Instead of meeting in one member’s home, our bi-monthly book group met at the Upper East Side location of Numero 28, an authentic Neapolitan brick-oven pizza restaurant.

We sipped the Wild Fighter, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, 2020 and the chilled Janare, Del Sannio Falanghina 2019 ($45) while waiting for each member to arrive.

Our hostess ordered their pizzas for delivery to the table soon after we all gathered and began discussing James McBride’s The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. Everyone enjoyed the book.

The pizzas have a not-too-thick, not-too-thin, chewy crust. We devoured both of the oblong pies. Each was half Margherita (San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil). The other halves were Capricciosa (San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, ham and black olives), and Diavola (San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni). Both were delicious.

We ended with their amazing cannoli ($11)

I recommend pizza at Numero 28

Numero 28
Upper East Side
1431 First Ave
New York, NY, 10021
(212) 772-8200
numero28.com/