It’s pizza night and decision time on where to get the best slice or two. Olivella’s and Fireside Pies are strong contenders with their tasty pizza, but that’s only if you are willing to wait an eternity for a table and then endure overly cramped conditions.

Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria, the new pizza kid on the block, will not only satisfy your taste buds, but provide the perfect relaxed New York-style pizzeria atmosphere without the typical Dallas wait.

With a piece of New York history (a family tradition of pizza making dating back to the 1930s) new to Dallas, you might assume Grimali’s Pizzeria would be packed full of eager pizza lovers. Whether it’s the off-West Village locale, or because it is fairly new to the area, Grimaldi’s is a departure from over-stuffed Dallas restaurants.

At age 10, Patsy Grimaldi began learning the coal-fired brick oven pizza-making trade in East Harlem from his Uncle Lancieri, a first generation Italian. After time, he opened the most highly craved pizzeria in New York, frequented by big-namers such as Frank Sinatra and Mayor Giuliani, making it a staple under the Brooklyn Bridge and winner of No. 1 pizza rated by ZAGAT, along with numerous other awards.

Grimialdi’s 61 years of family tradition has extended its family tree from Italy and New York to Arizona, Las Vegas, and now, to our very own Dallas. Trust me, this is a family tradition that you will actually want to be a part of.

Grimaldi’s décor emphasizes its NYC heritage. Fitting its West Village location and uptown diners, the restaurant is slightly modern with high ceilings, huge windows and track lighting. It maintains its pizzeria authenticity with exposed brick and wood walls, aged tin-plated ceiling, red and white checkered table cloths, and walls filled with subway signs and iconic photos of New York City.

One corner of the restaurant is taken up by an elegant, sleek bar complete with a large, flat-screen TV perfect for those game days. The huge coal-fired brick oven and pizza artists tossing freshly made dough into the air with ease occupy the center. It’s hard not to let your attention and gaze drift to the impressive skill and coordination of the pizza tossers, unless of course you are eating with equally attention-grabbing people.

From the moment you sit down, the wait staff is anxious to get you excited about your ensuing dining experience. They are prompt, attentive and ready to share with you the heritage and uniqueness of Grimaldi’s. Grimaldi’s sets itself apart from other pizza joints by two main factors: its oven and the ingredients used.

So what’s big deal about the coal-fired oven anyway? The only coal-fired pizza oven in the Dallas area, it gives the crust a light charred, smokey taste while creating a thin, crispy on the bottom, chewy center effect. Like my NYC pizza connoisseur friend explained, “It has perfect foldablility,” (an apparent sign of a good NY-style pie).

The tangy, sweet, delicate tomato sauce (homemade from fresh tomatoes straight from Italy) adds the perfect, stringy connection for the crust and its toppings. Handmade mozzarella adds a slight cheesy saltiness while binding your choice of toppings. At Grimaldi’s the motto is: Quality comes before quantity. Even though there is not an extreme plethora of topping choices, know that whether you choose the nickel-sized pepperoni, the spicy Italian sausage or the oven roasted sweet red peppers, you will get the freshest, most delicious ingredients around.

Those of you not into pizza may now be wondering if that is all that Grimaldi’s offers. Well, the answer is: pretty much. While they do have incredibly fresh salads, such as the Mediterranean and Caprese (yum!), and rich, decadent calzones, this is a no-nonsense pizzeria offering the best pie in town.

So next time you’re in the mood for pizza and you’re thinking of going anywhere other than Grimaldi’s… “fuhgeddabout it.”