Many consider New York City the pizza capital of the Western world; in Manhattan, pizza shops line nearly every corner on every block. East Village Pizza leads New York’s pizza scene and stands out from the sea of dollar sliceshops across the city. Frank Kabatas, who owns and operates East Village Pizza, credits dedication to this. “The people are always going to choose who’s at the front of the establishment… and I am always here,” he says.
“East Village Pizza is my first job and East Village Pizza is my first slice of pizza,” Kabatas recounts. After he migrated from Turkey in 1997, Kabatas walked into East Village Pizza seeking employment, but he was fired six months later. In 2003, when the shop went up for sale, Kabatas returned and bought the restaurant. “It wasn’t for revenge, it was for me to start my own,” he tells amNewYork.
“Making pizza is good, it’s easy, but behind the scenes, there are a lot of things you need to figure out to serve the pizza to the customers,” Kabatas explains. He drew on the managerial experience he gained at other jobs to turn his shop into today’s pizza giant. He now sits at more than 1.6 million Instagram followers.
Some standouts at East Village Pizza include the cheesy garlic knots parm (just as it sounds, with ooey-gooey cheese on every bite), the viral double-stacked pizza (Kabatas created this double-layered pizza with any toppings you desire), and my favorite, the margherita slice (a classic, served with fresh basil and grated cheese on top).
“I don’t make much pizza now, probably like ten kinds of pizza, but each recipe is unique to make and serve,” said Kabatas. After Kabatas acquired East Village Pizza, he made it his mission to revitalize the menu: “I changed everything.” He created every recipe the shop serves.
Kabatas believes recipes come more from influence; he even draws inspiration from family dinners. If he enjoys something and thinks New Yorkers will love it, he takes his time to perfect it before releasing it to the public. For example, he spent about four months perfecting the viral double-stacked pizza because creating a double-layered pizza proved challenging.
Kabatas created this infamous pizza during the COVID-19 pandemic—a true COVID-19 innovation. Once he perfected the recipe, he showed the process on Instagram Live, and the pizza quickly went viral. Many media outlets, including The Wendy Williams Show, New York Live, and Fox Channel News, shared it. “I made it for IG,” Kabatas jokes, but his time, dedication, and innovation took East Village Pizza to the next level.
“People know who’s making this pizza, people know who’s responsible,” said Kabatas. This sets East Village Pizza apart from its competitors. On any given day, you’ll find Kabatas behind the counter, and if he isn’t there, he’s probably creating his next viral recipe.
“Good ingredients, a good recipe, a good pizza will definitely make people come back, even from other states,” Kabatas exclaimed. This may hold true, but from firsthand experience, the vibe Kabatas creates definitely adds to the ambiance; his passion shines through every conversation and every bite!
Kabatas told amNewYork he plans to introduce a new style of pizza sometime this summer, something on the sweeter side.
For now, head to 145 1st Ave in the East Village to grab my favorite, their best seller, a margherita slice (which also happens to be Kabatas’s favorite). As always, don’t forget to tell them Kylo sent you!
