Co., Pizzeria on 24th St. & 9th Avenue in Chelsea - Owner Jim Lahey Also Owns Sullivan Street Bakery - Closed

[weinoo]

Jim Lahey, he of the great Sullivan Street Bakery and he who sorta brought no-knead bread to the masses, opened Co. back in January, 2009.

Sometimes, places are open for a long time before I get there and such is the case with Co. But, I'm glad I did, and I probably will be back, for a pizza pretty much unlike any other in NYC, and pretty delicious, too.

With our salads, we ordered the pizza bianca, which is way different from any pizza bianca we've ever had in, say, Rome...

Then we got down to a Pizza Rosa, simply crushed tomato, garlic, fresh oregano and chili...

And a Pizza Boscaiola, a bit more complex, with tomatoes, mozzarella, pork sausage, mushrooms, onions and chili...

Now, don't necessarily go here thinking you'll get out cheaply. Of course, our party of 4 drank a little. Well, maybe a lot, with 2 bottles of wine and 2 draught beers (at the outrageous price of $8 a pint). We spent $100 a couple. YAMMV.

Bottom line, though - a uniquely excellent pizza.

[DonRocks]

Great post and great-looking pizzas. Everyone note also this place is pronounced "Company" not "Co."

[weinoo]

Thanks! After recommending this place in the weekend thread, I felt I had to go.

[Steve R.]

I also just got there recently, as part of a Manhattan pizza crawl with some other food board NYC regulars, inspired by someone coming in from Ohio who wanted to do this. Although Co. was not my overall favorite place, I liked it better than I thought I would. As a matter of fact, the crust and the ingredients were real stars. However, I remarked to my friends that, if someone said "lets go get some pizza", Co. is not a place that would come to mind. But, if someone said, "lets go to Co.", I would gladly say yes.

[DonRocks]

I also just got there recently, as part of a Manhattan pizza crawl with some other food board NYC regulars, inspired by someone coming in from Ohio who wanted to do this. Although Co. was not my overall favorite place, I liked it better than I thought I would. As a matter of fact, the crust and the ingredients were real stars. However, I remarked to my friends that, if someone said "lets go get some pizza", Co. is not a place that would come to mind. But, if someone said, "lets go to Co.", I would gladly say yes.

What do you think accounts for this? Looking at those pictures, I want to make a bee-line for Co. to have that awesome-looking crust and those ingredients!

[weinoo]

What do you think accounts for this? Looking at those pictures, I want to make a bee-line for Co. to have that awesome-looking crust and those ingredients!

Maybe it's the location, though really it's not that much harder to get to than any other place in Manhattan. And in Steve's case, if someone said "let's go get some pizza," he's got any number of choices closer to where he lives that are quite good (Lucali's, Franny's, etc.)

Or maybe it's just the fact that it is not a "traditional" pie in that sense of the word. But in reality, many of the newer, great pizza places in Manhattan are not traditional pies either; Motorino, Keste, Forcella (haven't been), Artichoke, et. al. all are different than what for decades has been considered the trad NY style pizza.

But basically you're right, Don. Make a bee-line. It is that good.

[seanvtaylor]

I've been to Co. and had two great pizzas. I understand the point about it not being a destination, and think that, for whatever reason, it's the location.

Jim Lahey's book, My Bread, gives a pizza dough recipe that makes fantastic pizza--highly recommended.

[Steve R.]

I've been to Co. and had two great pizzas. I understand the point about it not being a destination, and think that, for whatever reason, it's the location.

Jim Lahey's book, My Bread, gives a pizza dough recipe that makes fantastic pizza--highly recommended.

Actually, Im not exactly sure what I meant (or what I feel) about Co. It certainly had nothing to do with location, as I'm around that area as much, or more, than the other places I do go for pizza. If anything, it's more of a destination type place (yes, definitely go) but less of a place to satisfy my pizza urge (even my non-traditional pizza urge). Born and raised in Bklyn, I have a pretty fixed subjective definition of what I want when I want pizza. My travels have widened what I love about pizza to include quite a few variations, but there's something about Co. that just doesn't ring a "pizza" bell. However, what they are making (however my mind wants to classify it) is excellent and I'd go back easily as a destination for a meal. Obviously, given Lahey's history and talent, the dough is great. A very nice chew, great crust and a nice base for ingredients. Add to that very good ingredients (we had morcilla and apples on one pie) and the result is very tasty. But it just wasn't "pizza" to my taste buds. Does this make sense? I'm not sure it even makes much sense to me, especially since I wound up liking Forcella (as pizza) and they fried the dough first on one of the pies we ordered & put cream and corn on the other. By the way, consider that another b-line. Excellent.

If it's any help, here's a short list of pizza I like/love: DiFara, Lucali, Roberta's, Motorino, Keste, Arturo's, Forcella

And a list of known places that are pizza to me but which I can take or leave: L&B, Luzzo's, Johns (can't stand it), Grimaldi's, Lombardi's, Artichoke

[DonRocks]

But it just wasn't "pizza" to my taste buds. Does this make sense?

It makes perfect sense to me.

[weinoo]

Add to that very good ingredients (we had morcilla and apples on one pie) and the result is very tasty. But it just wasn't "pizza" to my taste buds.

No wonder you're not calling it "pizza"... .

[seanvtaylor]

A very nice chew, great crust and a nice base for ingredients. Add to that very good ingredients (we had morcilla and apples on one pie) and the result is very tasty. But it just wasn't "pizza" to my taste buds. Does this make sense?

It completely does to me. There is something non-pizzeria, non-traditional about the pizzas at Co. that I haven't quite been able to figure out. I think that they are great, but if somebody were to ask me for a recommendation for a pizza place, I also wouldn't immediately think to send them there--partially for the location, in my mind, but also because it doesn't easily fit into a style of pizza--not neapolitan, kind of roman, not NY, not Chicago (if you consider that pizza).

The dough recipe, using the no-knead technique, produces a pizza crust that, for the home cook, is crisp and light and quite flavorful. We've started doing a second rise that is almost two hours, which is much more than he recommends but gives our pizzas an almost pastry-like quality when cooked in our oven.

[weinoo]

The dough recipe, using the no-knead technique, produces a pizza crust that, for the home cook, is crisp and light and quite flavorful. We've started doing a second rise that is almost two hours, which is much more than he recommends but gives our pizzas an almost pastry-like quality when cooked in our oven.

The second-rise meaning the rise after long retardation and prior to shaping into a "pizza?" I get pretty good results that way...

[seanvtaylor]

The second-rise meaning the rise after long retardation and prior to shaping into a "pizza?" I get pretty good results that way...

Yes, that's right. Great looking pizza! We did a duck confit/caramelized onion/mushroom pizza last night that was impressive (if I do say so myself).

[dcs]

No wonder you're not calling it "pizza"... .

The menu calls it a pie, too.

Had a nice brunch here on Saturday. We particularly enjoyed the Egg and Avocado Toast (poached egg, avocado, parmesan, basil, & espelette on toast) and the Beet Salad with blood orange, radish, housemade ricotta, mizuna, and pistachios. I wish I lived closer as I would like to spend some time working through their salads and toasts. I have a picture of the Egg and Avocado Toast, but it is over the 2MB upload limit and I do not know how to cut it down. It is a simple dish, but with an extremely fresh egg and avocado, the flavors just burst out at you. The Popeye Pie (pecorino, gruyère, mozzarella, spinach, black pepper, and garlic) was excellent as well -- nice char, very garlicky, covered completely with barely wilted spinach. Add in some Bloody Marys with sake and you are ready to start a new day.

They are opening an additional location of the Sullivan Street Bakery next door to Co. According to the server it should be open within a month or so.

[Mark Dedrick]

My favorite pizza in New York is Di Fara. My favorite pizza in Manhattan is either Motorino or Co, and I’m not sure which. This weekend we ate at Co, and it was great. I agree with the other folks here, the crust is a bit different from what I think of as “New York pizza.” A bit thicker and doughier, but still crispy on the outside and with a nice pull to it. Toppings were great (in particular loved the Popeye with spinach and sea salt). I'd have no problem recommending it to people, particularly if they were going to be in that part of town.

[Jonathan]

As long as I have you two on the line, what do you think of this place, Co., in Chelsea?

I ate there once when it first opened and was wholly unimpressed. My appetizer wasn't good, the service was poor and the pizza was mediocre. I do know they revamped their kitchen with some talent soon after, but I never went back.

When I lived in New York I ate pizza where I worked every day and then would eat slices from corner shops on my days off.

[pizza man]

As long as I have you two on the line, what do you think of this place, Co., in Chelsea?

Co. is Jim Lahey's place, yeah? Never been, but I have read some recipes of his..

[Chris Cunningham]

As long as I have you two on the line, what do you think of this place, Co., in Chelsea?

A little bird told me about this place and I sent my girlfriends parents there and bought them dinner.... They loved it. Both were born in NYC and spent the last 16 years living here.

[AnkurCS]

While I haven't been to Jim Lahey's Co., his Sullivan Street Bakery has some fantastic roman-style pizza al taglio.

[DonRocks]

A little bird told me about this place and I sent my girlfriends parents there and bought them dinner.... They loved it. Both were born in NYC and spent the last 16 years living here.

Oh! I forgot all about that! (I was the little bird.)

[dcs]

Jim Lahey Shutters Pizzeria Co. After Nearly a Decade, by Serena Dai, Feburary 28, 2018, on ny.eater.com.  A bunch of us went there a couple months ago for a long late lunch and it was as good as ever.