📍Stretch Pizza, New York City

I’ve tried to visit Stretch Pizza for a long time. I remember when it opened and trying to make plans to go. It never worked out. I wasn’t planning to go on this day either. I walked past it trying to get to where I planned to have lunch but did a double take. Why not today?

Wylie Dufresne is the chef/owner at Stretch Pizza. He has a reputation for doing things a bit differently. He was one of the leaders in treating cooking like science. I loved the burger he did at Alder. Sadly, Alder closed almost a decade ago. After, he opened a donut shop that had unexpected and non-traditional flavors. I don’t believe it exists anymore either after the pandemic. During the pandemic, he worked on pizza that was acclaimed for its dough out of Breads bakery as a popup. Stretch Pizza was born from that work. I never got to try the popup so trying this was nearly 3 years in the making.

It wasn’t too busy. I didn’t notice the people dining in the front corner. I asked the host if they were open. I took a seat at the bar as the only person at the bar. Once seated, I saw 2 or 3 of the front tables with customers. There is a long bar area along one long wall, booths opposite the bar, and a semi-open kitchen area in the back. It’s a nicely laid-out place but too big for the crowd at this hour.

A crisp light beer to go with pizza is never a bad idea. I had plans that evening to meet with friends for drinks, so I kept it easy. Nite Lite is from a brewery in Massachusetts. It’s really easy to drink with food.

I ordered the Couch Potato pie. It’s trying to get me to think about a baked potato. It’s topped with fingerling potatoes, bacon, and scallions. The sauce has a bit of sour cream in it too. I generally prefer my pizza to be a bit more wet but I’m not sure that would work with the potato theme. The potatoes were plentiful. I didn’t have a bite without a potato on it. The scallions were sharp and gave that necessary punch. The bacon is clumped together, almost like sausage. It is a good accent but this is not a meat-focused pie.

The core of this is the crust. It’s what Wylie Dufrense worked on at his popup and is an extension of his work at his donut shop. It’s crisp and airy. Despite not being a very big slice, it’s a two-hander. The toppings are heavy so I’m not sure how it holds up in other cases. Between the non-traditional toppings and environment, it feels like a Southern California pizza spot. They offer dipping sauces for the crust but that’s just a bit too far for me to go as a New Yorker.

📍Stretch Pizza
331 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10010

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