Bocce Usq

The short: great pizza, easy to get to, excellent drinks, and a wonderful atmosphere make this casual eatery in the heart of USQ a must visit. The long: I went with a large group middle of the week for a few drinks and some pizza on the advice of a coworker who lives in the city. After taking the PATH over from Jersey City, it was a five or so minute walk across USQ, and then up the front steps. Since we were a larger group (there was ten of us), we were actually sat at the large round table right by the entrance. No sooner had we all sat down then two members of the wait staff came by, one putting out water glasses, the other pouring water. It seemed like whenever one of our waters was empty, someone was coming by and refilling it, even though the bottles of water were left on the table. (These were swapped for fuller bottles along the way several times!) Once we were settled drink orders went in and the full experience came to life. A brilliant menu of signature cocktails (including some very summery spritzes) along with the usual wine and beer selections found in downtown NYC, the must-have was the Frozen Negroni. (As an aside, our group kept trying to come up with a shorter name: negrozen was the winner in our book!) The other stand-out drink of the evening was the "Green Market", a tequila-based drink containing cucumber and celery, along with vermouth and elderberry, which was refreshing without being overpoweringly tequila-forward. While the drinks were being brought out, we also put in for salads and "Bocce Bread", a must have. (Our group had four of them since there were so many of us and it was so good!) We also put in for the Market Greens salad, which had a freshness like no other. The apps was brought out in a timely manner and were perhaps eaten as quickly. For the main course, we ordered nearly all of the available pizzas along with two orders of the Fritto Misto (a cold seafood dish) and one order each of the Pappardelle and Rigatoni, plus a second round of drinks. The freshness of ingredients, along with the perfectly cooked pizzas (just a touch of crunch to the crust without feeling like a crouton) led to a rather filling and wholly satisfying meal. With nothing but crumbs left, a last round of drinks was ordered as the plates were cleared Sitting in the front and center of the restaurant, there was a perfect breeze coming in which kept the otherwise muggy weather from being overbearing inside the restaurant. Given the age of the building and its very open nature, there was not any air conditioning to be had, though it was mentioned by one of the hosts that fans were being installed before the summer was in full swing. Despite the set up being very reminiscent of a high-end, exclusive restaurant, it was obvious upon approach that Bocce is aimed at anyone walking by; several groups with children came in and sat eating nearby. It also seems that a weekend would have the bar area and outdoor patio mobbed by patrons looking to escape the heat and enjoy something light. In keeping with the name, there is a small Bocce court just outside, and people could be seen congregating and playing as I left. While it is certainly a trek from my home in New Jersey, I found that Bocce was the perfect spot to go for dinner and drinks if in the area. It is, perhaps, even worth heading over to as part of a larger excursion into NYC. I'm sure that I'll be back in the future, and I'm excited to see how the obviously seasonal menu shifts as the year goes on!