Friday, November 21, 2008

Arturo's

A taste of old New York can still be had at Arturo's on Houston at Thompson Street, a coal-oven pizzeria founded in 1957 by Arturo Giunta and his wife Betty, both Greenwich Village natives. Arturo died in 2006 and Betty followed in 2007, but their spirits live on in the restaurant, still run by their children and still featuring the flavor of our vanished city.



On the walls, mixed in with portraits and posters of starlets, movies, and unknown faces, are paintings by Arturo. Done in a kind of art brut style, there are images of horses, Frank Sinatra, Cracker Jack boxes, and Village storefronts like Vesuvio's bakery.



The food is good and plentiful. A live jazz band plays while you drink and dine. And you don't have to close your eyes to imagine you are back in good old New York.

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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 21, 2008 at 7:46 AM

    Wow. It has been far too long since I've been to Arturo's. Lovely. Have this on my list now for (part of a) night out with Mrs. G.

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  2. Jeremiah MossNovember 21, 2008 at 7:52 AM

    make sure you go early. like all good old places, this one gets packed the later it gets.

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  3. Ken MacNovember 21, 2008 at 10:21 AM

    The food is great at Arturos. You can't go wrong with their pizza and the atmosphere is tops. I only miss the old dude who used to play guitar.

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  4. L'EmmerdeurNovember 21, 2008 at 11:29 AM

    Try the steak sandwich. it is an actual slab of steak. Awesome.

    You looking to close down Arturo's? WTF.

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  5. Jeremiah MossNovember 21, 2008 at 11:45 AM

    close it down? dear god, no. i've decided that the magic of the economic crash has canceled out my reaper powers. i hope.

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  6. AnonymousNovember 23, 2008 at 4:45 PM

    Great Place-the celebs need to frequent places like this to keep the reps alive. These places made New York special. (not Qdoba, Jamba Juice, Chipotle) etc. But these yuppie people don't seem to know it, or don't want to know it, as long as they get their Jamba Juice and Whole Foods, they are happy.

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