pizza, home made pasta. gluten free food!! yes I agree! last years manager was omg a mooonster, it's true, i remember her. But, she is not there any more thank god.. done! she get fired she's OUT.... More

pizza, home made pasta. gluten free food!! yes I agree! last years manager was omg a mooonster, it's true, i remember her. But, she is not there any more thank god.. done! she get fired she's OUT. BRAVO! and the place once again is amazing. Gigio the chef and owner of Pala it is such great guy and great cook. as well the ther kitchen staff. the service people now are very nice and the pizza it is to die for. as well the antipasto, oh don't forget the deserters which are made all at Pala freshly almost every other day. YEAH!!! i was there 3 times the past month. Pros: the bestest pizza eeeever
Less

I have been to Pala` Pizza and had a great experience. The food was great, I reluctantly tried the all wheat pasta with tomato sauce (I was with friends and they wanted to have pizza and something... More

I have been to Pala` Pizza and had a great experience. The food was great, I reluctantly tried the all wheat pasta with tomato sauce (I was with friends and they wanted to have pizza and something else) and it was amazing. The pizzas are soooo different from anything you could find around... I loved the crust which, again is not common in NY. I found them also easily digestible. But the dessert was what surprised me the most.... over all a great find and the ambience was very interesting mix. I loved it. Pros: Food (and that's the most important thing), ambience, good energy Cons: noisy
Less

I was so excited to take my friend out to Pala for his 25th birthday after all of the wonderful things I heard about. The food certainly lived up to my expectations and the outdoor ambience of the... More

I was so excited to take my friend out to Pala for his 25th birthday after all of the wonderful things I heard about. The food certainly lived up to my expectations and the outdoor ambience of the LES, provided by the open street front. gave the place a great energy. The mixed drinks were well prepared and the gnocchi was out of this world. The pizza is what this place is really known for and between The Inferno and the Cheese with Truffle oil I was in heaven. Though don't be fooled...heaven and hell co-habitate in Pala. Never did I ever anticipate that my friends would be eating in one of the most tense and uncomfortable enviornments I have ever experienced in my 6 years of New York City dining. Simply put...the manager was a MONSTER. She treated her staff worse than a mix between Cruella DeVille and Cinderella's stepmother...barking at them in front of customers, threatening their jobs, and huffing and puffing around the establishment. This shocked my friends and I considering we watched her act like Dinah Lohan getting herself privately drunk at the corner bar where she hid out taking drink after drink after drink. Upon further exploration the waitstaff told horror stories that made Anna Wintour look like Mother Teresa. This manager's attitude played such an awful part in our experience that we spent the rest of the evening coming up with different ways that we could tell her off. Unfortunately, we lost track of how good the actual place was because of the evil creature running it. As a result I DO NOT RECOMMEND Pala if you are looking for a place to eat in comfort but rather if you embrace cruelty and heightened tension. Nothing would please me more to see this manager locked in a lion cage wearing Pala's delicious foods...not only would it satiate the lions? hunger but bring peace back to this cozy LES treasure. Pros: Food and Great Staff Cons: Horrible Monstrous Manager
Less

The pizza is amazing. It's different from any other pizza I've had. The crust is soft and melts in your mouth. The toppings are perfect. The wine list is good. And it turns out that on... More

The pizza is amazing. It's different from any other pizza I've had. The crust is soft and melts in your mouth. The toppings are perfect. The wine list is good. And it turns out that on Mon-Thurs they have an AWESOME two person dinner deal: split a salad, 1 foot pizza, 1 dessert, and two glasses of wine for $35. Great casual date place. Pros: Pizza! Service Cons: The tables are a bit big for intimate conversation
Less

Four members of Meetup's New York City Thrifty Gourmets group and I field-tested Pala this past Tuesday night. FOOD: The fried calimari had a tasty, spicy coating, but the seafood itself was almost... More

Four members of Meetup's New York City Thrifty Gourmets group and I field-tested Pala this past Tuesday night. FOOD: The fried calimari had a tasty, spicy coating, but the seafood itself was almost tough. The dollops of goat cheese on the zucchina pizze were fresh and flavorful, but the flavors of its other ingredients were not distinctive. The thin slices of soppresetta on the inferno pizze were fresh and peppery, perhaps too much so. Their tanginess overwhelmed the flavors of the other ingredients. The zucca pizze was the outstanding dish of the evening. The smoky richness of the scamorza melded perfectly with the saltiness of the pancetta. A bite of this pizze reminded me of a delicious ham & cheese omelet on a thin slice of toast made from fine bread. SERVICE: Our reservation, made through OpenTable, was honored, we were greeted warmly, and our table was set up in advance of our arrival. The restaurant appeared understaffed, though, as servers were scrambling to cover the tables. Our server attended to us infrequently. ATMOSPHERE: The restaurant had the feel of a slightly cramped, but not crowded, lounge with low lighting and 80s and 90s dance music in the background. The restroom was messy but acceptably clean. VALUE: Calimari appetizer+three shared pizzes+one beer+tax & tip=$22/person. Pros: Fresh, flavorful ingredients. Relaxed, low-key setting. Cons: Amount and attentiveness of staff.
Less

this is the best pizza ever.. it is so fantastik, that's when you start eating, you forget to stop, and the homemade pasta it is unreal, omg those italian antipastos forget about the huge... More

this is the best pizza ever.. it is so fantastik, that's when you start eating, you forget to stop, and the homemade pasta it is unreal, omg those italian antipastos forget about the huge selection of very good italian vino which is very affordable. and the staff always nice and friendly.. oh, don't forget to ask for the home made ice cream "by gigio" Pros: *** Cons: ***
Less

We went as a group and had a wonderful time. The appetizers were delicious and easy for sharing. The staff was amazing and THE PIZZA tastes like a slice of Italy. Come hungry and with no... More

We went as a group and had a wonderful time. The appetizers were delicious and easy for sharing. The staff was amazing and THE PIZZA tastes like a slice of Italy. Come hungry and with no preconceived notions about pizza you've tasted before.
Less

My students and I met at Pala for dinner in late September. There were 24 of us and the restaurant was more than willing to fit us in. We ordered the calamari and the risotto. The calamari was a... More

My students and I met at Pala for dinner in late September. There were 24 of us and the restaurant was more than willing to fit us in. We ordered the calamari and the risotto. The calamari was a bit bland, but the risotto was a winner with the table. They were perfectly fried and served with a simple tomato sauce. If you have a large group the restaurant requires that you order food in advance--that makes perfect sense, but it was a bit tough making choices for 24 people a week before hand. Basically, I ended up ordering 11 feet of 9 different pizzas. I was able to sample four and they were all good. Some of the students who were less adventurous didn't like the pumpkin pizza, but most enjoyed all that they had. The 3 cheese and pancetta was enormously successful as was the zucchini. The service was good. We were a large group, but the staff did a nice job with drinks. An earlier review mentioned the owner's brusk manner and I did catch a glimpse of that, but it was only brief. I think my group really was pleased with the service and atmosphere. So, I'm recommending Pala' for small or large group dining. The price is good and the pizza is yummy. It's good for open air dining and has some personality. Just be aware that you HAVE to have cash or an AmEx. Pros: Different types of pizza--variety Cons: Inconvenient payment
Less

Pala has become a favorite destination for my friends and I for every occasion! I can't describe the overwhelming cravings I get now for their amazing zucca pizza, or the spinach salad. The wine... More

Pala has become a favorite destination for my friends and I for every occasion! I can't describe the overwhelming cravings I get now for their amazing zucca pizza, or the spinach salad. The wine list appeals to everyone and is quite reasonable. Be sure to try the red lambrusco or the proseco. Nothing beats sitting outdoors, or in their cozy but airy space on a nice autumn evening. There's a very comfortable vibe all around, and the staff is extremely friendly and attentive. It's definitely worth every minute of the drive in all the way from the outer boroughs! Pros: Food, Wine, Atmosphere
Less