Hospitality professional Adrien Gallo has built up a restaurant empire, albeit, undeground. Joining his cocktail bar, Nothing Really Matters, and his coffee spot, Tiny Dancer, See No Evil Pizza opened in winter of 2024, located on the same concourse level of the downtown-bound 1 train station at 50th Street and Broadway. One of the better smells to come out of a subway station that we've ever clocked, it is easy to follow your nose to this subterranean pizzeria, order a 12-inch pie and be on your way in four minutes or less. But with a menu that teases sardine toasts and arancini with caviar, you may just want to stay awhile and catch a later train.
The vibe: The inside reads like a blast from the past with black and white checkered floors, wooden booths and mirrors, and a spirit of punk rebellion with Papa Roach blaring through the speakers. A former storage unit turned restaurant, the interior is a tight one, as bar seats are perpetually pushed against counters and nudging someone to and from your table is a guarantee. And with pizza ovens burning behind the counter, things get all the toastier. All that said, tables of two are perfect but you just might feel the squeeze a bit more with setups of four.
The food: Eating on the subway, a no-no. Eating at this pizzeria inside the subway station? A yes-yes. See No Evil brings a bit of hi-low to the underground thanks to Ed Carew, a former alum of Gramercy Tavern and Eleven Madison Park. Starters that include bright green nubs of fava beans and an herby panellle showered with a mess of fresh herbs and golden fried croquettes bumped with caviar on them—because why not? Made with a three-day fermented dough, the pies here crossover between styles, blistering and puffing in pockets the Neapolitan way, all while retaining a bit of a crunch like a New York-slice should. The Hell Pie ($29) is the house favorite for good reason, with gooey globs of smoked mozarella cheese, hot soppressata and pepperonis and a crush of calabrian chillies that all ladder up to a steady and pleasant heat. The Brocolli Rabe ($27) earns points for its fresh bunch of vegetables, including broccoli and slices of potatoes, but it is a bit heavy and eats more earthy that anything else. The Nepo Baby ($25) is a saucier number with anchovies and blistered kalamatas, evened with a punchy tomato sauce. But much like all nepo babies, hearing from them once in awhile is good enough for me.
The drinks: If you'd rather an excellent cocktail, then next door is a better bet. But if you'd rather have one with a slice in hand, peruse the short list of drinks, including a refreshing blood orange spritz and Negronis stirred with amaro. Glasses of wines and beers are always an option.
Time Out tip: Next door lies one of our favorite underground cocktail bars, Nothing Really Matters. You can also order pies directly to the bar if you'd rather get to drinking first.