East Coast transplants love URBN Coal Fired Pizza for its old warehouse digs and communal ambiance. Though if you’re from Connecticut, the icing on the cake turns even sweeter with New Haven-style pizzas and an Italian line of Foxton Park Sodas found commonly throughout The Constitution State.
But when we’re talking happy hour, Dr. Ink would rather save the soft drinks for an occasional day of sobriety in lieu of URBN’s hefty selection of craft beers served in heavy-glass growlers (listed as “pitchers” on the menu).
The deals are as such: Order a growler of draught ($8 to $30) and get a free small pizza with up to three toppings. Or spring instead for a bottle of wine ($27 to $52) and choose from 10 different craft pies, such as anchovy, Margherita with burrata or the classic New Haven favorites, which point to white pizzas topped with either fresh clams and Parmesan or mashed potatoes with pancetta and fresh mozzarella.
In addition, prices on Gin Rickeys, Daiquiris, Tom Collins and other retro cocktails cost $6 apiece. Visiting coincidentally with a Connecticut transplant, we opted for an $18 growler of Allagash White, a light and mellow brew with a creamy finish, though not too weighty on the palate.
“This beer calls for the clam pizza,” my cohort declared. Hence we were granted the upgrade that normally comes with wine bottle orders. Yes, the staff will bend the rules a bit if you ask nicely.
Indeed, the salty flavor of the clams, punctuated with moments of garlic, struck a perfect complement to the beer’s lemony undertones. Served alongside was a lineup of hot pepper flakes, salt, oregano and Parmesan, allowing us to further pinch up the thin-crusted pizza as we mowed along.
Faced with 64 ounces of beer in our jug, we veered off the happy hour menu for additional sustenance and ordered a charcuterie board. The meats are crafted and cured in-house by staffer Danyelle Forte, who happened to be our waitress. The chorizo with chilies and soppressata with black pepper and fennel proved another beer match. Forte did well, shattering the stereotype that charcuterie-making, like charcoal grilling, is an art belonging only to male chefs.
URBN appears to be a smash hit in the heart of North Park, attracting
gaggles of neighborhood folk reveling in the open space that’s made breezier by retractable windows. Almost a year old, it was launched by Connecticut native Jon Mangini, who also owns BASIC Urban Kitchen + Bar in the East Village. With a third location on the drawing board, we wouldn’t mind seeing this unpretentious concept branch into another Uptown neighborhood.
Ratings:
Drinks: 5/5
Whether you come knocking for beer, wine or cocktails, the offerings escape the low-end bulk stuff, giving you multi-dimensional flavors worth savoring.
Food: 5/5
Our lesson in New Haven-style pizza taught us that the crust is thin and airy and the toppings are generous and unique. Oh, and the pizzas are served in cookie sheets.
Value: 5/5Opt for a growler of beer and you’re afforded 64 ounces and a free pizza. Split among two or three mouths, you can easily get away with paying $10 apiece for an adequate brain buzz and stomach fill.
Service: 4/5
With so much open space filled often with numerous customers both standing and sitting, an occasional hand gesture may be needed to nab the attention of your busy server.
Duration: 3/5
Hurray to the three-hour window of time on weekdays, but given how easily hooked we became over URBN’s consumables and atmosphere; we’d love to duck in for a deal on the weekends.
