A Tribeca-based restaurant serving brick oven pizza is coming to 399 Grand St. in a space that was most recently home to the Comfort Diner. Saluggi’s, located on Church Street (near Canal Street), will open a second location on the Lower East Side.
The original spot is a casual, laid back pizza parlor with a full bar. They make their own mozzarella and feature thin-crust pizzas. There’s also a diverse menu, including pastas, sandwiches and even chicken wings. In Serious Eats, James Boo wrote of the pizza:
Cracker thin at its point yet completely taut throughout, it maintains a light crunch and a consistent chew. As the textural backbone of a slice, it couldn’t be stronger. After spreading a tangy tomato sauce over their pizza dough, Saluggi’s cooks sprinkle grated Parmesan into the mix, then toss chunks of of house-made mozzarella on top until almost every inch is covered. Legendary it ain’t, but the quality of ingredients and attention to detail show when I’m handed a piping hot slice, hit with an extra pinch of Parmesan and topped with fresh basil leaves. It’s a slice that balances form and function, delivering quality, quantity and simplicity for $3.00.
The Comfort Diner closed abruptly last summer after just nine months in business. The space is owned by the Seward Park Co-op. A lease was just finalized with the team from Saluggi’s. We’ll let you know when we have details about the plan for the LES branch and a projected opening date.
