Grimaldi’s Pizzeria Review – New York Pizza in Scottsdale

There’s something in the water…

When I say there is something in the water…I mean that in more ways than one. Grimaldi’s charcoal oven baked Pizza  is not only undeniably unique but highly addicting. With it’s thin crispy crust, not so shy toppings and charcoal baked corners, it is  the true definition of New York Style Pizza…in fact some even say it to be the best New York style pizza in Arizona.

While this is a tall order to fill, The question begging at my California roots: What makes a good New York style pizza? Is it the toppings? The dough? the Sauce? Of course these all play a part in building the perfect New York pie. The ingredient that makes this style of pizza so unique and desired however, is something that cannot be found so simply in the desert oasis we call Arizona: but Grimaldi’s did. So What secret ingredient makes Grimaldi’s the best New York Style Pizza in Arizona? Patience darling, we haven’t even ordered appetizers.

As we enjoyed our local craft beers we sat at a quaint corner table and took in the menu and  decor. The checkered table cloth’s, wine bottle lighting and the crimson brick walls, took you right into a New York state of mind. The menu was simple yet well executed; pizza, calzones, antipasto and salads were the basis of this simplistic but innovative menu.

We began our Grimaldi’s journey with the Caprese and the spinach salad. The Caprese boasted thin slices of vine ripened tomatoes topped with fresh and airy mozzarella then pocketed between fresh basil leaves. The spinach salad had robust crumbles of blue cheese, fresh crispy bacon and red onion, tossed in a balsamic dressing. While both were the perfect start to our meal, we needed to save room as we knew this may be the night we committed carbicide.

All of the pizza on Grimaldi’s menu are on a build your own basis so we decided to go with the garlic white; topped with bacon, feta, kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes. while this would have been more than enough  for two, we could not keep our eyes off of the calzone’s, nor could we leave without laying our taste-buds on one. We ordered a personal calzone; stuffed with cheese, pepperoni, artichoke hearts and mushrooms.

My mouth was watering as the smell of fresh baked crust cooking in their charcoal ovens filled the air. Suddenly, I saw a server walking our way dishes in hand. The look on my face must have been that of a child on the way to Disneyland for the very first time. As the pizza and calzone were set on the table I could tell right away they were different than any I had ever had.

The pizza, (while not your traditional topping combination) was absolutely delicious. The  sweet and acidic sun-dried tomatoes matched the subtle saltiness of the kalamata olives and were finally balanced by the soft feta cheese. The crust was thin…flaky…flavorful and the reminisce of the charcoal oven danced on my taste buds.

The Calzone…ohhhh the calzone. The bread was fluffy, dense and perfect for pulling apart. The ingredients were plentiful, stuffed in the warm and flavorful pocket, blanketed with warm cheese and served with marinara for dipping.

I started to understand what all the hype was about but the question still begged at me. I could not leave without the answer. What secret does Grimaldi’s hold to having the best New York style pizza in Arizona?  You know the saying… Ask and you shall receive. I saw the manager walking by and I quickly  stopped him. We discussed how unique their pizzas are compared to any other. I asked him to share their secret. Well, he said ” It’s something in the water“.

“I knew it”, I thought. “They must have some secret ingredient in the water, immediately increasing endorphin levels and creating a synthetic process in which simulates the  experience of the best New York Pizza“. Just as my imagination started to run away with itself he began to elaborate.

When you make pizza dough, you make it with a very simple ingredient; water. and New York water is simply different than all the rest. It is the secret ingredient to the perfect thin flaky pie.

The owners of Grimaldi’s knew they had to think outside the box to bring us the best New York Style Pizza in Arizona. They worked hard and fast testing water PH levels, minerality and literally duplicated the ingredient that means the most to the best New York Style Pizza… the water.

As we fought over a slice of their homemade Oreo cheesecake and powdered sugar dusted cannoli, we talked about what Grimaldi’s went through to create this scientific, flaky, delicious concoction.  We were in complete awe the lengths they went  to bring us this East coast pleasure. I was not just surprised, I was impressed.

Behind every great meal is a secret ingredient…Grimaldi’s secret lies in a large plastic barrel just near the brick oven. They were kind enough to share their secret to success but not all will be so forthcoming. So the next time you feel there is an ingredient that you just can’t put your finger on…the kind that sets it apart from everything you’ve ever had…you never know… It just might be something in the water!