Dave Portnoy and Nino Coniglio Take "One Bite" of the East Village with Alright Frankie
The space on the corner of Avenue A and E 13th Street, once Percy’s Tavern, has been closed for two years.
Alright Frankie, everybody knows the rules: One bite of the East Village restaurant scene. That’s right, pizza’s most followed Instagram and YouTube reviewer in America (or number one troll, depending on your vantage point), “Davey Pageviews” is teaming up with Nino Coniglio, one of the city’s high-profile pizza chefs to open a pizzeria. That’s right, Alphabet City… bring on the bros because it’s going to be SantaCon 365 days a year.
Neither party responded to initial inquiries about the rumor I’d been hearing for two months. But after posting it to Instagram with the rumored name, a like from Barstool Sports’ account and a repost by Nino Coniglio’s @BrooklynPizzaCrew account seem to confirm different parts (the partnership, location, and name) of the same rumor that I’ve heard from five sources.
The rumored name of the place is “Alright Frankie,” which Barstool already has merch for.
“El Pres,” aka David Portnoy, aka THAT Portnoy of “Everybody knows the rules” Barstool Sports Pizza Reviews and the One Bite app is teaming up with pizza personality, chef, and consultant Nino Coniglio (of Williamsburg Pizza) to open a bar pie pizzeria in the former Percy’s Tavern space on the corner of E 13th Street and Avenue A.
I can’t cite four sources who shared the news, but I can credit Michael W of @michaelwtravelsfood for the rumored name of the place... “Alright Frankie,” which Barstool already has merch for. If you don’t watch (I don’t really watch) then you know this is one of the catchphrases of the Barstool Pizza reviews.
Brooklyn Pizza Crew reposted the rumor in stories and Barstool Sports liked the post.
From what I understand, Frankie is the cameraman for the Barstool Sports reviews, and interestingly, I’ve been told Frankie’s family is behind Borelli’s Pizzeria (est. 1955), which Long Islanders know from it being near Hofstra University and the Nassau Mausoleum.
Anyway, if true, this would all mean that Portnoy will be the rare personality turned pizza restaurateur, and would rare bar pie in New York City. Interesting that the closest thing to bar pizza outside Adam Kuban’s pop-up Margot’s is Gruppo, which already has an East Village location (a tavern-cut Midwestern bar pie is also served at Chicago deep-dish SoHo joint Emmet’s).
It will also mean that the Stool President will have a place for his 1.7 million followers to make pilgrimage to give their dear leader a score on his famed 10-point scale. Ostensibly, it’d give pizza chefs a place and a way to turn the tables on El Pres or get revenge with their own reviews of his pizza.
If you’re wondering, “Why bar pie?” know that Portnoy was born in Swampscott, Massachusetts—the New England pizza scene is known for being part of the bar pie belt. Also, less “flop” as he likes to say.
Is Barstool Sports bad for pizza? Portnoy has been accused of running a site that perpetuates toxicity and misogyny, social media harassment, and of violating the 1935 National Labor Relations Act via tweet. The merits of the Barstool reviews are debated amongst restaurateurs and pizza cognoscenti. But even bad reviews have been known to bring an influx of good business, at least, for a time. Love him or hate him, there will be some in the pizza business who credit Portnoy for putting his own skin in the game.
But as one of New York City’s highest profile pizza chefs DM’d, “Not gonna lie, he’s got balls and zero fear. A critic opening his own spot. LOL. Better be good.”