Keste Pizza and Vino is known for its authentic Neapolitan pizza, and since it opened back in 2009 they've been packing people in from lunch to dinner time.

I arrived just after noon on a weekday.  Already the place was busy.  It had an inviting feel with earthy photographs on the walls, recessed lighting, granite topped cafe tables, and polished wooden floors.  A friendly host seated me up front at the window which I love, but it was a seriously tight squeeze.  It's the kind of place where you can hear the entire conversation of the people sitting next to you.  For my liking, it was a bit too intimate, but I was hungry and I had heard that this place had some of the best pizza in the city.

I ordered the Pizza Salsiccia with fresh mozzarella, sausage, basil, and extra virgin olive oil.  When it came out I couldn't wait to dig in.  It looked perfecto and I could smell the fresh basil as the waiter placed it down.  It was cut into four slices, the kind that you can fold up into your hand and eat the traditional New York City way.  The crust was nice and chewy until you got to the end, and then it became crispy and a little bit burnt just enough along the edges.  As good as it was, however, the portion size was barely enough for one, and had I been even hungrier, I would have needed another pie.

Some of the other toppings to choose from were hot soppressata, Gaeta olives, artichokes, eggplant, prosciutto di Parma, ricotta, pecorino romano, imported buffalo mozzarella, and arugula.  And along with pizza, they also offer insalates, panini, and gluten free and vegan options on the menu.

Keste Pizza and Vino is a place I'd visit again.  I was definitely cramped in, but I enjoyed the people watching on Bleecker, and the pizza was to die for.