Would you wait for 35 minutes on the most touristy stretch of Bleecker Street to try real Neapolitan pizza? When in doubt about a new place, I scope out the people leaving the establishment. Do they roll onto the sidewalk looking food-stunned and satisfied? Are they sighing “oh wow,” and lovingly patting their swollen bellies as if they contained precious cargo?

Well then goddamnit I’ll wait. It’s not that long and after all, a pizzaholic’s work is never done. To Keste’s credit, they brought out fresh pies for people in line to sample, as if to allay any fears that your time and money might be better spent at long-established John’s across the street (where, on a Saturday night, the line looked just as bad).

What Keste has on John’s is buzz and authenticity. Real Neapolitan pizza adheres to certain guidelines that guarantee its character and its quality, and according to New York Magazine, Keste is leading the city’s Neapolitan pizza revolution. The pies I had at Keste made the fuss seem justified. The ingredients in my marghertia pizza ($12) were top-notch. The sauce was fresh and sweet and just a little bit tangy, complimenting the delicate richness of the generously-heaped bufala mozzarella. The had a distinctively smokey flavor from the wood oven along its edges, but got pretty soggy in the middle. For the sake of balance, I like a little more sturdiness and a little less smoke in my crust. I think Neapolitan pizza is supposed to be a bit wet, but compared to Una Pizza Napoletana (now regrettably closed) I don’t think the crust attained the heights capable by this kind of pie.

That was my only complaint, however, and I would definitely try Keste again, though maybe during a less hectic time. The salame pizza ($14) which came with fresh mozzarella instead of bufala, and prosciutto-thin cuts of salame, was also very good. My Menabrea beer was pleasantly more flavorful than standby Peroni, which is basically Italian Heineken.

Interestingly, Frank Bruni at The New York Times totally dissed Keste but liked ho-hum Veloce. Crust Is a Canvas For Pizza’s New Wave is required pizza fan reading.

More Snackish posts about pizza

Keste Pizza & Vino
271 Bleecker St. between Jones St. and Cornelia St.
Daily: 11:30am-12am
No delivery, takeout available