Ask a New Yorker what Beyonce’s favorite pizza is, and you’ll hear a few different responses. The common denominator is New York, neapolitan-style pizza. The next criterion that just about every answer fits is “Brooklyn neighborhood pizzeria.” Roberta’s in Bushwick was long the most common pick. But ever since Jay Z and Beyonce were spotted indulging in slices at Lucali’s while the 2012 Grammy Awards (Jay Z received a nomination that year) were being handed out, Lucali’s has become a go-to answer to the question.
An October interview with Jay Z revealed even more to the world about what a night out for pizza looks like for music’s most regal couple.
JAY-Z ON JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE
The big takeaway from the pizza discussion these guys had on Jimmy Kimmel’s show is that Jay Z thinks Houston’s pizza scene is lacking in…some way. “She’s from Houston. They don’t have pizza there,” he said of wife Beyonce, when discussing her pizza preferences. The rap mogul’s jest felt justified to all, especially since he grew up in Brooklyn.
BEYONCE-STYLE
Another revealing detail brought up in the interview is Beyonce’s preference for jalapenos and extra tomato sauce on her pizza. Jay seems to lovingly poke fun at Beyonce’s pizza preferences and habits, considering extra sauce and jalapenos not the most proper ways to take one’s pizza. We could only imagine his thoughts on the vegan pizza, a brown rice flour crust topped with vegan cheese and lots of avocado, which Bey is also known for enjoying.
THE LUCALI STORY
Mark Iacono may have Italian roots, but he had never stepped foot in Italy when he opened Lucali’s Pizza in 2006. The Carroll Gardens pizzeria launched like a rocketship after opening; and within a few years, Jay Z and Beyonce were already regulars. By 2012, holiday stockings sporting the duo’s names were hung on the wall as winter decor. Last year, Iacono opened a second location in Miami.
Lucali’s has yet to celebrate its 10th birthday, but it has certainly made its mark on New York City’s pizza history. If you love pizza, or you’re a big fan of Beyonce, you’ve got good reason to try it.
image @coluhenry