Neapolitan Express
40 Wall Street near William Street, Financial District
212-289-4689
Getting There: 2,3,4,5 to Wall Street; J,M,Z to Broad Street
http://www.neapolitanexpress.com

To commemorate the opening of the very first pizzeria on Wall Street, a special ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Tuesday afternoon as swarms of invited guests and tourists passing by flocked around the iconic Trump Building. If Neapolitan Express sounds familiar, perhaps you’ve seen their food trucks hustling around town- or, perhaps you’ve visited their existing brick-and-mortar shop up in Harlem. The fast casual pizza spot has now firmly entrenched itself in Manhattan’s rapidly expanding Financial District, with promises of 24-hour service and delivery, where pizza for breakfast can be just as easy as opening your fridge for last night’s leftovers.

In celebration of Neapolitan Express’ grand opening in New York City, restaurant representative Max Crespo, finance aficionado Richard Schaeffer and Donald Trump, Jr. representing The Trump Organization, briefly addressed the awaiting crowd on hand before welcoming the hungry throngs of people inside the vibrant space. Boasting egg shell white walls and an L-shaped marble countertop, the white and black decor is both minimal and yet clean and noticeable. The staff is similarly decked out in either color as they pluck each personal pie from their clean-energy electric ovens and tidily box them in signature brown packaging for on-the-go eating or for folks to pony up at a nearby ledge and indulge right on site.

The menu takes an inventive approach to traditional individual pies, each of which ranges from $8 – $15, though no Wall Street menu is complete without a taste for the rich. Enter the “Il Toro di Wall Street,” a $50 (!) personal pizza decadently adorned with shaved black truffles laid atop a black truffle cream burrata. Deliciously creamy for a slice of pizza, each full-flavored bite gave off an indescribable feeling of opulence- one that would only be rivaled by the exceptional “A Diavolo” pie. Affordably priced at just $13, the fiery pizza was enriched by a drizzle of Mike’s hot honey and a sprinkle of fresh jalapenos that kicked up the array of smooth mozzarella cheese, San Marzano tomatoes and spicy soppressata. A touch of extra virgin olive oil served to enhance the already outstanding bevy of flavors admirably working together to make the day’s most memorable pie.

Problem with tomatoes? The $8 “Bianca” is an equally appetizing alternative. Garnished with freshly sliced garlic and oregano, the all white pizza avoids the typical use of ricotta and instead pairs mozzarella with parmigiano reggiano for a smooth and sharp pairing with its crispy crackling crust. As of their opening, Neapolitan Express serves up eight different pies mixed with a handful of salad and sandwich options for the more discerning eater- but for your first visit, let the place do what they do best- quickly prepare a savory and delicious Italian inspired masterpiece, topped with a cavalcade of fresh ingredients that work collaboratively to make your mouth water. Historically the Financial District had seen a dearth of notable restaurants worth frequenting, but it seems that more recently the neighborhood is in the midst of a bull market run.

- Dave Gendelson