Something old, something new.
Lucky Charlie is now one of the most popular newly opened pizzerias in Brooklyn, but its success has a fascinating backstory.
Hidden away for years behind underground drywall, the Bushwick restaurant boasts a coal oven that dates back to 1890—back when iconic spots like Lombardi’s, John’s of Bleecker, and Grimaldi’s were just beginning to emerge.
At present, the best pizzas in New York City are generating a buzz, and the local community is all in.
Measuring 18 feet by 4 feet, this intense oven features 63 heat zones, enabling the creation of fantastic pizza in a mere five minutes.
“We couldn’t achieve this with any other oven,” Lucky Charlie’s co-owner Nino Coniglio remarked. “The kind of char we get combines all the best aspects of pizza.”
The oven’s history traces back to the 19th century when the building functioned as a bakery in an immigrant-heavy area. However, this hidden treasure was nearly forgotten until Charlie Verde, the building’s landlord, made an unexpected find during construction work in 2002.
His plans to sell the building changed when he uncovered the valuable relic.
Though Verde wasn’t a culinary expert, he understood the importance of preserving the dilapidated oven, despite the challenging local regulations around using such rare heat sources.
Originally favored for its cost-effectiveness, the coal oven fell out of favor as gas began dominating in the 1930s, followed by stainless steel ovens that shaped the modern landscape of pizza-making.
As a result, coal-fired pizzerias vanished, with no new ones emerging in the city from the late 1950s until the 1990s, according to pizza authority Scott Weiner.
“Many business owners shy away from the complex rules set forth by the Department of Buildings and the Fire Department,” Weiner noted. “They often find it more lucrative to demolish older buildings and upgrade the living spaces instead.”
With the closure of coal-fired pizzerias, the oven seemed to be doomed.
However, that’s not the case this time.
“It’s fantastic to bring back some of that traditional flavor,” Coniglio, who trained under the late Dom DeMarco of Di Fara Pizza, shared.
This revival coincided with Governor Kathy Hochul signing a contentious climate bill aimed at coal, oil, and gas industries, alongside New York City approving an environmental ordinance that would see companies like Coniglio reduce coal emissions by 75%.
Coniglio, who initially participated in another dining project envisioned by Verde for the site, has now transformed it into Lucky Charlie.
Today, this passionate pizzaiolo is enthusiastic about reintroducing the unique taste of coal-fired pizza to a new generation in New York.
The menu at Lucky Charlie’s is straightforward yet crafted with high-quality ingredients. At the heart of it is the $32 Classic Pizza, made with fiori di latte, DOP San Marzano tomatoes, Sicilian oregano, Italian sheep’s milk pecorino, and touched with Sicilian extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
“It’s an exciting chance to work with such a historical oven,” Coniglio expressed.
“Everyone who has tried the pizza has had a reaction I’ve never witnessed before in my career.”
