A tale of two Lucias
Lucia Alimentari opened next door to the Soho slice shop, while Lucia of Avenue X holds down the fort
Shucking oysters and uncorking wine kept the pinstriped staff busy last Friday as they navigated a boisterous and stylish crowd. Next door, a line extended out onto Canal Street out of Lucia’s slice shop—a welcome addition to the pizza landscape. Standing between these two, smoking a cigarette stood Sal Carlino. Sal opened Lucia of Avenue X in 2022 and comes from a pizza heritage dating to the 70s.
After establishing himself in Sheepshead Bay, he leased space on the corner of Canal and West Broadway to open Lucia of Soho in November of 2023. While they cook the same pizza, the spaces are decidedly different in tone. Sheepshead Bay offers the neighborhood their pizza parlor, serving high schoolers to retirees and everyone in between. Soho, open till 3am on weekends, caters to the nearby office crowd, tourists lost in search of a fake Chanel bag, and of course the nightlife set.
Last summer, Sal’s partner hosted us on Avenue X on a warm evening. An incredible, curated meal showcased the best Lucia has to offer especially the cream spinach and poblano funghi.
While there, I chatted with the other patrons about New York pizza. One connoisseur rattled names off of places throughout Brooklyn and Queens, specifying which styles (rounds vs. squares) to order at each. One teenager sat down in silence, ate a full pie, and then left. A hero.
Naturally, I was thrilled to hear about the Soho location and was there a few days after it opened this November. While the pies are a tad more expensive, they sacrifice none of the quality, and now Lucia Alimentari adds another element - cafe, wine bar, restaurant - into a tastefully designed space.
As of this past Saturday, Lucia Alimentari is now open for dinner service—dishing out pizzettes, tuna, and other bar bites. If that doesn’t fill you up, pop next door for a slice that goes down easy. Congrats Sal, Jeff and the whole team!