Farinella, the pizza restaurant that opened on Amsterdam between 72nd and 73rd in 2015, suddenly closed its doors last week. The restaurant and bakery served signature rectangular slices. We had heard good things about the pizza, but some complaints that it was too expensive.
The restaurant management did not immediately respond to an email asking why they closed.
Thanks to Jeff and Marie for the tips and photos.
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So-so pizza, wildly overpriced, fate sealed by opening of the vastly superior My Pie across the street.
I found My Pie boring. Nothing wrong with it, just not “great”. I have to say, the other day, I think I had the best slice of pizza I’ve ever had. “Mama’s Too”, which just opened up on 105th and Broadway. I had the “house slice”, which looks like a regular slice, but it was incredible, and worth every cent of the $3.50. The owner is a young tall guy with a bit of an attitude, but it’s still worth it to go.
Tried it twice – Nice Tasting pizza but the prices were crazy – 2 cheese slices were $13. That aint going to fly
The prices of the pizza made this place a joke. $6, $7, for a square slice that has some vegetables on it? A few blocks away is Freddy & Peppers, which makes some amazing large triangle slices like whole wheat with feta cheese and spinach for $4. I never understood who exactly would eat at Farinella, when better options abound. Same goes for their UES location.
I love Freddy & Peppers. It isn’t fancy enough for some people in the neighborhood, but when I want pizza, that is exactly what I am looking for.
Too expensive
Makes sense. My Pie is better and more reasonably priced.
It was the best pizza on the Upper Westside that wasn’t $1,000,000. I am so sad! It was my go to place whenever I found myself in that part of the neighborhood and hungry. Hopefully the one on Lexington is still open.
yup, everyone said it. too expensive and the quality didn’t match the price. I agree, Freddy & Peppers is really great and is what NY neighborhood pizza is all about!
Walked past this place last weekend with my wife and told her I didn’t understand how the place stayed open (I wish I could pick stocks to short so well). Never saw anyone in the place, which is exactly what happens when you have an unappealing space with nauseating prices for a basic NYC commodity.
I still can’t find good pizza in this hood. Haven’t tried my pie but I don’t think Freedie and peppers is that good
Francesco’s on the west side of Columbus between 68th & 69th is where it’s at. Their crust is so, so yummy… sort of al dente, just short of bready, and their sauce is pretty good. I haven’t bothered with any other UWS pizza since trying Francesco’s. And no, I have zero connection to the Francesco’s people 🙂 other than blaming them for my ever-larger pants. https://www.francescosoncolumbus.com/
We are not going to have these places dotted along our avenues and boulevards with the outrageous rests property owners must charge to make-up for all the forced pricing on their private properties. Why anyone would want to own in this leftist, give everything away free city escapes me! And then y’all complain when they have to move out, and only Duane Reade, Wallgreen’s, Starbucks or a bank could absorb these ludicrous rents. Good job deBlowsio!
And yet, here you are.
Try Alabama for some really nice pizza and people
I don’t think I ever saw anyone in there.
Good pizza but it was insanely over-priced and the space was not at all inviting.
Unfortunately with them and Grandaisy Bakery both gone, we have now lost two of the better pizza joints in the area.
Grandaisy had a terrible location – I wish they would come back to the UWS. If they found another location I think they would do very well.
You were paying high prices for superior quality, entirely organic ingredients. For those of us who would prefer not to poison ourselves with conventional fast food options when we periodically indulge, Farinella was a great option in a neighborhood where there is a serious dearth of organic offerings.
Keep drinking that organic, free-range, artisanal, fair-trade, farm-to-table kool-aid my friend!
Rock down to Organic avenue
And then we’ll take it higher
lol. Wah gwaan (what’s going on), Eddy?
“Who is to blame in one country
Never can get to the one
Dealin’ in multiplication
And they still can’t feed everyone, oh no”
~ Eddy Grant
Sorry to see that Farinella closed. The pizza was fresh, creative and delicious. You essentially got 2 slices for that “high” price, so worth it. And amazing coffee! We were outside their delivery zone so could not eat their pizza as often as we liked. Will trek to 79th and Lex now.
Tried it once with my son and willing to pay for the overpriced pizza for him. I wouldn’t though for me. Pizza is a volume business and at any volume this pizza was way too pricey.
Interesting that the sign says “see you over there”.
Judging from the comments of this crowd, not many of you are prepared to walk all the way to Lexington Avenue for this pizza!
Pizza? Really? People still eat that? Ok, I guess it’s a free country.
Generally I try not to eat such “food” but alright. Here’s an idea….try some celery or a couple carrots. Your welcome.
free country indeed. Nothing is more worthless than unsolicited advice! Keep your holier than thou food attitudes to yourself and I’ll see you on the other side.
*You’re
This was hands-down the best tasting fast-casual pizza in the neighborhood.
Not to make this personal, but I am pretty certain that the same commenters trashing Farinella’s are the same grumpy old/young farts who lament the closing of Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. I love the Upper West Side, but man, some of the longtime residents here have extremely questionable taste (as Steve Cuozzo points out again and again).
@New Blood
Actually I was thinking the people trashing Farinella’s were the younger suburban transplants who have moved to the West Side….
In any event unfortunate to see so many insulting references being posted. Seems to me that folks can opine without insulting others or name-calling….
On the real UWS above W72 we complain about everything. Even the dead complain. It all went downhill after the Bagel Nosh closed.
You missed out on some really wonderful, reasonably priced, neighborhood places.
I’m sorry for your loss
your going to equate closing a pizza joint with closing lincoln cinemas..brilliant. lincoln cinemas has something that is no where else in the hood let alone much of the surrounding areas unlike pizza joints on every block..losing that theatre is truly a loss whether you care to admit it or not..or…are you the guy who goes to see all the superhero avenger,jedi loving mope who doesnt have the intelligence to understand an indie movie
Everyone needs a hero.
They tried to do something different, I give them credit for that, BUT the pizza slices were WAY overpriced.
all these places are closing because of rent and even if it were busy every moment they cannot make anywhere near the amount of rent a small place has to pay per month. lease was probably up. its the same old thing that killing the upper west side. the neighborhood is shot to pieces and it heart wrenching.
I’m sorry this place closed but there are other pizzerias in the neighborhood that are thriving.
So it’s a bit of an oversimplification to state that this place closed because of high rent.
Since the neighborhood is “shot to pieces” maybe you should consider moving.
That is sad. Food was good but it was in a poor location.
Too expensive and annoying decor with too bright lights. I think it smelled like cleaners not pizza.
The best vegetable slice in NYC can be found for $3.25 at Gigi’s next to Trader Joe’s on Broadway at W. 72nd St.
My Pie slices look like they have been sitting out all day. The clerk didn’t know what asiago was when I asked about one of the
slices mentioned on their website or printed menu.
My Pie is My Favorite!
I had been trying to find good pizza in this neighborhood since 1999. It finally happened when Farinella opened. Now it’s gone. The next best thing is My Pie. Hope it lasts in this neighborhood where very few people appreciate quality.
The personal pizzas at both Motorino and Celeste are both EXCELLENT. They are more of a splurge price-wise however.
Some people really like Saba’s on 80th/Amersterdam but I find it bland and actually prefer Pizza Pete’s if I’m just getting a big cheese pie on the (sort of) cheap.
The bottom line is that there are three types of pizza:
1. Traditional NY pizza by the slice where the price of a slice is roughly pegged to the cost of a subway ride (or vice versa). The purest form of fast food.
2. Bougie, frou frou artisanal “pizza” that costs a lot more. Some are willing to pay the premium for this. I think it is a gigantic waste of money. This product should be given a different name so as not to confuse it with #1.
3. National chain pizza like Domino’s, Papa John’s and Pizza Hut – these serve their purpose in places without better options. Unless they are deeply discounted, no New Yorker should ever buy these.
I have eaten thousands of slices of Type 1 NY Pizza.
Now I more enjoy Type 2 Bougie Pizza.
I guess it’s because of these different strokes for different folks that there are 3 Types on offer.
Once you use a term like “bougie” I stop listening. Get real.
I still miss Vinny’s.
Sad that this place can’t make it. The people who worked there were so nice, unlike other new restaurants in the ‘hood, like Zurutto. Horrible service, incredibly rude. We don’t want that on the UWS.
Koronet…….. What a delicious deal. I want a jumbo slice, right now !!