Is NYC’s Di Fara Pizza Destination Worthy?

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Di Fara PizzaDi Fara Pizza, located in the Midwood area of Brooklyn, NY is considered to be one of the best pizzerias in the country.

The pizzeria is in a bizarre location considering that it’s located is a predominately Jewish area with just about all kosher shops. Regardless, people frequently make the trek to Avenue J to try a slice.

Years back, it made headlines for charging $5 per slice which is definitely pricey for pizza but not overly ridiculous these days.

I’ve been going to Di Fara Pizza for 15+ years and I will say that it was better earlier on.

Years back, all of the pizza was made by Domenico Demarco. It seemed like getting your pie or a slice could take forever but it was fun watching a pizza genius at work. There was no real system in place for ordering, but Demarco seemed to know who was waiting and in what order!

Things have changed quite a bit in recent years.a sign on the door of a storeInstead of crowds filling the small shop, there’s now a sign in the doorway to order from the outside window. When your pizza is ready, you’ll be told to come inside.

(I also feel that the crowds that used to fill the shop aren’t as big as they used to be.)a group of people in a kitchenAnother big change is that the legendary pizzaiolo, Dom rarely (maybe never) makes the pies anymore. I can’t recall the last time I saw him in the shop, although on our most recent visit, I was told that he was in the back.

a menu board with writing on it
The Menu

More recently, Dom’s son Dom Jr. has been manning the pizza oven. You might be wondering how the pizza has been?
two plates of pizza on a tableI used to have a rule to only order a pie from Di Fara Pizza since it came out cheaper that way (per slice). However, now I typically order one regular slice and one square.

It’s always fun to debate which slice is better but my answer is always the same. I’ll give my pick later on in this post.

Regular:a slice of pizza on a paper plateThe regular slice looks a bit fancier than your average NY slice and for good reason, it is.a hand holding a piece of pizzaThe crust is crispy and delicious with a good blend of tasty sauce and cheese on top. The slice appears to be a bit greasy but this can be attributed to the fact that they add some olive oil after the pizza is finished.

I’ve found the pizza to be a bit inconsistent here but when it’s good, it might be one of the best slices out there. On my most recent visit, the regular slice was awesome!

Square:a plate of food on a tableThe pricier square slice had some issues right off the bat. The slice could barely be picked up without almost breaking in half. I guess you could say that the crust was on the flimsy side and could’ve benefited from more time in the oven. a slice of pizza on a plateThis slice is known for its blend of (I think) three cheeses but it was actually more saucy than cheesy. The tangy sauce is really delicious but the slice would’ve really benefited from more cheese.

I found this slice to be OK but definitely not great.

The best part of the slice was the edge which was crispy and flavorful. If the whole slice had this texture, I’d probably rank this slice much higher.

Final Thoughts:

As you can tell from my reviews above, I much prefer the regular slice to the square. On future visits, I’ll still most likely stick to my order of one slice of each. I know that the squares can be great, hopefully one day it will be when I order.

So is Di Fara Pizza destination worthy? That depends on how much you love pizza! Lucky for me, I live just 15 minutes away. If I wasn’t a local, I’d most definitely pay a visit during a trip to the Big Apple!

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