Day 14, 2026: Patsy's Pizzeria (Flatiron, NYC)

exterior

DAY 14: OCTOBER 14th, 2026 

LOCATION: Patsy's Pizzeria (23 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10010)

GUEST(S): Robin Rothman, Louie Pearlman

ORDER: 2 slices of Vodka Pie (Vodka sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Basil, Shaved Pecorino), 2 slices of Pepperoni (Mozzarella, tomato sauce, basil, chili oil)

REVIEW: 

Classic name, new location.

"Since 1933" isn't something you expect to see plastered across a brand-new pizzeria, but that's precisely what you'll get at Patsy's Pizzeria in the Flatiron District. You'll also find incredible thin-crust pizza crafted in the style of the East Harlem original using a state-of-the-art gas-fired oven, expertly reinterpreted by Chef Pietro Aletto.

Tucked inside the lobby of the Freehand Hotel, this sizable restaurant welcomes guests with a full bar, a robust menu, an attentive waitstaff, and a great soundtrack playing at just the right volume. But don't let the upscale amenities distract you—you're here for the ultra-thin, superb-quality pie. Patsy's serves up 16-inch "artfully reimagined signatures," such as their Pepperoni pie layered with low-moisture mozzarella, fresh basil, and chili oil-infused cup-and-char pepperoni, as well as a Vodka Pie topped with fresh mozzarella, pecorino, and creamy tomato sauce. While new digs in a prime neighborhood come with a higher price tag, it's reassuring to know that after nearly a century, the Patsy's name remains as reliable as ever.

PHOTOS:

underside

day 14

Pepperoni pie

slice of Pepperoni

Pizza Menu

Dining area w/ view of oven

Patsy's pizza from Angelis-Tsoulos 2015 (top) and Chef Pietro Aletto 2026 (bottom)

gas-powered oven

interior

bar

Vodka Pie

VIDEO:

coming soon

MISCELLANEOUS:

Robin Rothman, Sean Taylor, Louie Pearlman

1. Louie Pearlman currently teaches improv at Second City, is an improv coach for an upcoming play, planning his wedding and in the process of writing his next musical! 

2. Robin Rothman and I are heading to Asheville, North Carolina for a wedding. She's a bridesmaid and, since I never went to prom, she coordinated her dress to match my tie!

RATING:

 4.05/5

• VALUE:
   3/5


• AMBIENCE:
   3/3


• TASTE:
   8/10


• SERVICE: 
   3/3

17/21 = .810 x 5 = 4.05

Day 13, 2026: Donatos (robotic) Pizza (Columbus, OH)

Concourse B

exterior

DAY 13: OCTOBER 13th, 2026 

LOCATION: Donatos (robotic) Pizza  (John Glenn Airport, Concourse B, Columbus, OH)

GUEST(S): Scott Wiener

ORDER: 5 slices of Pepperoni

REVIEW: 

Pizza ex machina. It begins.   

In 2025, Ohio pizza chain Donatos installed a vending machine in Concourse B of John Glenn Columbus International Airport where robots make, bake, and cut their signature pies in six minutes. It's unreal... and perhaps a sobering peek into the possible future of pizza making—and hopefully not the demise of humanity.   

A QR code kickstarts the whole operation, taking the hungry user to an order and check-out form. Then it’s all in the vending machine's robotic hands. Viewing windows enable you to watch your pizza come to life. First, you'll see Robot #1—which I call "Pre-bake bot"—grab a pre-made, uncooked, characteristically thin crust from the rack and place it on the saucer, where a steady stream of tomato sauce evenly rains down upon it. From here, Pre-bake bot moves the sauced crust down to the topper, where a generous amount of aged smoked provolone is layered on.   

Then comes the pepperoni. Anyone who has ever been to a Donatos knows that their signature is a copious, edge-to-edge layering of pepperoni. This vending machine got the memo, loading up my pie with a more-than-generous helping of pep. Next, Pre-bake bot shuffles the fully topped uncooked pie into a conveyor belt oven for two minutes of intense heat.

When it exits out the other side, Robot #2—aka "Post-bake bot"—steps into action. Post-bake bot scrapes the piping hot pie from the baking screen onto a circular piece of cardboard, dusts it with grated Romano cheese, and maneuvers it to the slicing tool where it is cut into rectangular sectors. Finally, the finished pie is moved into your to-go plate and placed into a holding locker for you to claim with a four-digit code emailed straight to your phone.

At this stage of robotic development, I still prefer the taste of human-made pies over the automated version, but I was genuinely impressed. One pie is big enough for two, ready in minutes, and more affordable than most other food offerings at the typical airport. The fact that the bots successfully replicated the trademark Donatos crisp, thin, pepperoni-packed profile makes this human more than satisfied.  

PHOTOS:

view from the air

available seating in Concourse B

pick-up window

condiments, lids, napkins

slice of Pepperoni

underside

day 13

pepperoni pie

VIDEO:

coming soon

MISCELLANEOUS:

Sean Taylor, Scott Wiener

1. Scott Wiener wisely pointed out that the big disagreement about pineapple on pizza only exists because a lot of people happen to like it. If anyone is curious on my take, I'm fine with pineapple on pizza. I prefer not to order it but I have had it on pizza in small quantities and liked the sweet and savory tandem with the other ingredients.

2. Scott and I were driven to the airport by my mom since our flights left from the same terminal 5 minutes apart to two different New York City airports.

RATING:

 3.75/5

• VALUE:
   4/5


• AMBIENCE:
   2/3


• TASTE:
   7.5/10


• SERVICE: N/A

13/18 = .750 x 5 = 3.75