Last week an old high school friend and I stopped by Veloce Pizzeria in the East Village for a quick lunch. I had been there before and the place has gotten some good reviews. Gourmet pizza has been very popular in 2009, with such places as Keste, Co., Tonda, and Motorino, leading this culinary fad in NYC. Veloce Pizzeria is part of this culinary trend and the pizza here is really good.

We started with their batter fried calamari with lemon and arugula ($9). I really enjoyed this calamari because the batter was very light and simple. There was no sauce for dipping, just the lemon, which was fine, because that is all the squid needed. It was a great appetizer.

We went with the regular margherita pie ($15); tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil. The pies at Veloce are Sicilian style and are cooked in a square pan. The bottom of the pie was slightly burnt which I actually really like. The sauce had a nice sweetness too. As I ate my square slices I actually said to myself "this is really good."

So for some great square pizza, Veloce Pizzeria hits the spot.

Veloce Pizzeria
103 First Avenue (bet. 6th and 7th)
New York, NY 10003
212-777-6677