Artichoke Basille's: The Walking Slice

I have a running joke about “Artichoke Basille’s” because where I grew up, Oakland, there was a franchise just a short bike ride away at the UC Berkeley campus. I actually saw the one in Berkeley first, then weeks later I was visiting a friend in Bushwick and walked by the one on Wyckoff. Of course, I insisted (sarcastically) that this was a restaurant modeled after the original location in Berkeley, and to really drive the stake into the heart of this New York pizza purist, joked that they were trying to emulate the perfect Northern California style pizza.

Of course, Artichoke Basille’s is a nine year old pizza chain based in Manhattan, with a few locations in Brooklyn and apparently one in Berkeley. Artichoke Basille’s is the brainchild of the Staten Island natives and cousins Sal Basille and Francis Garcia. They’re style and expertise was refined in a lifetime of working in their family’s restaurant “Basille’s” in Staten Island.

Now, these pizaiolos have spread their dough wide, and I’ve only been to their newest Williamsburg location, and of course their Berkeley location. That said, the pizza was surprisingly similar at both spots, so I feel like I have a decent sense from the three slices I’ve had about this pizza.

I did not have the famous artichoke slice, so I’ll definitely have to return, but I have a few words about the regular slice.

First, while the specialty slices are pretty pricey, the regular slice is just $2.75. I think there’s a law about that, I haven’t seen any regular slices that exceed that yet. The slice was delicious, definitely hits the spot, but it has one major pitfall that hints that these locations are not operated by veteran pizzaiolos.

Let me say that the sauce to cheese ratio is perfect. It’s a pretty strong slice, can just hold up to the moisture and weight of the toppings. The crust is crispy, but there is a grittiness to it that I’ve experienced multiple times. If it was a one off I would say the oven just wasn’t wiped between pies. Burnt cornmeal or flour can cause a little dusty grit on the bottom. More likely than that, I think they are using a gritty flour.

That said, this slice is tasty. I might opt for a different nearby location if I came across it again, but for a late night bite it definitely hits the spot.

Also, “Artichoke Basille’s” is near and dear to many hearts in New York. I’ve had numerous people tell me that this chain is special to them, and that I need to check it out. I agree, it’s got an atmosphere reminiscent of the late 00s and it’s definitely reliable. Like I said, I’ll have to go back for the artichoke slice.