{"id":220981,"date":"2026-05-05T19:06:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T19:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/220981\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T19:06:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T19:06:13","slug":"mancinis-wood-fires-pizza-emerges-victorious-in-second-annual-bay-ridge-pizza-wars-brooklyn-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/220981\/","title":{"rendered":"Mancini\u2019s Wood Fires Pizza emerges victorious in second annual Bay Ridge Pizza Wars \u2022 Brooklyn Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"pizza\t\t\t<\/p>\n

A dozen local pizzerias battled it out in the second annual Pizza Wars in Bay Ridge on May 3. <\/p>\n

Photo by Arthur de Gaeta<\/p>\n

A dozen of Bay Ridge\u2019s finest pizzerias duked it out on May 3 at the second annual Pizza Wars.\n<\/p>\n

The event, hosted by Merchants of 3rd Avenue<\/a>, started last year as a \u201cStar Wars\u201d-themed walking tour of the nabe\u2019s most beloved pizza joints. Participants voted for their favorite slice, and the winner was crowned by choice of the voting public.<\/p>\n

This year, the Pizza Wars were \u201creimagined\u201d somewhat. The \u201cStar Wars\u201d theme was tossed in favor of \u201cSaturday Night Fever\u201d \u2014 which was famously filmed in<\/a> Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst, including at the now-closed Lenny\u2019s Pizza<\/a> \u2014 and the competition was more regulated, with competitors all being judged on their square Sicilian slices.<\/p>\n

\"pizzaEach pizzeria was judged on its square Sicilian-style slice. Photo by Arthur de Gaeta \"pizzaBay Ridgeites strolled through the neighborhood decked in their 70s best for the \u201cSaturday Night Fever\u201d-themed Pizza Wars. Photo by Arthur de Gaeta<\/p>\n

Roughly a dozen pizzerias took part in the tour, including Nino\u2019s, Peppino\u2019s, Anna Bella, Frankie\u2019s and Pizza Wagon.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Participants, dressed in their 70s best, trekked through the neighborhood, judging each slice\u2019s cheese, sauce, crust and presentation and taking notes on each one.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Just before 5 p.m., the pizza lovers gathered at Firefly to hand in their voting cards and enjoyed some \u201cSaturday Night Fever\u201d trivia and themed drinks and snacks as votes were tallied.<\/p>\n

The vote was tight, and in third place was family-owned pizzeria Peppino\u2019s<\/a>, followed by Elegante<\/a> in second.<\/p>\n

\"eleganteElegante clinched second place in the Pizza Wars. Photo by Arthur de Gaeta \"goldenThe first-place Golden Pizza Cutter was awarded to Mancini\u2019s Wood-Fired Pizza. Photo by Arthur de Gaeta<\/p>\n

Mancini\u2019s Wood-Fired Pizza<\/a>, a fairly recent addition to the neighborhood, clinched first. They took home the Golden Pizza Cutter.<\/p>\n

The pizzeria promptly hung their prize on the wall of the pizzeria and shared the moment online<\/a>, thanking the nabe and their loyal customers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you [to my] staff, all my great customers and everyone who supports us,\u201d Mancini\u2019s wrote. \u201cBay Ridge is the greatest neighborhood in the world!!<\/p>\n

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