Buffalo Chicken pie, c/o Casa Farina
Casa Farina, a slice spot built around long-fermented dough and imported Italian flour, has racked up a near-perfect Google rating in its first few weeks on Lexington Avenue — with locals already calling it one of the best slices in the neighborhood.
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The new pizzeria sits at 1132 Lexington Avenue, between East 78th and East 79th streets, in the same space that until last month housed Roman-style pizzeria Unregular Pizza, which served its last slice on April 18 after roughly two years on the block. Owner Gökhan Cakmak told Patch he had been eyeing the storefront for some time before he was able to move in.Casa Farina translates from Italian as “flour house,” which is more or less a thesis statement for the menu. Cakmak told Patch every recipe is built on dough fermented for a minimum of 40 hours, using Caputo flour imported from Italy, with the tomato sauce made in-house. “The most important thing is the dough, because we believe in fermentation,” he said.
Cakmak comes to the slice shop world from the wholesale side. He previously ran a dough factory that supplied breads and pastries to restaurants and grocery stores, including Whole Foods, before deciding he wanted something smaller and more personal. He said the goal was a warm, low-key neighborhood spot built for families, students and local workers. “So far, the kids from the neighborhood schools, they love it,” he told Patch.
The menu reads as a classic New York slice shop with broader Italian-American range. Round pies run from a $25 cheese up to $34 specialty pies — Buffalo Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Chicken Bacon Ranch, Hawaiian and Meatlovers among them. Margherita, Vodka and Bianca pies are $27, and there’s a Tri Color option that runs vodka, margherita and pesto sauces side by side on one pie. Square Grandma, Sicilian and Upside Down pies are also on the menu, along with Grandma Pepperoni and Sicilian Pepperoni. A vegan cheese pie is available for $25.
Slices start at $4 for cheese and climb to $5.75 for Chicken Bacon Ranch. Beyond pizza, there are calzones in six varieties, parmigiana heroes (chicken, meatball, eggplant and sausage), philly cheesesteak and sausage-and-peppers subs, baked ziti, penne alla vodka, fettuccine alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, garlic knots, beef patties and a small lineup of stuffed rolls. Desserts include tiramisu, NY-style cheesecake, carrot cake, brownies and chocolate chip cookies.
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The shop is averaging 4.8 stars across about 30 Google reviews so far. One recent review described the pepperoni slice as one of the better ones in the neighborhood; the only notable knock has been a complaint about the lack of ice for drinks at the takeout counter.Casa Farina is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. A full catering menu is already live on the shop’s website covering pizza by the tray, pasta, wings, calzones, heroes, salads and desserts, with 24 hours’ notice required.
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