definitely sound like mafioso names. Since this is for my faithful Yelp followers, I will gladly put my life in jeopardy. I came here on a Saturday evening and the only thing available was a cheese pizza. The crust was limp and tasted like cardboard. It's worse than 99cent pizza and costs over thrice as much. If you are made an offer to eat here, I would refuse it.
Salty tangy thin crust and doughy. One of the best slices
In town and a must try on UWS. I've been coming here for years and its still quite good. Miss the original guys tho.
Sal and Carmine opened their pizza shop in 1958. Two generations later, their pizzas are still the best. I was addicted beginning in the late 70's when I moved into the West Side (S&C was then on Broadway at 95th). For 20 plus years Sal and Carmine was my pizza of choice. But I moved West and haven't been in town for many years. But back to the City for a visit, I was very pleased to see their store, almost completely unchanged from some twenty years ago.
But more important, the pizza is as good as ever. The cheese and tomato toppings are good quality. But what distinguishes S&C's pizzas are their crusts. Never soggy in the middle, their crusts have that perfect blend of mild crunchiness and chewiness. If you judge pizzas by the array of toppings, this may not be your cup of tea. A simple cheese pizza is what I opt for at S&C. But if you are a true pizza connoisseur, you will appreciate the artistry at Sal and Carmines
After reading that Sal & Carmine's was one of the greatest places in NY for a slice, I had high expectations. Unfortunately, it did not deliver. Relatively expensive for a NY pizza slice and covered in grease, with average qualify cheese and sauce, I was not very impressed. This definitely mimics the classic NY pizza slice, but not sure where it got its reputation for greatness. I am sure for those from the neighborhood there is a great sense of nostalgia. The pizza is definitely ok – but I wouldn't go out of your way to try it.
I had decent pizza here – thin, chewy, and easy to eat. A little bit more variety would have been pleasing (only 3 different pizza to choose from around 7pm on a weekday). The interior also looks somewhat uninspiring – the walls are decorated with newspaper snippets from a reward they won more than 10 years ago.
I certainly had better pizza slices in New York City but not in this neighborhood – that should tell you something about the food options on the UWS.