Trays, notice, and what actually survives a table
Catering
Party trays for twelve to fifteen, booked with Nina. We will tell you when a date is already full rather than take it and let you down.
What to order for a room full of people
The question is almost never which pizza is best. It is which pizza is still good an hour after it arrives, because at a party that is when most of it gets eaten.
The answer is the upside-down Sicilian, and it is not close. The thick layer of crushed tomato over the cheese stops the surface drying out, so a tray that has been sitting on a table for an hour is still a good thing to eat. Roman al taglio is the second best for the same reason — a very crisp base takes longer to go soft. The New York rounds are the worst of the pizzas for this, and the Neapolitan pies are not something we will send to a party at all.
The rolls are the other thing worth knowing about. A dozen mixed rolls cut into thirds feeds a surprising number of people, they are excellent at room temperature, and nobody needs a plate for one.
How to book
Telephone and ask for Nina
000-000-0000, or use the contact form if it is more than a few days out.
Tell us when people will eat
Not when you want to collect — when the food goes on the table. We work backwards from that.
Say how many, and what else is being served
Twelve people with nothing else is a very different order from twelve people who are also getting a cake.
Tell us about any allergy now
Please read the allergens page first. There are things about a shared kitchen we cannot fix for a party any more than for a slice.
What we will tell you honestly
- That a Saturday in December is already full, rather than taking it and struggling.
- That you have ordered too much. It happens constantly and it costs us money to say.
- That the tray you have chosen is the wrong one for food that will sit out.
- That we do not have hot boxes, and a cardboard tray does not keep pizza hot for two hours.
An estimate is not a promise. Every delivery time we quote is an estimate, not a promise, and we will not offer you a guarantee we would have to break on a Friday at eight o'clock. If the kitchen is running long we would rather tell you thirty minutes late on the telephone than let you find out at the door.
Asked when booking
Catering questions
How much notice do you need?
Two days for ten trays or more, and a day for anything smaller. In December, book Saturdays weeks ahead — they genuinely fill up, and we will tell you a date is full rather than take it and struggle.
How many people does a tray feed?
A full tray of square pizza is 48 squares and feeds twelve to fifteen as a main course, or twenty-five as something alongside other food. A half tray is 24 squares.
Which tray survives sitting out?
The upside-down Sicilian, easily. The layer of tomato over the top stops the cheese drying, so it is still good an hour later. Roman al taglio is the second best.
Do you deliver catering orders?
Within the delivery area, yes, for $15 on any order of four trays or more. Beyond that we would ask you to collect — a car full of trays across Queens arrives worse than it left.
Can you do it hot for a specific time?
Yes, and this is the thing to be precise about when you book. Tell us the time people will actually eat, not the time you want to collect, and we will work backwards from it.
Do you provide plates, napkins and serving utensils?
Plates and napkins yes, at no charge. We do not have chafing dishes or hot boxes, and we will not pretend a cardboard tray keeps food hot for two hours.
Ask for Nina
Book a catering order
Telephone the shop and tell us the date, the number of people and the time they will actually eat. If the date is full we will say so on the call, and if we think you are ordering too much we will say that as well.