Posted on 10/25/2011 3:28:39 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Fifty-two years and countless oven-hot pies later, Ray’s Pizza — the Ray’s Pizza — will serve its last slice on Prince Street on Sunday.
The pizzeria announced its imminent closing over the summer, but only last week settled on the hard date. The closing follows a legal dispute over rent and a lease that followed its owner’s death in 2008. The manager of Ray’s, Helen Mistretta, 79, said that while a new pizzeria seemed ready to move into the location, the future of Ray’s Pizza and the Italian restaurant next door that shares its name remained uncertain.
“I went to look at a place, but it needed too much money for renovations,” she said. “And rents are ridiculous.”
For Ms. Mistretta, a cousin of the founder, Ralph Cuomo, talking about Sunday invariably requires a handkerchief within reach. “They want to have something — I said no,” she said. No big speeches, no goodbye party. “Maybe I could have a $1.50 slice, just to get rid of the flour,” she said. “It’s too sad. I’ll be outside.”
Ray’s is perhaps best known for what it is not, having spawned a bunch of shops with the same name and no connection whatsoever to the original on 27 Prince Street. It wore its authenticity like a thick, quality coat, without fuss or flair or apology, and carried on without Mr. Cuomo when his side interests — heroin dealing and the Luchese crime family — kept him from its day-to-day operations.
Most of the mementos inside — the big clock, the pictures of celebrities — will be placed in storage. One of those faces belongs to the actor Burt Young, who called Ms. Mistretta a few weeks back when he heard the news and promised to stop by soon.
(Excerpt) Read more at cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com ...
Hated that we lost the Russian Tea Room, Costello’s bar in the 40s, Pen and Pencil, also in the 40s, the Palm, so many good restaurants and bars. Can’t even go into the old Monkey Bar since that creep Graydon Carter sexed it up.
I’m at Pete’s at least once a month. Still going strong after all these years - and packing them in. We usually just sit way in the back away from the single crowds up front. Food’s still pretty good - steaks and burgers, of course.
Never been there but I’m sure it’s probably New York Style......u know. Thin crust. The best. Keep that Chicago thick crust where you have get through a loaf of bread before you get to the good stuff.
New York Style anyday! Just ask Tony and I think “Lenny’s” is still there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0ILUEiH1UA
I Love Seinfeld.
Just that little bit of dialog made me chuckle.
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