How Paulie Gee’s Continues the Legacy of the Classic New York Slice Shop

At Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, the classic New York City pizza is king. “Pizza Cognition Theory states that the pizza you have first is the pizza that tastes best to you for the rest of your life,” says owner Paul Giannone, aka Paulie Gee. “And that was that New York slice that I had back in 1958.”

The day’s work at Paulie Gee’s begins at 6 a.m. with the making of both Sicilian and classic pizza doughs. Enough dough for approximately 85 Sicilian pies and 230 New York-style round pizzas is made, divvied up, kneaded, and proofed every morning. After, dough made the previous day is formed into the day’s pies and the sauce — a simple mix of tomato, onion, and garlic simmered for an hour and a half — cooks.

Though Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop and its components may read as simple, every detail, from the oiling of the pizza pans to the types of benches used for the booths, has been considered. “Once I got the idea to open this place, I decided that I was just gonna be a classic slice shop,” Giannone says. “It all started with what the place was gonna look [like].” The basement panelling walls, beverage dispenser, and red benches that make up the booths are all akin to those you would find in the New York slice shops of the ’70s.

“Do I make the best pizza in the city? That’s not for me to say,” Giannone says. “I make classic pizza… I wanted to make that my unique brand.”

Watch the full episode of Eater’s new series Icons: Pizza to learn how Paulie Gee’s has made its name as a legendary New York slice shop.