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Brooklyn’s most famous pizza joint is decking the (Bushwick) halls once again. Roberta’s, the restaurant that launched a thousand wood-fired pies, is bringing back its over-the-top holiday pop-up, Grinchy’s, from December 2 through January 3.
Now in its third year, Grinchy’s transforms the restaurant’s backyard Tiki Bar into a tinsel-drenched fever dream. You’ll find equal parts kitsch and cheer, a mashup of tiki bar irreverence and some full-blown Christmas chaos. (This is Bushwick, after all.) Expect walls dripping with garlands, twinkling lights and plenty of green nods to the pop-up’s namesake. There will also be surprise Santa drop-ins across Roberta’s Bushwick, Domino Park and Penn Plaza locations.
In true Roberta’s fashion, the food and drink menus are set to be as playful as the decor. Chef Carlo Mirarchi’s limited-time holiday lineup features Grinchy’s pretzels, Bee Sting popcorn—a wink to the cult-favorite pizza that put Roberta’s on the map—and freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies, all designed for sharing. (Although we won’t tell if you hoard them, like a proper Grinch.) On the cocktail front, holiday sips like a classic hot toddy alongside Frostie the Snowman and Grinchy’s Old Fashion will keep spirits bright.
This year also brings a few new twists. For the first time, the restaurant will be home to a Christmas tree lot stocked with evergreens from SoHo Trees, perfect for pairing with pizza pickup. Grinchy’s will also host a Gingerbread House Challenge on December 13, in case your holiday spirit revolves around frosting and fierce competition.
In its multi-year run, Grinchy’s has fast become a holiday staple for locals who prefer their Christmas with a side of irony—and a solid cocktail list. It’s also a fitting celebration for a restaurant that’s been flipping expectations for 17 years, when a creative take on Neapolitan pies helped turn a formerly industrial block into a hangout for New York’s edgy and hungry.