Artichoke Basille’s Pizza Sucks

I really don’t understand why there is still a line in front of Artichoke Bassille’s every day. Their pizza sucks. I think they somehow just got a group of people together and brainwashed them that they should all write good blog reviews about them when they were opening to create a buzz and somehow that buzz has still managed to carry on through the summer and now heading into winter. If the pizza was actually good I would understand, but I have been there on 3 separate occasions now and I have found very few redeeming qualities about it. Granted, there are some things I do like about their slice, but they do not come even close to making up for all the things going against them.

The namesake of the place, the artichoke slice is really heavy with crust that is too thick and way too much cheese and other toppings. I think a good slice is about balance and that one had no concept of it. I do like a white pie every now and then, but this is just overloaded and heavy.

The Margherita isn’t nearly as bad because I do actually like their sauce. I also like the sprinkling of Parmesan and a good amount of basil. But the crust varies from being thin to overly thick haphazardly throughout the slice. The center of the pie was pretty soft and floppy and then the outside was burnt to a crisp and damn near un-chewable.

I tried both of those slices twice on the three separate occasions I have tried them out and each time they were disappointing. Bear in mind that when I do go, I am usually out with friends and coming in famished so I should thoroughly enjoy hot food of any sort. Its a pretty amazing I didn’t like it walking in there in the stomach growling state I was in. I haven’t had the crab pizza or the Sicilian, but I don’t think I will ever be returning after having 3 bad experiences there. To top it all off, they are pretty overpriced compared to the most other New York City slices.

The combination of mediocre pizza, high prices, and insane lines is what really makes this place suck.

What scares me is that they have been compared to Di Fara’s which is supposed to be the holy grail of pizza in New York. I haven’t been there yet, but I intend on going soon and am really hoping it is much better than what I have gotten here.

Artichoke Bassille’s Pizza
328 East 14th St (between 2nd Ave & 1st Ave)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 228-2004