What to Eat

Pizza Roma Now Baking Bread in the Old A. Zito & Sons Space

Ovens are firing again in the former bakery.
Ovens are firing again in the former bakery. Photo: Melissa Hom

Bleecker Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues was once upon a time a place to do one’s marketing, and to a certain extent, it still is — there’s Rocco’s Pastry Shop, Amy’s Bread, Murray’s Cheese, and Faicco’s Pork Store, among the shops. A. Zito & Sons bakery would have been part of the mix, but the 80-year-old establishment closed in 2004 and then the spot stood vacant until Pizza Roma moved in this year. Now Roma co-owner Andrea Franchini tells us there’s bread baking in the space once again, in the same ovens as his Roman pizzas. The Italian-style white breads have a crusty, flour-dusted exterior and a soft, springy crumb. A baguette-shaped loaf is $2 and a ciabatta goes for $3; it’s a solid foundation for any impromptu August picnic.

Pizza Roma Now Baking Bread in the Old A. Zito & Sons Space