Say cheese!
The hospitality powerhouses behind some of New York City’s buzziest hot spots are opening a ’70s-style neighborhood pizza joint in the West Village.
White Horse Tavern owner Eytan Sugarman has teamed up with Zero Bond co-owner Will Makris and Dandelion’s creative directors, Emily Pires and Elena Hristu, to launch a new downtown pizzeria called Keepers, Page Six can exclusively reveal.
“I think there will be something for everyone,” Sugarman told Page Six. “You can have a drink and a pie at a medium price point and have a great experience in, my opinion, one of the best areas in New York.”
The eatery — a refined interpretation of a classic corner tavern with a nostalgic feel — will serve up thin-crust bar pizza pies alongside an elevated cocktail program led by Ricky Dolinsky, the former beverage director for Danny Meyer’s The View restaurant.
“Our pizza is going to be a Jersey-style bar pie — a very thin-style pie,” Sugarman said, adding, “I haven’t seen that around New York.”
Sugarman said guests should expect “fun toppings, amazing ingredients and great cocktails.”
“I hope that people really enjoy it,” he said.
The highly anticipated pizza program will be led by Louis Tomczak, formerly of the beloved Brooklyn pizzeria Paulie Gee’s, as well as his and Sugarman’s Made in New York Pizza franchise.
Pizzas on the menu include inventive bar pies, from the traditional classic cheese pie and sausage-and-giardiniera-topped Chicagoland to the Bargherita and the sweet-and-spicy Pineapple Express. Other highlights include the New Jersey-inspired Thunder Road, the crab-topped Shore Thing and the Vodka Chicky Parm.
Patrons will also be able to order other dishes like a black garlic Caesar salad, a spicy Italian sub salad, homemade kettle chips with caramelized onion dip and oven-charred wings in a variety of bold flavors like brown butter buffalo and charred lemon pepper.
For a sweet treat, diners can indulge in decadent dessert pies, including a cinnamon bun-inspired option topped with streusel, icing and sprinkles, as well as another featuring fresh peaches and cream.
“It’s absolutely troublesome for anyone trying to avoid sugar,” Sugarman joked of the dessert pies, adding, “This is something unique that I’ve never seen before.”
Dolinsky promises to bring a fresh lineup of cocktails centered around an extensive selection of Negronis and classic drinks inspired by old New York bars. There will also be house cocktails like the Watermelon Daiquiri and Biscotti Old Fashioned, as well as nostalgic frozen drinks, approachable Italian wines, local beers and rotating spritzes designed to pair with the bar pies.
With its approachable menu, upscale beverages and carefully curated retro aesthetic, Keepers is poised to become a go-to spot for both locals and A-listers alike.
“I think this could be a family-friendly place,” Sugarman said.
“I think this could be for couples. I think this could just be people coming for a beer and a pie or a great cocktail,” he added. “I don’t think it’s pigeonholed to any group.”
Keepers is set to open its doors July 7.