Tony makes a very good pie. I happened by his restaurant with my family a week ago, had a couple of pies, then came back the next day for another couple of pies. One of the customers sitting next to me the first day insisted that we order a New Yorker. I was reluctant because it wasn't my style and it certainly wasn't my wife's nor my daughter's style either, but he insisted. We couldn't put it down. I'd like to write that I sampled all his pies including the "Americana-style" which is more my style ... but I didn't. On that second day, we all agreed, two big New Yorkers.
It might be amusing to some that I found Tony's by walking along a bunch of streets. SF has a lot of pie places and I looked at every one I passed. I wasn't impressed. Then we walked by Tony's and I saw a couple of pies and thought 'this guy knows how to make pizza' (thick, thin, wood-fired, coal, whatever.). It was packed and we couldn't get in, so we came back the next day just as it opened for lunch. There were probably 20 or more in line when we arrived, but fortunately got seated. After tying the pies, I checked Yelp thinking it must be the top rank in SF. Not so, according to Yelp it was #8. (I've seen this a few times lately where I think somebody is stacking the ranking list on Yelp.) That night I searched the pizza forum and saw that others tasted what we tasted. Tony makes a good pie.
On the second visit I did get to chat with Tony a bit. (Somebody told him I was a wacko-pizzaforum-guy.) Tony was busy throwing pies, but was still quite friendly.
Bugger, now I've got to up my game.
Dave
