There are many things I love about New York. One being that you can "leave" New York without having to walk more than a few blocks from your apartment. The second being there are so many restaurants, stores, and bars that it's impossible to go to all of them, even the ones in your immediate neighborhood.

Case in point: Luzzos (211 1st Ave btwn 12 and 13th Streets). I've walked by this place hundreds (if not thousands) of times. I'm not sure how long it's been open, but it seems and looks like it's been there forever. I've been wanting to go for as long as I can remember, but for one reason or another have never made it in. That all changed on Saturday night.

A friend and I were going out to dinner and by the time we got out of the house, we were starving!! He's new in town, so I wanted to take him to one of my favorite spots -- Lil Frankies -- but hit with a 30+ minute wait, we decided to pass and head up 1st Ave to Luzzo's instead.

From the outside, Luzzo's doesn't do much to draw you in, if you even notice it. It looks kind of beat up and thrown back from the late 80s/early 90s and you can't even see in the windows. Once inside, though, it's another story altogether.

Says New York Mag: Coal-burning ovens are hot commodities for pizza makers. The only way to get one is to inherit it—which is what Charles LoPresto has done at Luzzo’s, his new East Village restaurant. Exceedingly thin and crisp, minimally slicked with a sweet and tangy tomato sauce, the pizzas don’t disappoint—and neither do the friendly service and the calm, anti-sceney ambience.

The waitstaff are almost 100% native Italians and the decor is a strange, but charming mix of super low key and something else I really don't know how to describe it.

The real show stopper, though, is the pizza. When I said you can walk only a few blocks from your house, but leave New York, this is the kind of place I was talking about. Ask any native Italian who lives in New York where the best pizza in town is and you'll hear the same answer over and over: Luzzo's. Once you try it, you'll know the reason why.

We split a pizza and pasta, both of which were amazing. The service could use some help, but if you've ever been to Italy, you'll know that this is par the course for Italians. My favorite part: the wines are priced reasonably from $7-9 per glass and they fill it to the rim, unlike other places in the East Village where a glass of wine will run you $10+ and if you get a half a glass you feel special.

Check out the profile for Luzzo's on NY Mag's site, read the reader reviews, and check out their menu.