Ralph’s Pizza Bayville, Long Island
Slice Rating
Ralph’s Pizza Bayville, Long Island
Posted By: Mad Greek July 20th, 2011
Having just moved to Bayville over the winter(a great little beach front community on the North Shore of Long Island), I have been driving by Ralph's Pizza for several months without a care to even stop and learn to love a new neighborhood pizzeria. Its a bit selfish, but on a personal note, it is hard to consider neighborhood pizzerias having grown up in Fresh Meadows eating at Brothers Pizzeria, the very best of all neighborhood pizzerias on the planet New York.
Don't believe me? Ask the 30 Rock pizza expert Alec Baldwin and he'll tell you the same. What's more he's not from Fresh Meadows. But he demands that his driver stop there on every trip home from JFK for a slice. Enough of that as I've convinced myself to run back home to review Brothers tomorrow after 50 years of greatness.
On that note, today's 50th anniversary best wishes from the Mad Greek most graciously goes to Ralph's Pizza of Bayville. Usually it is hard to suck and remain in business for half a century.
Again, admittedly, at first, being a pizza bigot regarding neighborhood slices, and being skeptical, I opted instead for their award winning deep fried calzone (old school) with a side of marinara. Without reservation, Ralph's Pizza makes one of the greatest calzones you will ever find anywhere. I'm glad I took the time to try one out today. Now in its third generation of providing outstanding food, Ralph's Pizza is a nice place to grab a slice and a deep fried calzone.
After my calzone, I broke any idea of a diet when I went to the counter and asked for a slice of their Neapolitan style pizza. From the counter, you will see the legacy of Ralph's Pizza. They have an old school Fish rotating oven and the two Baker's Pride cookers.
Ralph's in Bayville makes their pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese straight from Wisconsin. Again, here, a family recipe using fresh ingredients, is an important part of keeping with tradition. At first bite, I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed on a personal note as I was hoping for a taste of Brothers and a connection at 50 years of family tradition.
However, like fights, styles make for good pizza as well. And on that note, Ralph's makes a good pizza. Despite the fact that I personally don't like a little extra flour on the underside of the slice. However, that said, the second bite quickly redirected back to the freshness and crispness of the slice.
Ralph's neopolitan sauce as well as their dough are home made, fresh, everyday in the kitchen. The dough is kneaded in and old style 1940's rotator and the sauce, a plain sweet and an unadulterated old school style pizza sauce is crafted from fresh California tomatoes that strikes the. finish line crust (my personal favorite part of the slice) a clear winner.
Ralph's Pizza in Bayville gets a solid 6 out of 8 slice ranking.