THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Cronkite Pizzeria & Wine Bar

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Cronkite Pizzeria & Wine Bar Restaurant Review:

New Yorkers are jaded when it comes to pizza. That means pie purveyors cannot skate by on the quality of their pizza alone. No, they must have cred, too---a stint in Naples, or in the case of Cronkite Pizzeria & Wine Bar, a track record. Michael Ayoub, of the beloved Fornino in Williamsburg, is operating the oven here on the Lower East Side, trying to replicate the same formula. The interior is nondescript; the restaurant is below street level and the tables and chairs are rather plain, which would be de rigueur for an average pizza joint. As a wine bar, though, waiting room chic doesn’t create an especially romantic environment. The selection of pies is impressive, ranging from a small version with black truffles for $36 to a small margherita for a scant $10. The pizzas are indeed a touch chewier than the classic European-style product found in New York, but the added structure gives support to the toppings: the salty Rustica comes with guanciale (hog jowl) and the bountiful Trevisiana with radicchio, pancetta and goat cheese. There’s an extensive Italian wine list as well, but it’s costly and doesn’t jibe with the rest of the experience.