Di Fara Pizza is a pizzeria located in the Midwood section of Brooklyn

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

, New York. It serves classic New York-style pizza

New York-style pizza

New York-style pizza originated in New York City in the early 1900s. It is known for its large, wide, thin and foldable shape. The traditional toppings were tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, with any additional toppings placed with the cheese. It is traditionally hand-tossed and light on sauce...

 and Sicilian-style pies, as well as pasta, sandwiches, and other items. The restaurant has been owned and operated by Domenico DeMarco since 1964. Di Fara has received many awards and has been labeled the "Best... pizza in New York" several times by many publications including New York (magazine)

New York (magazine)

New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...

 and the online publication Serious Eats

Serious Eats

Serious Eats is a website and blog focused on celebrating and sharing food enthusiasm through blogs and online community. Created by food critic and author Ed Levine, Serious Eats employs a combination of community and content to bring together food bloggers worldwide, along with compelling...

.

History

DeMarco opened Di Fara after emigrating from the Province of Caserta

Province of Caserta

The Province of Caserta is a province in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Caserta. The former royal palace of Caserta is located near to the city.It has an area of 2,639 km², and a total population of 879,342...

, Italy in 1959.

"I'm 69 years old. I've been in Brooklyn since 1959. I'm from Provincia di Caserta in Italy, near Napoli. When I got here, I spent three months in Long Island, in Huntington, working on a farm... then somebody put a bug in my head and said there's a good spot on Avenue J. I didn't even know Avenue J existed. So I come over here with my accountant on a Saturday night, and this corner was for rent. It was so crowded, the street. So I take the phone number, I call the landlord, and he says to come see me Sunday, make sure you bring a deposit.

When I opened the store, my partner's name was Farina. My name is DeMarco. So when the lawyer made the paper, he put the two names together. Di Fara. Di for me, and Fara for him. I bought my partner out in 1978, I think. I kept the same name; I didn't bother changing it." ~Domenico DeMarco for The New York Times

The New York Times

The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...

. Sunday, July 18, 2004

Fame for Di Fara finally came in 1999 when The Village Voice

The Village Voice

The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...

, a popular New York City publication, proclaimed it as one of the "Best Italian restaurants". From that point and going forward, Di Fara has been regarded as a top pizzeria by many established publications including Zagat and Daily News.

In July 2009, Di Fara raised its price for a slice of pizza from $4 to $5 becoming the first $5-a-slice pizza place in New York City.

Closures

Di Fara's has been closed several times due to unsanitary conditions. On March 27, 2007 the Department of Health in New York closed Di Fara's. The violations included rodent infestation as well as preparing food without gloves. Some of the major points from the review were:

2a) 23. Food found cross-contaminated in that of 2 paper packages 95 pounds each) of raw sweet Italian observed to be contaminated by paper packaged food being stored in direct contact with dirty icy water
2a) 23. Food found cross-contaminated in that EIGHT two and a half gallon containers of Gino bran Italian ice observed uncovered and to be contaminated by dust and dirt
11a) mouse activity present in that approximately 10 fresh and stale mice excreta observed on big wine storage shelf in kitchen
11b) mouse activity present in that approximately 20–30 fresh and stale mice excreta on a bottom onion and salt and spice container storage shelf of a food preparation table in kitchen
11c) mouse activity present in that approximately 15–20 fresh and stale mice excreta observed on floor under 3-compartment sink in kitchen
11d) mouse activity present in that approximately 30–40 fresh and stale mice excreta observed on floor under wine bottle storage rack and next to reach in freezer in kitchen
11e) mouse activity present in that 10 fresh and stale mice excreta observed on food preparation table where stored spice, pepper, and pizza in kitchen.

On June 6, 2007 Di Fara's was again closed by the Department of Health.

On Monday, during another inspection, the pizzeria was cited for unsanitary conditions including flies, a mouse infestation and bare-hand contact with food, said Sara Markt, a health department spokeswoman. The operators also failed to meet some of the conditions they had agreed to in April, like proving that they had passed a food safety course.

As of April 2011, it had been re-opened.

On November 16th, 2011, Di Fara's was once again closed by the Department of Health after scoring 67 points, more than double a failing grade, during a health inspection.

External links

• Di Fara Pizza Official Website
• The New York Observer on June 12, 2007: Pizzeria One With Everything—Except the Health Department

"FOR The LOVE of PIZZA" ..Mr. Domenico DeMarco by Daniel Bellino Zwicke
at NyFoodee at http://nyfoodeedotcom.blogspot.com/
Review on Slice, America's Favorite Pizza Weblog (April 3, 2007)

• New York Times on July 18, 2004: Domenico DeMarco told reporter Jeff Vandam secrets of the slice
• What is DiFara's? A short video about Di Fara Pizza