You asked for it, and the city delivered.
The legendary Di Fara’s Pizza re-opened today around 12:30 pm, after sailing through the city’s health re-inspection this morning with a squeaky clean restaurant.
“It feels like a grand opening,” said Margy DeMarco, who works along side her father, owner Domenico DeMarco, in the shop. “Fresh starts always feel good.”
The city shuttered the renowned pizzeria on Avenue J in Midwood, often named the city’s best, on Thursday after a surprise Health Department inspection netted it 67 violation points — and a “Closed” sticker.
Pizza lovers city-wide were up in arms — some accusing the department of trying to make a sacrificial pie out of the pizza-pontiffs.
At the time, the city said that the restaurant could re-open as soon as it took care of the crowds of mice in its kitchen, presumably drawn to the joint like their human counterparts for the delicious, lightly-charred and basil-inflected pizza it slings.
The mice are hopefully gone — but the typically jam-packed restaurant is sure to be overrun today with the pizza-junkies who have been forced to do without their beloved pies for almost a week.
The DeMarcos said they harbored no resentment toward the Health Department, but that the shutdown could have potentially been avoided.
“The [department] is trying to make things better and says its interest is in the public’s health,” said Margy. “But people will tell you they live for our pizza — they’re not dying over it.”
Per department rules, the restaurant will be re-inspected by the city next week before it can receive a new grade, but it would have gotten an “A” rating today, Margy said.
Di Fara Pizza will be open today, but closed for the holiday tomorrow, and then open again on Friday for normal business hours. Saturday it will be closed briefly for a private event.
