THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED San Marzano

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED San Marzano Restaurant Review:

While there’s no end to the number of Italian restaurants on the Lower East Side, finding those that serve quality pizza is another matter entirely. Many make “utility pizza” rather than the clever, thin-crust pies at San Marzano. The interior is also an upgrade from the local pizza joint; instead of fluorescent lights and Formica counters, there are brick walls, wood tables and windows overlooking Clinton Street. Named after the Italian tomato gracing its pies, the pizzas here run the gamut from classic to clever. At one end, there is the first-rate, if slightly oily, Bianca pie with Gorgonzola, Fontina and speck; at the other end of the spectrum there’s a teriyaki chicken and bell pepper combo that probably should stay at California Pizza Kitchen. Nibbles like a cheese and meat plate and mozzarella salad drizzled with balsamic vinegar round out the menu. The pizzas benefit from the heat of the wood-fired oven and the expertise of the owners, who operate the original branch of San Marzano in Merrick, Long Island.