Hip to Be Square: Emmy’s Expands into Former Home of a Hell’s Kitchen Pizza Favorite

PLEASE SUPPORT W42ST

W42ST runs on limited resources to keep Hell’s Kitchen connected, updated and upbeat. Access is totally free. Please consider supporting what we do so that we can continue our work!

SUPPORT

Crispy, crunch Detroit-style pizza makes its way to Midtown as popular eatery Emmy Squared prepares to open a new location in Hell’s Kitchen — taking over the spot vacated by Patzeria Family and Friends during the pandemic.

The Hell’s Kitchen location, slated to open in a space at 311 West 48th Street (the former site of Patzeria Pizza’s sit-down eatery Patzeria Family and Friends) will join the newly minted boutique Civilian Hotel (and its forthcoming restaurant Rosevale Kitchen and Cocktail Room) next door. While an official opening date has not yet been set, the team at Emmy Squared will appear before the Manhattan Community Board 4 Business Licensing and Permits Committee next week. 

Patzeria Family & Friends was a casualty of the pandemic. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the permanent closing of Patzeria Family and Friends on Sunday, November 15‬. It has been an absolute pleasure serving you. We cannot thank our customers enough for all the support throughout the years. We are so grateful for all the memories, milestones, and occasions that you’ve shared with us,” the long-serving Hell’s Kitchen eatery announced on Instagram at the end of 2020.

The Brooklyn-based chain, itself an offshoot of the Pizza Loves Emily family of restaurants co-founded by Emily and Matt Hyland, opened in 2016 and became popular for their marriage of New York-style “grandma pie” with the crispy cheese “frico” edges of Detroit’s signature pies. They quickly expanded to the Upper East Side and Upper East Side, as well as outposts in Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Kentucky and Washington, DC. 

In addition to pillowy, focaccia-style pies, Emmy’s is known for their frequently sold-out burger, dubbed “Le Big Matt” and comprised of a two-patty burger with generously melted American cheese, special “Sammy” sauce, pickles and waffle fries. The award-winning sandwich has even managed to edge out competition in the city’s crowded burger landscape, being named one of the “14 Best New Burgers in NYC” by Gothamist and one of “The 20 Best Burgers in NYC” by food review magazine The Infatuation — and soon to be in consideration for our very own Best Burger list! 

Other notable features at Emmy Squared? Their curated beverage program— including popular brews from Sloop Juice Bomb and Jack’s Abby as well as well-balanced, wittily-named cocktails. Their pizzas can all be made gluten-free (for a full list of everything gluten-free in Hell’s Kitchen, check out our app!). 

As for fans of Patzeria, fear not — the longstanding Neapolitan restaurant still has a linked operation at 231 W46th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue (opposite Hamilton), complete with an outdoor dining shed perfect for snagging a quick slice and garlic knots. For now, Hell’s Kitchen prepares to welcome another top-notch pie joint into the mix. Mangia!