Artichoke Basilles Pizza

umm... this pizza has to be the best thing i have ever tasted, you may wait in a line...never more than 15 minutes... but it is worth the wait... beer on tap to go! what!!! thats amazing in itself. then all the different kinds of pizza you mouth can dream of. do your self a favor if you love pizza.... go to artichoke, you will not be disappointed. so good.

Pros: the most ridiculous pizza ever...so good, soooo good

Posted 08/17/09

By all appearances, the crab pizza is now using imitation crab, or at best a combination of real and imitation. The "crab" has that telltale red coloring.

The decline of Artichoke?

Pros: Sometimes it really hits the spot

Cons: But then I get tired of it...

Posted 05/04/09

When one walks past Artichoke Basilles they cannot help but notice the tantalizing, mouth water smells that pour out the front doors. Nor can the help but to notice the huge lines that are sometimes over half a block long. I must admit the Artichoke pizza is delicious. Delicious enough to wait in line for 20 min? That I am not sure of. The staff is friendly and two of the three pizza choices are vegetarian friendly.

Cons: Always a line! Only three pizza's to choose from

Posted 04/19/09

I finally checked this place out after hearing all about it, & now I know why people wait in line. The generously-sized slices here are absolutely delicious. The artichoke/spinach blew me away! It?s made w/ a bechamel or alfredo sauce & is sublimely scrumptious? I?m still dreaming about it. The margherita is excellent & tasty too, not the best in the world that I?ve had ever but definitely incredible & up there (despite an overcooked/slightly burned crust in spots). I need to try the crab that everyone?s raving about but it will be hard to pass up the artichoke/spinach the next time I come here. Now, the lack of indoor eating space is NOT the greatest? even just some more standing/counter space would be cool. Nevertheless, I would definitely wait in line here again for an occasional treat, even in the winter. The employees were quick & friendly. My waistline is happy that I live far away from this place!

Pros: PIZZA!!! Generous portions

Cons: Lack of sizeable indoor eating area, waiting in line

Posted 02/26/09

Signature slice was too rich and the crust was more like sour dough bread than pizza. The sicilian slice's crust was burnt and there was so much oil in the making of it that the crust came out fried. I don't understand what all the fuss is about? The only redeeming quality of the pizza was that the sauce was very good, unfortunately all the elements weren't good enough to give it an average rating.

Posted 02/26/09

So I've been hearing so much about this pleace that I endured the line waited for the infamous artichoke slice. First, it should be renamed the spinach slice because there is a paltry portion of artichoke. Also, it is extreamly rich, heavy and creamy...was able to share with a friend. They have a traditional margarita slice that was very good and I preferred over the artichoke slice.

Pros: Worth a try

Cons: Small space

Posted 02/06/09

Something about the crust, the pungency of the sauce, the generous amount of cheese (three kinds, I think), and the very modest price ($3.50 a slice) for what you get has them lining up here at all hours, literally. Quite frequently at 4am on a weekend there is still a line of 10 people leading out of this tiny space down the block. Perhaps it's a marketing technique to keep the place popular--if so it works. I only go there when for some reason the lines are short. But I never regret it.

Pros: amazingly succulent slice--among NY's best

Cons: long lines at almost all times

Posted 12/08/08

Although this pizza may not be the most traditional it tastes better than anything I've had in Manhattan. The Artichoke slice is perfectly made. The crust is thick with a crispy outerlayer and soft inner with creamy goodness all over. The margarita slice is also very good, it tastes like a thin crust pizza but is much thicker. The pizza is huge so you can split it with someone you love. My boyfriend hates artichokes but loves this pizza. The line may be long but it's definitely worth the wait. Bring good friends and time will pass as you await this different yet perfect slice of pizza. P.S. At certain times of the day there is no line (2-3 people), peak seems to be late night when everyone is drunk and hungry.

Pros: tasty

Cons: no seating...

Posted 10/10/08

Ive had this pizza several times, and every time with a line of up to maybe 6-7 people. I would not be caught dead waiting in line for over 10 minutes, and thats pushing it.

Have tried the artichoke, the sicilian, and the neapilitan. I have to say that the artichoke, although it doesnt taste like pizza, is quite delicious. The trick is in the dough and in the quality of the cheese. Usual pizza places have an uncooked dough, unless its thin crust.

The neapolitan and sicilian are quite similar in taste. However their slices seem to be very inconsistent in quality. Some times its bathing in sauce which i dont like as all you taste is tomato, other times its dripping oil (olive oil), some times barely any basis, but almost every time the dough was BLACK!!! The first time i got it it was not burnt, and tasted great, which is why i went back.

Another negative is that at the old price of 2.50 and 3.00, you got a good deal. Now its 3.50 and 4, and although filling, is not worth its money. Especially if you have to wait in line for hours like some nutcases do. It is pizza to go!

One tip: For the time you spend waiting in line, you might as well go to PIOLA which is 10 times better, you sit down, enjoy your pizza, and still be done before you even start eating at Arthichoke on the sidewalk.

Only go when line is small, not worth the wait. And only try the arthichoke, or for the other slices make sure there is enough basil, and that it is not black underneeth.

Pros: the artichoe slice. good ingredients. good dough, many customers meaning always fresh out of the oven

Cons: usually burnt BLACK, huge pointless line, sudden price hike

Posted 08/25/08

I am a lady of leisure this week. I have my first week off in two years thus, I get to eat lunch at places that are wayyy too busy for supper. I avoided the line by going at 2 o clock on Tuesday afternoon. I had a delicious slice of Sicilian with fresh basil and parmesan that was slightly burnt but oh so yummy. I burnt my mouth but it was the kind of burn that felt good and didn't stop me from eating the rest of Lex's.

Pros: Delicious all around

Cons: No where to sit

Posted 07/29/08

I went when there wasn't actually a line (first time ever)... and for $4/slice (that's the new price), it is NOT worth it. The artichoke slice is very rich and the crust is too thick and slightly burnt. What are people waiting in line for?

Pros: Good location

Cons: Price, Taste, Wait

Posted 07/08/08

My roommate and I stumbled into Artichoke within the week of its opening. At this time, a Neapolitan pie was offered for $11(!); this was reasonably canceled later as a "grand opening promotion", though there was no hint of this at the time. I like Artichoke, but the quality has dropped somewhat since my first experience there.
The ingredients are still fresh, but I've seen (and tasted) some adjustments to save on food cost. Even given the ingredients involved, the taste is only slightly above average. The crust tends to be burnt more than one would hope, even given the cooking method.

Size and value is where Artichoke seems to excel. Neapolitan slices are only $2.50, and are generally much larger than the slices offered at other pizza places; order a Neapolitan pie and only $15 will net you a pizza so large that it looks like it's about to pop off the sides of the box. The spinach and artichoke slice is also good, though overrated, and in general I don't recommend it. It's $3.00 for a slice, has a poor crust-to-topping ratio, and (if you care) is not recommended if your health is a major concern. They also have a Sicilian slice, but I haven't tried it (honestly because it is the same price as the Neapolitan but seems much, much smaller).

Another thing that has rightfully been pointed out is the issue of the line. It tends to be ridiculous, and unless you're really in some sort of bind, I would recommend detouring to any of the dozen pizza places in the area and getting a slice that may be slightly smaller but will probably have better flavor. Luckily, there are dead-spots in the day, but even at times like these, the genuinely nice staff seems a bit overwhelmed. Occasionally, they'll offer cauliflower fritters (excellent) or fresh bread to those waiting in line. If you're not the patient type, find another place to frequent.

To summarize: Decent pizza in large quantities for cheap- if you don't mind the line. Not worth the hype, but still a good place.

Pros: Good ingredients, large slice and pie sizes, friendly staff, occasional snacks while you wait.

Cons: Long line, doesn't live up to the hype, cramped space, lacks flavor.

Posted 07/02/08

If you have an hour or two to burn waiting on line for pizza that is only a bit better than average, go right ahead. But at the end of the day, it's pizza. I called ahead thinking it would reduce my wait time, oh how mistaken I was. As we waited, my brother pointed out the embarrassing fact that we were actually waiting on line for pizza. Never again. The ingredients are fresh but they adhere to the Sbarro school of way too much dough. I would go anywhere else in the neighborhood for a slice to avoid the line. My suggestion would be to go to Vinny Vincenz on first ave and pay the extra buck for the fresh mozzarella slice. Oh, and the artichoke slice is just gross: way too rich.

Pros: pizza?

Cons: uh . . . it's still just pizza

Posted 06/30/08

OK. Here's how to make a tasty pizza: Take an entire stick of butter and a half a pound of cheese. Melt it on one slice. Just one. Now dump enough creamy alfredo sauce to give you the right type of heart attack. Don't bother adding sauce to it. Who adds sauce on a NY pizza? Now take two slices of spinach and maybe one or two artichokes....not too many!! Just enough to make the vegetarians think that this artery clogger is "healthy." Serve on chicago style deep dish crust for this NY treat. We'll call it the Artichoke slice. People will line up for this thing.

Pros: No actual real new yorkers in line

Cons: no seats?! long line. pizza (i just dont get it).

Posted 06/26/08

Hey Ma, these guys seriously know what they are doing in the kitchen!. Each slice is perfectly unique, the sauce, the cheese, the crust!!!! The dense sicilian is amazing and might be my favorite, but the artichoke can become an unexpected constant craving. They slice them large, the price is right, the line....ridiculous!!!...but worth it if only ten deep. If I were you, I would order one or two pies and refrigerate for an entire week for multiple nights of "Holy F@^#$%, this is good friggin pie!" This place is a godsent considering the overpriced horrid new fancy BS that keeps opening to acclaim around gentrified NYC. Thanks for bringing the real deal back to Manhattan!

Pros: Best friggin slice

Cons: Lonnnng Line

Posted 06/08/08

We read a review for this place in New York Magazine and had to try it. The line was down the block so we hopped on and waited our turn and let me tell you it was WORTH THE WAIT! It's a tiny hole in the wall with a very short menu and a very long line! We ordered 2 of the famous artichoke and spinach pizza slices that were creamy and delicious, 3 regular slices which were cooked perfectly and had just the right amount of cheese and sauce and a stuffed artichoke! The stuffed artichoke is second only to my grandmothers and was OUT OF THIS WORLD! I would wait on that line just for one stuffed artichoke! Don't be intimidated by the line ... it only means they have a big turn over and your food will be that much better because it just came out of the oven! The guys running the joint are adorable and sweet and have good ol'rat pack music playing... Nice to see small businesses like this succeed this big city! Good job guys and good luck!

Pros: Great pizza, Great people, fair prices

Cons: I could say they need to expand but then it would loose some charm :)

Posted 05/22/08

You will want to bathe in the marinara sauce. The Artichoke spinach slice ( tastes like spinach dip ) is the size of a frisbee , for a mere 3.oo a slice. The guys are dolls from Staten Island. They are new on the scene, and still perfecting this near perfect pizza. They are struggling to keep more consistent hours as they do the daily commute in from SI. They are offering free pizza if you can find them an apt in Manhattan. Help them help us eat the most delicious pizza often. Mangia, enjoy!

Pros: Best pizza by the slice in NYC

Cons: Hours are not yet consistent, no seating..standing room only.

Posted 05/04/08

I live across the street from Artichoke and I am so happy for the guys who own the place. FINALLY a family owned and operated place opens up in a city where non-chain stores are closing left and right. Aside from that, these guys are really great people and they really and truly know how to make an amazing slice of pizza. Whether it's their HEAVENLY Artichoke Signature slice or even just a plain or a Sicilian slice EVERY SINGLE element of the pie is top notch. The crust is homemade perfection, the sauce stellar and the ingredients fresh and delicious. I am so impressed at how well they are doing. But seriously, it all has to do with the fact that their pizza really is THAT good. Literally every single night there is a line out the door. DO NOT let that turn you away. Be patient and kind to your fellow next-in-liner and prepare to enjoy a wonderful home cooked slice of heaven. I HIGHLY recommend the Artichoke Signature Slice...it is bonkers. It is a flavor adventure which is possibly the best slice of pie I have had to date (and I do consider myself to be a NYC pizza connoisseur). Muzzerella on A b/w 13th & 14th makes a GREAT plain slice, but this place beats them hands down. Well done gentlemen! This is how pizza should be done. Long live the home cooked taste of a family run business!!! Check it out; you won't be sorry you waited!!!

Pros: Wonderful, fresh ingredients AMAZING Artichoke Signature Slice

Cons: Long lines BUT if you practice patience and kindness, you will be rewarded 10 fold in the end

Posted 05/03/08

I ate their with my boyfriend for the 1st time yesterday. I regularly pass the place, but the line since day 1 has been sooooo long. we decided to take on the line. after 15 min, we were holding the most beautiful, large, cheap piece of pizza i have ever gazed my brown eyes upon. we sat a few doors down and within minutes people were asking us about the pizza. we raved and raved about it. The men inside you so helpful and kind. I love the specialty of the place. 2 kinds of pizza and stuffed artichokes. $3 for a slice! Its perfection you cant go wrong.

Pros: Cheap & Delicious

Cons: please we wait in line 1/3 of our lives. Its worth the wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted 04/15/08