Making Dough With New York City Water Along With Quality Ingredients Makes For 'Great Pizza'

Jeff Walker,  Restaurant Review

I'm not certain why, nor am I one to second guess, but I thank the Italian gods for blessing greater Charleston with another authentic New York style pizzeria. Brooklyn South Pizza at 10597 Dorchester Road is appropriately named because it's bringing real Brooklyn NY style thin crust pizza to South Carolina. 

Owned and operated by Frank Orlando and Maher Ali, the partners bring varying backgrounds to the new Summerville location. With 30 plus years experience twirling pizza dough Brooklyn native Frank helped 22 pizzerias get off the ground, the most recent a Brooklyn South Pizza in suburban Charlotte NC, before he and his family ventured further south a couple years ago.

Maher brings more of a commercial business sense to the partnership operating a successful home restoration company, among other professions. His construction knowledge is evident in the remodeling work at Brooklyn South Pizza, turning a former event catering business into a well pleasing pizza modern day pizza parlor.

Spend five minutes talking with Frank and you'll discover what sets Brooklyn South Pizza apart. When it comes to pizza Frank admits he's motivated by three things, his love for serving people, his passion for making authentic NY style pizza, and his commitment to using quality ingredients in the pizza making process.

The chain pizza companies (you know who they are) use frozen dough, pre-made sauce, and lesser quality ingredients to offer up a relatively cheap pizza. Do you really expect to spend $7 and get exceptional product. You don't and you never will!

Northerners understand true NY style thin crust pizza exists by the quality of the dough, the quality of the cheese, and originality of the sauce. At Brooklyn South Pizza Frank they stay well past closing to prepare fresh made dough for the next day.

Keeping with authenticity, the dough is made from New York City water. How you say. A current trend among a few pizza makers that care about offering up real NY style pizza is installing filtrations systems that replicate NYC water. It cost several thousands of dollars to put in place, but it truly makes a difference.

Of course they make their marinara (red sauce) from scratch. To top it off Brooklyn South use only 100% Natural Grande Cheese, the preferred cheese provider by independent pizzerias and Italian restaurant operators across the country. Furthermore they top their pizzas with Boars Head Meats, a premium time honored meat processing company born out of a New York delicatessen in 1905. Frank admits when you 'use the absolute best, you serve up the absolute best'.

What are some of the tell-tale signs you're enjoying real NY style thin crust pizza. Many northerners will tell you it's a perfect ratio between the crust, the cheese, and the sauce. First and foremost the crust has to be thin, crispy around the edges, and slightly charred underneath.

You can judge real NY style thin crust pizza by the slice, whether it's plain or layered in pepperoni. Here's two and maybe three things to look for aside from an incredible aroma. How well the cheese oozes on the slice, and when served especially on a paper plate there's a small measure of oil permeating on the surface of the plate or the box. 

Also, if you've ordered a fresh made pie and you're eating a hot slice, often that first bite might singe the roof of your mouth a tad bit. The taste is implied. Simply stated, Brooklyn South Pizza check all the right pizza boxes (pun intended).

With limited space, mostly taken up by the the main prep area, old fashioned pizza ovens, restaurant refrigerator, and an even smaller prep area, Brooklyn Pizza South has six tables along the back wall, and a bench where patrons can sit to wait for their fresh made pizza.

While they plan to offer up pasta dishes, the smaller confines have made them concentrate more on the NY style pizza, a host of gourmet pizzas, as well as awesome appetizers and Brooklyn pizzeria must haves i.e. 'calzones and stromboli'. You know you're in pizzeria heaven when you sink your teeth & gums into a three cheese (mozzarella, romano, & ricotta) calzone. Delicioso!

Ten incredible appetizers including a dozen garlic knots presented with home-made marinara for just $7. Surprisingly for an authentic Italian ristorante they serve some killer jumbo wings alongside a southern favorite Fried Mac & Cheese Bites. tiramasu, cannolis, and old-fashioned NY style cheese cake, you betcha they're on the menu. 

Northerners (NJ, PA, NY) have already found Brooklyn South Pizza, with lines out the door during lunch and many calling ahead to pick up a pie or pies on the way home. With NY natives relocating to greater Charleston over the past several decades and opening Italian eateries including pizzerias, southerners have discovered the difference between the pizza chains and real NY style pizza.

You can take home a large cheese (18") pie for $18. Easily feeds a family of three or four. For a little more select from over a dozen toppings including meatballs, mushrooms, sausage, and ham, or spice it up with garlic or banana peppers. What's even harder to find is anchovies, because many pizzerias don't carry them due to less demand, but make no mistake you'll find them at Brooklyn South Pizza.

You can take home two large cheese pizza with a 2-liter Coke product for $36. Great for larger family or friend gathering. Enjoy any two slices with Coke at lunch (11-3pm) for $10.

Let's recap. Brooklyn South Pizza is family owned and operated. Frank's wife and kids and family work there aside from his partner Maher. They make pizza with the highest quality ingredients including dough made fresh with New York City water. Brooklyn's official motto is 'Unity makes strength', and at Brooklyn South Pizza their motto could easily be 'New York Water Makes for Great Pizza'. Just saying!

They are open most days at 11am except Sunday at noon. They close at 9pm except for Friday and Saturday staying open until 10pm. Brooklyn South Pizza is closed on Tuesday to give employees time to rest up and to re-stock ingredients needed to make awesome pizza. While delivery options are still being considered you can have their pizza delivered thru several third parties i.e. Door Dash!

Located at 10597 Dorchester Road, Brooklyn South Pizza is at the intersection of Bacons Bridge Road just minutes north of the Oakbrook of Summerville area. The early success of their present location has tweaked their interest in opening a location in the Cane Bay area as well. If you want to dine on authentic NY style pizza from owners who know real pizza than I highly recommend Brooklyn South Pizza. Savor their whole menu at https://brooklynsouthpizza.com/