Lucky Charlie
Pizza restaurant · Bushwick ·
Coal-fired pizza, pastas, salads, and cocktails in retro setting
Coal-fired pizza, pastas, salads, and cocktails in retro setting
"Walking in, I found weathered photographs on the walls, a bathroom with a pull‑chain toilet, and red neon windows announcing “coal oven” and “open late,” with lawn chairs outside for smokers and just‑finished diners. The room feels like it’s been there for decades—warmly lit with a residual red glow and dark wood—and it’s lively with large groups but not too loud, the bouncy sound of The Coasters floating over attentive, unfussy bar service; around 8:30 p.m., the lights were turned down as the first big wave rolled out. The operation revolves around a coal oven built in 1890, the first of Nino Coniglio’s spots to use coal, and a full‑circle moment since he worked in this very location over a decade ago when it was Verde’s Coal Oven Pizza. Pies (no slices) come in three options—red with tomato sauce and pecorino sardo, classic with tomato sauce and melty fior di latte, and white with a blend of cheeses—with toppings like mushrooms, olives, and nduja for $3 to $4; the red slice was balanced, with a slight sweetness to the sauce and a light char on the crust (especially on bubbly spots), and the thin, slightly crispy dough cracked rather than bent for a lighter feel. Rounding out the menu are salads, pastas, a focaccia bread service with cheese and flavored butters ($23), choose‑your‑amount antipasto ($15 or $25), and a $39 “from the sea” platter that starts with a crudo or carpaccio and continues with oysters rockefeller, clams casino, shrimp oreganata, and slices of charred octopus—I wouldn’t call it a must‑order unless you’re really in the mood for seafood, but since they do only six per night, say yes immediately if it’s available. The menu is best for a larger group of at least four—my dinner for two (a pizza, salad, and the seafood platter) meant missing the baked anelletti and bread service—and there’s just one dessert, tiramisu. Drinks include domestic and imported Italian beers, several Italian wines, and specialty cocktails ($12 to $16), plus a $7 Miller High Life and a well shot and a generous selection of non‑alcoholic options. While the full menu ends at 10 p.m., pies and cocktails are available until close, and the place stays open late, until 3 a.m. from Wednesday to Sunday." - Bettina Makalintal
"Lucky Charlie would feel at home on our guide to NYC’s old-school Italian restaurants, except that it’s only a few months old. The Bushwick pizzeria is ripped straight from the set of a Scorsese movie, with Frank Sinatra crooning over the caesar salads. It's just that red wine is replaced with Mezzodì spritzes and $11 palomas with Sicilian pink grapefruit juice, and the crisp, bubbly pizza is hard-charred in a 19th-century coal oven. If you come early enough, snag one of six nightly “From the Sea” appetizer sets with shrimp oreganata, clams casino, oysters rockefeller, grilled octopus and more for $39. But don’t worry if you go late—they’re open until 4am, and serve pizza until an hour before close." - Bryan Kim, Molly Fitzpatrick, Willa Moore, Will Hartman, Sonal Shah
"I sat here newly envious of the tenants who now live a block and a half from my old Bushwick apartment — this is exactly the kind of place you want to live close to, where you can drop in for a little gem Caesar or just avoid cooking. We opted for the “red” pizza (it does have cheese, don’t worry) and added sausage and peppers ($33 with the add-ons); the pie is cardstock-thin and expertly crispy, with a slightly sweet tomato sauce so good I can’t imagine ever opting for the white pie on follow-up visits, though our delightful server assured us it’s another must-try." - Bettina Makalintal
"Lucky Charlie in Bushwick comes from the pizzaiolo behind Williamsburg Pizza, and they’re baking up pies in a vintage coal oven. A Calabrian Chili martini looks particularly thirst-quenching, and we’re also curious about their 20-layer lasagna verde." - will hartman, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah, bryan kim
"A neighborhood pizzeria from Drew Toresco and Nino Coniglio offering classic, white, and red pies alongside pastas, salads and a cocktail and wine list; the team’s background includes training under DiFara influences and a focus on traditional pizza craft." - Melissa McCart
