Vezzo

178 Lexington Avenue

(between 30th Street and 31st Street)

If you’re hungry and on a budget, Vezzo is a terrific option.

Known for their thin-crust pizza, Vezzo is a low-key family-style restaurant with a hopping lunch scene. Customers range from the NYU student crowd to the groups of twentysomething coworkers who are looking for an affordable group lunch fare

 

From two plain slices with a free soda for $5 to a half-sandwich/soup of the day (the day I went the options were chicken noodle or butternut squash with gouda!) with a free soda for $11, the portion sizes are generous.

If you’re with one other person, a tip is to order one of the larger lunch specials and split it between the two of you. We ordered the large 16-inch plain pizza and a large salad (any salad from the main menu) for $22.

For our large salad, we chose their beet and goat cheese salad with crushed pistachios, orange zest, and pickled red onions over arugula and a garlic vinaigrette dressing ($12, if ordered separately). That vinaigrette dressing was amazing.

 

The pizza was cooked perfectly, and my dining companion was so intoxicated by the yummy smell of fresh-made pizza that she couldn’t even wait to grab a slice before I was able to take a picture of the pie!

To wash it all down, my dining companion got the free soda (which accompanied the lunch special) and I ordered a pint of their draft Peroni ($7), which is similar to a Belgian ale.

It is seriously a lot of food and filling. Did not eat for the rest of the day!

And for less than $40 (not including tip) for two, it’s a great deal!

Pros:

Comfortable atmosphere.

Excellent lunch deal!

Cons:

Very crowded during lunchtime. Arrive before 12:30 p.m.

Final Thoughts

Great lunch deal and will definitely return if in the area.