Louie & Ernie’s, a small, family-run pizzeria in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx, was named the best "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant in New York by Food Republic, a national food outlet. The recognition spotlights a shop that has served a mostly unchanged menu of thin-crust pizzas and calzones from the lower level of a single-family home since 1959.
Owner Cosimo Tiso, 55, said the label "restaurant" is misleading and that the business is simply a pizzeria that sticks to a narrow set of offerings. "We’re not a restaurant, we’re just a pizzeria — really old-school," he told The Post. The shop operates cash-only, does not take reservations and keeps a pared-down menu that excludes salads, garlic knots and unusual toppings.
Founded by Patsy Ottuso, Louie & Ernie’s originally opened in Harlem in 1947 and moved to 1300 Crosby Ave. in Pelham Bay in 1959. Ernie Ottuso later hired 13-year-old John Tiso to help with cleaning and prep work; John eventually brought his younger brother Cosimo into the business. The Tiso brothers bought the pizzeria in 1987 when John was 20 and Cosimo 17. John officially retired last year but continues to help when needed.
The pizzeria’s sausage pie is widely regarded as a standout. The signature pie is topped with fennel-seasoned sausage from a local butcher and baked on a thin, slightly charred crust. The shop has attracted a loyal local following over generations, and its reputation has extended beyond the Bronx. In 2019, Dave Portnoy, president of Barstool Sports and host of the One Bite pizza review series, gave Louie & Ernie’s an enthusiastic endorsement.
Despite the growing attention, the staff said the operation is intentionally modest. "If you’re looking for the menu from Cheesecake Factory, you’re at the wrong place," Cosimo said. He cited a family maxim passed down from Ernie: "KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid," and said that focusing on a few core items is a deliberate business decision.
Inside, seating is limited to a few tables in a space that resembles the lower level of a house; much of the scene spills outdoors. Customers often eat by car hoods or in a backyard patio that has been a meeting place for regulars across generations. The shop remains a cash-only establishment, a point that longtime patrons say preserves the pizzeria’s old-school character.
Food Republic’s selection, which placed Louie & Ernie’s at the top of its list of New York’s "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants, drew notice in the neighborhood and among pizza enthusiasts. The accolade followed decades of steady business and word-of-mouth endorsements from customers who described the slices as "phenomenal" and some who called the pizzeria their favorite in the city.
Cosimo said the recognition is welcome but secondary to the approval of regulars who have supported the shop for decades. "It’s always nice when someone says something nice about you," he said, noting that the core of the business remains serving consistent, straightforward pizzas to a steady base of customers.
Louie & Ernie’s continues to operate its simple formula: a limited menu, family management and long-standing local ties. For a location that began as a Harlem storefront in the late 1940s and has occupied its Pelham Bay site since 1959, the emphasis on tradition has become the defining draw for residents and visitors alike.
