Hard to describe the Pizza Rossa with added Burrata. The pizza is fresh out of the oven. Thin crust, but not crispy. It's hot, saucy, and just the right amount of chili where you take a bite and say "oh yeah, I forgot there was chili on here. I like it!" But the magic comes from the burrata. It's cool--a total contrast to the pizza. Cut the burrata and spread the cheese around a bit; it's silky so you should get a nice streak onto each slice. A bite of this pizza was unlike anything I've had before, it was wonderful. The warm chewy dough drenched in sauce paired so so nicely with the cold cheese. I'd return just for this. My partner and I sat at the bar, with a last minute reservation. The place is small and packed. It was early enough where there was still plenty of natural light. Lots of couples on dates but also a few families old and young. Service was prompt, pizza took no more than 20 minutes to prepare. We also ordered an arugula salad that comes with a generous amount of Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, freshly grated. I thought it was a bit too lemony and too peppery for my taste so I'd skip it next time. The other pizza we ordered, the Margherita Del Leone was simply not as good as the Pizza Rossa. It was fine. The dough really made it what it was but there wasn't enough sauce and the cheese was too melted to get the full flavor so a few minutes out it tasted more rubbery than anything else. I'd skip it. In the end we ordered the salad, two pizzas, and two drinks and the bill was exactly $99 plus tax and tip so closer to ~$130. read more

Il Leone - Menu page 1 - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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A little disappointed with my experience here. There was an hour wait from seating to the pizza, which isn't unreasonable for some restaurants but in my opinion is for what is essentially just a pizzeria (the menu is light on other options). Others who came in after us were served before us, and there's nothing worse when being hungry and seeing food glide over to other tables. Service didn't seem too concerned about our long wait, it would have been nice for someone to have checked in to let us know that the food would be coming out shortly. Maybe I would have felt better about the pizza if the service was better, but after an hour wait I was a little disappointed. The pizza was good, but not an hour plus wait good for what ends up amounting to barely a regular slice if you split it (definitely get one each). I'd potentially come back on a less busy day (although it was 5:15 when we went on Saturday and wasn't fully booked up), but would rather invest my time in other pizza in park slope. read more

One of the more recent additions to Brooklyn's competitive pizza scene, Il Leone offers fairly traditional Neapolitan pies with a pronounced chew and deep crust. I understand they originated in Maine, as evidenced by the inclusion of a lobster pizza on the menu. While I quite enjoyed the dough, I found most of the toppings rather underwhelming. The pizza rosso had SO much oregano that it might have been worth including in the pizza's name. And the bianca pie was topped with hefty chunks of asparagus that still had a slight raw taste and texture. Ultimately, the straightforward margherita leone was the best pie of the night and did the best job of showcasing the dough. read more

Il Leone - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Heard nothing but good things about this place and was excited to try it. I've been to Peak's Island but I never tried pizza there, so happy to confirm the place is legit -- I'll have to try it out in Maine over the summer as well. Nice experience here, friendly staff that runs a tight ship and moves folks along as needed. It's tiny so you can't have an indulgent three hour dinner here, be warned. Nice wine list, a little less in way of cocktails but perfectly acceptable variety of Spritzes and Negronis and Martinits. We got the meatball appetizer which was nice. Big almost fluffy meatballs that felt satisfying and didn't feel heavy. Then we got the Margherita pizza and the Lobster Pizza cause duh. The Marg was solid, the dough is particularly chewy in a really nice way though it loses integrity in the middle and becomes very wet as it thins out. The flavor was lovely though. The lobster pizza gives you an impressive amount of lobster (a whole claw even on one slice!) and has no cheese so everything really slides off it immediately. The sauce is different too, a little sharper and deeper than your typical pizza. Overall very tasty, didn't drown out the lobster flavor which is always what happens with these things. All in all, this would be truly excellent pizza for Portland Maine, but I'm not sure if it stands out particularly in New York City. That said, it was very tasty and for Park Slope it's not a bad little date spot. read more

Il Leone - Lobster pizza - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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We were really excited to try out Il Leone and were happy to snag an earlier reservation. The staff was super accommodating and welcoming with our toddler. Really dark and intimate lighting that would make it great for date night. We shared the burrata and the lobster pie. Love me some bread and cheese so this was tasty. The lobster pizza came at a heavy price. I don't think I would go back for this pie but would try others. Ultimately I thought the pizza way too thin for how heavy the lobster was. We also got the gelato which I really wouldn't call gelato but ice cream but still really solid. read more

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Cute place, good service. The sauces are exceptional, flavorful, aromatic. But overall the food is good but not memorable. The meatball appetizer was good, the pizza dough was nice but did get quite soggy. read more

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Il Leone is a fantastic new addition to the neighborhood! Dined there last night and it was such a treat. As someone who visits Maine often, I had to order the Isola pizza with Maine lobster, San Marzano tomato sauce, white wine, garlic, basil, chili, and parsley. It was incredible! They did not skimp on the lobster, and it was so delicate and fresh I felt transported to the coast. We also tried the Diavola, and the dough on both pizzas was incredible, probably thanks to their sourdough starter. The bartender helped us pick a wine, and it was a perfect match. The wine list leans into producers from Campania, the birthplace of pizza, which I love. Can't wait to come back to try more pies and dive into the appetizers next time! read more

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Wet and burnt pizza - worst pizza I've had in a decade - crazy, man - artichoke appetizer was burnt - what's going on, pizza is their only thing read more

Incredible Neapolitan style pizza in a cozy space. Ben, the owner, is there, firing all the pies himself. My friend and I had the Rosso with anchovies and it was amazing. I've never had pizza without cheese before but this was so so good. We also had the artichoke appetizer and that did not disappoint. The staff here is so sweet and accommodating. I don't eat indoors because of covid and they accommodated me on their outdoor patio which is going to be the spot to be when it gets nicer out! For now they do drinks there and have strong heat lamps. Make a reservation because this place is extremely popular, as it should be! Wheelchair access details: there are no steps from the street. The restaurant is crowded and full all the time so you would need to navigate a narrow path to the back. I was able to do it in my scooter but communicate the width of your chair when you DM them if you are going with a larger chair to see if it would work. Once outside, there are a few tables that are on the same level as the restaurant, and a bunch more down a couple of steps. I did not use the restroom but saw a wide door for one that looked like it would be accessible. read more

I hope to return to dine to write an actual review but for now... It is poor form to not indicate that half of the dining room tables on Resy are high tops. You opened your restaurant in Park Slope where 85% of your customers will have kids. We weren't given an option and had to walk from our reservation because there was nothing but high tops -- won't work with a small kid. Also, be bold and tell parents that strollers need to be folded up or left outside. I'm sure the food is great -- and can't wait to return to try -- but, seriously, do your research, team Il Leone, and know the neighborhood you're in. read more

This is a great pizza place with a casual but cool atmosphere. Although it's low key, it's also a great date place because it has nice lighting and candles. Every dish is thoughtful and uses fresh ingredients. I had a nice salad and fried artichokes to start and shared a pizza. Great wine selection too! Did not try the gelato but the flavors sounded great. It's a small space, so get there early. I think when it's warmer they will open their back yard. Service was friendly and knowledgeable too. Excited for this new neighborhood spot! read more

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Absolutely incredible meal at Il Leone. Everything we ordered was outstanding, every single pizza has its own flavor and uniqueness. The grilled artichokes were another highlight: beautifully and crispy seasoned. And the meatballs were excellent -- classic, comforting, and full of flavor, with a sauce that tasted like it had been cooking all day. The food, atmosphere, and service all came together perfectly. Il Leone is the kind of place that makes you want to order half the menu and come back the next night. Highly recommend and will definitely be back. read more

Maybe I went on a bad night, but the pizza was soggy in the middle, on all three pies we got. My guess is the oven wasn't hot enough. Which is a shame, because the sourdough crust on the edge was fantastic and the Margherita and Il Leone pies were otherwise tasty. I was a little disappointed with the lobster pie, you do get a decent amount of lobster to justify the hefty price tag, but it was just a spicy tomato sauce with lobster, and any taste of lobster gets lost in the heat and tang. The salads were simple but delicious and the service was great, but a wet sloppy pie is a rookie mistake. read more

Where do i even begin? The service, the ambiance, the staff -- all A+. The food and drink transported me to the foothills of Ravello or the shores of Positano. It reminds me of my Nonna. Do yourself a favor and get down to Il Leone. You won't regret it. read more

This place is awesome. Pizza as fresh as I've had in nyc. Awesome drinks. Great vibes. Couldn't recommend more.

Very underwhelming! Pizza was average, very overpriced, and waited more than 45 minutes for our pizza to come. Definitely a one time customer! read more

I had high hopes for this cute new pizza restaurant. Unfortunately those hopes were dashed. While the ambiance and service were good - the pizza was not. It was bland and tasteless. Good fresh ingredients but absolutely no flavor. And not cheap - for a little pie - which I would not resent if it was good. It wasn't. read more

We were so excited to try out Il Leone and it did not disappoint. Their mushroom pizza and artichokes were a few of my favorites but truly everything we had was delicious. We started with drinks on the patio which had such a nice vibe we could have stayed there all night. The ambiance inside is warm and the staff were all incredibly welcoming. We will definitely be back! read more

Il Leone - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Slow not great service - pizza took about an hour (had first seating), had to remind about a beer, appetizers oddly paced and small (for 5 people could have ordered 2+ of each). The pizza was not that special (lobster overpowered by spice, rest tasted like any fancy coal oven place), and only ice cream for dessert in January (we were celebrating a birthday and would have loved to do cake with a candle). They were also out of the only mocktail on the menu and couldn't make anything else. read more

a gift to the neighborhood and incredible all around - food, service, vibes all 10/10. like a trip to italy!

Ben the owner makes great pizza, and has a great crew working for him. The pizza is authentic and he spends his summers on Peaks Island Maine. read more