The Audacity of Uncle Sam's Pizza on Clinton Street

I’m not sure it’s possible to open a pizza shop in Manhattan right now without offering a rendition of a square Sicilian slice with pepperoni. The madness that Prince Street Pizza started has got everybody trying to make their own Spicy Spring. I’m not mad at it - in fact, for my money, there are a few shops that do a ‘Gram worth baby ‘roni-loaded ‘za slice better than Prince Street.

One of them is Uncle Sam’s Pizza, recently opened on Clinton Street.

The name and iconography of the restaurant struck me as quite random - what I am supposed to expect from an Uncle Sam’s Pizza? Red, white and blue slices? Sparklers in my garlic knots? Really, this place is a classic New York City pizza shop, a brick-lined wedge-space on Clinton Street about the width of my bedroom, with a big ol’ iron pizza oven and a variety of round and square pies showcased behind glass.

I was right away impressed by the sausage knuckles on their pepperoni-and-sausage slice - per the photo above, them things was PHAT. And of course, their spicy pepperoni square slice caught my eye, because, well, it’s a downtown Manhattan thing. Naturally, I had to see how their ‘roni square stacked up against the King Kong on Prince Street. I ordered the pepperoni-and-sausage and the spicy pepperoni square, and took a seat at their single outdoor countertop.

The pepperoni-and-sausage slice was great - a little crisp, but with enough give and grease in the crust to stand up to the hefty cuts of meat. I scarfed it down in t-minus three minutes, making sure to hide my savagery from passerby. Just a guy eating pizza like a dog at his last meal, nothing to see here….

Then came the Spicy Pepperoni Square, piled high with ‘ronis; I mean, there were little red grease cups falling all over the place. I gave the square a relatively clean fold, treating it more like a mozzarella and pepperoni sandwich. Each bite had a good proportion of cheese, sauce, and ‘roni - an important aspect in a pizza that could easily be overpowered by the meat. I definitely tasted a kick of spice, that kind of low-fi red pepper heat that makes for an entertaining chew.

I give Uncle Sam’s a 4 out of 5 - um - let's say stars, and will definitely be going back. These guys are new, but if they keep slinging out quality pies like I had today then I could definitely see them making some year-end Best of…’ lists. Plus, I’ve got to give props for keeping the dream alive in the Lower East Side, in a time where the easiest thing for most restaurateurs to do is shut their doors. It takes balls to open a pizza shop right now; mozzarella balls. Chuckle chuckle Know what I’m sayin’? Until next time.