Brooklyn’s newest slice shop comes from neighborhood restaurateurs Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli, who have now added pizza to their mini dining empire on Court Street in Carroll Gardens. It’s the duo’s first foray into pizza making, and they’ve tapped two of the biggest names in the pizza and bread worlds to help them with the task: Chad Robertson of San Francisco bakery Tartine and Chris Bianco of Phoenix’s Pizza Bianco.
“As chefs — and not pizzaiolos — it’s a whole different game, and we’re experiencing that right now,” Castronovo says. “We have a lot of respect for it. We don’t take it lightly.”
F&F Pizzeria opened this week in a building between Frankies 457 Spuntino and Franks Wine Bar, at 457 Court Street. For now, there are three pizza options on a simple hand-written menu taped onto the bar: a square Sicilian pie, a cheese pie, and a tomato pie. Toppings and other variations will arrive later, but the restaurateurs are first focusing on nailing the techniques they adopted from Robertson and Bianco, who worked as consultants on the project.
It’s a big collaboration on both culinary and agricultural fronts, the Franks say.
Bread maestro Robertson influenced the shop with his dough technique and sustainable sourcing ethos; the pizza at F&F Pizzeria is made with grain milled every two weeks, hydrated dough, and a natural sourdough leaven. The dough is hand-mixed and fermented for four days, which Castronovo says is two to three days longer than usual for NYC’s fast-casual slice shops. The longer process breaks down the dough, making it easier to digest, he adds.
Meanwhile, Bianco, who’s considered one of the top pizza makers in the country, supplies his organically grown California tomatoes, and the Franks throw in their proprietary olive oil, which they sell at Whole Foods and on Amazon.
Knowing where their ingredients come from is a big part of their efforts here. They’re taking a health-conscious approach to one of New York’s most popular foods, and it’s driven by the owners’ personal preferences. The Franks say they’ve reached an age when watching what they eat is really important. And while pizza is generally viewed as fast food and the pizzeria itself is meant for a quick bite — there are no seats — the chefs stress that the pizza making process is actually very slow.
NYC is already home to hundreds of slice shops, but big names continue to jump into the market. There’s Bread & Salt, Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop, and the team behind Bushwick favorite Ops are plotting a new restaurant with a to-go slice counter. A growing number are also focusing on slow fermentation, with places like PQR, Scarr’s Pizza, and Corner Slice also giving special attention to their dough.
Aside from learning how to make pizza, the Franks have been busy reinventing their restaurant group this year. Their newest project announcement includes closing their West Village Italian restaurant Frankies 570 Spuntino and replacing it with a new restaurant called Anton’s, helmed by former Union Square Hospitality Group chef Nick Anderer. Last year they closed their nearly decade-old Carroll Gardens steakhouse Prime Meats and opened a new wine bar, as well as expanded Frankies 457.
F&F Pizzeria is now open between the new wine bar and Frankies 457. Slices are priced between $3.75 to $6, with a cheese pie going for around $25.
In true Italian fashion, the Franks say the hours are from “noon til whenever”; the shop closes when the dough runs out.