One day, a young man rode the subway from Morningside Heights all the way down to Soho (for those who are not familiar with Manhattan, this is about a 45min trip). He then walked to Rubirosa, ordered a take-out pizza, returned to the Upper West Side to surprise his sweetheart with her favorite pizza in NYC! Ah, l’amour!

I decided I had to go and taste these famous pizzas. If you go, be prepared for a long wait as the restaurant doesn’t take reservations and it’s packed at all times. I’ve been several times, the shortest wait time was one hour and the longest was two. The wait system the restaurant employs actually works quite well; the staff takes your name and phone number and then sends you a message when the table is ready. You can go for a walk, shop, or have a glass of wine. The wait is never boring as Rubirosa is located in one of the most vibrant neighborhoods of NYC – Soho.
When I received the message on my phone that our table was ready we were delighted as we were starving. Once inside the restaurant, we were eager to taste the legendary pizza. The first time I was with my daughter, we were so hungry that we were not even impressed by the gigantic size of the pizzas and we ordered the large one that seemed very big for only two people. We literally devoured the whole pizza!
It’s for sure a lively place. There is no respite, people come and go and the servers are all over the place. It’s not unusual to see a stack of ten take-out boxes being held by one man on one outstretched arm as he makes his way to the front.
The restaurant is narrow and deep with casual and eclectic decor. The bar at the entrance is imposing and wood is predominant. Some of the rooms look like some of the grandma’s houses from my youth: old fashion wallpaper and vintage frames decorate the walls. The atmosphere feels convivial. At the back of the restaurant, you can see the pizza oven – a modern take on the traditional brick oven – and how the pizzas are prepared.
The service is fast and we didn’t wait too long before receiving the pizzas. There are two different sizes and it’s possible to split either size for two different tastes. We ordered the Rubirosa supreme – as a house signature you can’t beat it. Tomato paste topped with mozzarella, roasted garlic, and mini pepperoni and meatballs. Absolutely delicious! They provide chili pepper to sprinkle on the pizzas; I’m a big fan!
The Classic is a 50-year-old New York-style recipe featuring tomato and mozzarella. They wouldn’t share the recipe with me but it is definitely one to keep on the menu!
We had the buttermilk panna cotta for dessert served with a strawberry coulis and shortbread crumble. It wasn’t the best I have ever had but it wasn’t unpleasant to finish our meal on a sweet note.
Another time we ate there we ordered the Bianca. It’s for cheese lovers as it’s all about ricotta and mozzarella. It’s excellent and the roasted garlic with oregano reduces the heaviness of the cheese.
The Tie-Dye with tomato and vodka garnished with fresh mozzarella and pesto is so good that it might just as well be their house signature pizza.
What makes Rubirosa’s pizzas famous is the thin crust layered with the right amount of toppings. Despite the fine thickness of the dough, the crust is not over-baked and hard. Each pizza has the correct proportion of ingredients.
There are other dishes on the menu, such as salads, appetizers, and soups, but frankly, it’s not by chance that Rubirosa rhymes with pizza!
Rubirosa
235 Mulberry St, New York
📞 212-965-0500
Sunday – Wednesday: 11:30am – 11pm
Thursday – Saturday: 11:30 – 12am
Price: $
Subways:
Spring St – Line 6
Prince St – Lines N-Q-R-W
Broadway-Lafayette St – Lines D-F-M
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