In a city where fate often weaves surprising connections, Wylie Dufresne and Gadi Peleg, who attended rival schools on the opposite ends of Manhattan, eventually met and found they had something important in common: a love of New York-style pizza.
A culinary maestro of French cuisine, Dufresne built his reputation at the late and lamented wd-50, while Peleg, an artisanal baker, crafted delectable wonders at Breads Bakery, one of the city’s most beloved bakeries. When their paths finally converged, it sparked a conversation that would lead to the birth of something extraordinary—Stretch Pizza, which opened March 17, 2023, in the Flatiron District.
While staying true to the elements of classic New York-style pies—crispy-chewy crust, classic red sauce and that irresistible cheese pull—Stretch ventures beyond the standard NCY pizza joint in other ways. The Old Town pie, for example, features mushrooms, muenster cheese, a garlic cream and pumpernickel and was inspired by an Old Town Bar and Restaurant sandwich. Also on the menu: the Oddfather, topped with zucchini, eggplant and Italian-style tempura crumbs, as well as The Reading, made with roast pork, broccolini, aged provolone and chili oil.
Related: How to get that chewy texture in your New York-style pizza
Wylie Dufresne stretches dough at his Manhattan pizzeria. (Stretch Pizza / Instagram)
But, more recently, Dufresne and Peleg jumped a bit further ahead of the curve with the Everything Bagel Pizza, a symphony of cream cheese, aged mozzarella, everything bagel spice and chives. And now, for the holidays, the Everything Bagel Pizza, offered through December 30, can be transformed into a decadent centerpiece that’s crowned with the epitome of luxury: caviar.
“The Everything [Bagel Pizza] was inspired by one of New York’s most iconic flavor combinations—an everything bagel with cream cheese,” Dufresne told Forbes recently. “For the holidays, we offer it topped with caviar. It makes for a fun combination of flavors and textures—the soft cream cheese, the crunch of everything bagel seasoning, topped with a scoop of caviar on each slice. It is a perfect festive bite to ring in the new year.”
