See more

Everyone loves pizza. And New Yorkers are certainly no exception. But what makes a pizza good? And how does one know where to find a great slice, especially in a city as big as NYC?

Newcomer Bella Vita aims to answer these questions with its first-rate, Neapolitan Old World Brick Oven Pizzeria, now with two Manhattan locations (211 West 43rd Street and 158 W 58th Street). Specializing in superb authentic, thin crust topped pizza made with the world's finest and freshest ingredients, Bella Vita is changing the way we eat pizza one pie at a time.

Bella Vita, which means "beutiful life" in Italian, gives New Yorkers a chance to taste a truly rustic, Naples-style pizza without leaving Manhattan. A descendent of several generations of Neapolitan pizziolli (pizza makers), Charles Toufos sought to carry on the tradition of his mother's Old World Italian Valvano family recipes by bringing them to the New World.

Understanding that quality pizza comes from quality ingredients, Toufos, who oversees the day-by-day operations at both Bella Vita restaurants, ensures that Bella Vita's pizzas are the "real deal." Every sauce is made from scratch, every ingredient is of the highest quality. Fresh homemade mozarella and sauce made from imported Italian San Merzano tomatoes complement the light, yet crispy crust. Compared to the mega-commercial, generic pizza chains in the US that are known more for their quantity than quality, Bella Vita strives to create the best quality pies with every order. Toufos invites all pizza lovers to taste Bella Vita's authentic Neapolitan pies and experience the difference.