Roberta's has made my exclusive list of favorite spots in the city. Allow me to extrapolate on why it ardently fits the bill.
1. The ambiance.
Put yourself in my shoes the first time I visited Roberta's. I read about this restaurant in Edible Brooklyn and after I confabbed with my foodie friend, Simon, who was also dying to try it, we got a group together to go. It's in Bushwick, which means taking the L past Williamsburg and emerging from the subway to find yourself in some mixture of hipsterland and sketchtastic territory. As I walked the several blocks from the Morgan subway stop to the restaurant, I discerned that the area was significantly more hipster than it was sketchy. Nonetheless, once I spotted the non-descript exterior of Roberta's entrance, I wondered if I was mistakenly walking into an industrial warehouse.
What did I find when I walked in? A large room with loft ceilings and eclectic furniture...mix-matched chairs and tables that looked like they were pieced together from the offerings at the local Antique store and Salvation Army. The decorations are sparce but similarly as assorted. To my left were the guys making the Neopolitan-styple pizza with a huge wood-burning oven. They were easy to smile and were clearly proud of their masterpieces. In the rear the bartender happily let me taste the beer I was torn about whether or not to get (one of the many in a great selection). The best part came when I discovered the outdoor area, equipped with not only its own bar, but a fireplace!! Warm-fuzzy memories of a ski lodge flooded my senses. This first trip was crowded yet relaxed, a testament to the overall chill vibe of Roberta's. My second visit to Roberta's was significantly less crowded (it was on a Thursday night versus a Friday night) but the same synergy of attributes made for an equally as experience.
2. The food.
The pizza was outstanding. The ingredients were fresh and the crust was perfect, but it was just slightly more expensive that I think it should have been. A margherita was $8 and the specialty pizzas range from $14-$16. They are a good size for one person and I would suggest getting a variety of pizzas with friends and trying a bit of each. My favorite was that night's special, a goat cheese, sausage, and apple delight that had a certain "crack" quality. I have heard that their other entrees are incredible and I intend to get one next time I go. Perhaps the fried chicken people have raved about. (We'll see if it beats Blue Ribbon's fried chicken at the Brooklyn Bowl).
The first time I heard about Roberta's in Edible Magazine, it said it was, "like a post-collegiate hangout with a standout cook in the kitchen and better beer." While I would agree, it hardly sums up the welcoming energy that is so key, the aesthetic uniqueness, and the feeling that you are not in NYC anymore, although you know you must be for the undeniable fact that a place this cool could not be anywhere else in the country.
