The Flop Debate
I recently came across a social media post from a pizza chef in Los Angeles making an argument I found interesting. He was saying that people who judge a pizza based on its stiffness are wrong — that a truly great pizza should have some flop to it.
In his view, a pizza that is rigid when you hold it, that doesn’t fold or bend, was essentially dried out. That the life had been cooked out of the dough. He said a great pizza should almost fit inside your hand rather than stiffen out stiffly when you hold it.
I can almost see where he’s coming from — and I think that’s probably true when you’re working with true pizza professionals doing something very specific with their dough. But in most local markets, when I’m evaluating a New York style slice, I’m judging it on its stiffness. And at Joe’s Brooklyn Pizza, it doesn’t get any stiffer.
Joe Knows His Pizza
I go to the Webster location, which is where Joe himself works — the owner, behind the counter, making every pie. Sitting there and talking with him about pizza is genuinely great. He knows what he’s talking about. He understands his dough. He understands his oven — when to lay a pizza directly on the deck, when to transfer it to a screen. He knows what to look for, what to listen for, what to smell for. And he understands the importance of letting a pizza breathe on the counter after it comes out of the oven before cutting it and putting it in the box.
Joe weighs out every single ingredient on every pizza he makes — down to the gram. Not to cut corners or save money, but because he’s trying to build a consistent product where every element of the pizza shines equally. Not just one.
We’ve all had the pizza that’s over-sauced and that’s all you taste. Or over-cheesed and the cheese drowns everything out. Or too doughy. At Joe’s, the New York style slice is stiff as a board, incredibly crisp, and balanced enough that you can actually taste every ingredient. That’s the goal and he hits it.
Worth the Trip — and the Slice Club
I rate Joe’s Brooklyn Pizza as one of my favorite New York style slices I’ve had outside of New York City. If you haven’t been, especially to the Webster location, I highly recommend it.
I’m also a member of their Slice Club — for $16.99 a month, you can stop into one of their locations and get one slice of pizza every single day. Head over to joesbrooklynpizza.com to join.
📍 Joe’s Brooklyn Pizza — 1778 Empire Blvd, Webster, NY
🍕 Slice Club: $16.99/month — joesbrooklynpizza.com
