Goodfellas brings New York-style pizza to Broad Ripple

Writer / Jon Shoulders
Photographer / Amy Payne

Aaron Elliott, general manager of Goodfellas Pizzeria on Broad Ripple Avenue, is quick to point out what makes his establishment stand out from other pizza joints in its neighborhood. And it’s not just the fact that Goodfellas is the only midtown eatery that offers authentic, New York-style pies, available in three sizes (including a formidable 22-inches) and also by the slice.

“It’s really our focus on quality that I think makes us different,” Elliott says. “Our dough is made fresh daily. I’ve worked previously at pizza places where it’s frozen or shipped in from another location, but we make all of our dough in-store, and we have people in there making it while everybody is ordering. And we have some of the best cheese and tomatoes we can get our hands on.”

Lexington-based Goodfellas officially opened the Broad Ripple restaurant – its seventh location overall and the second in Indy along with a store on Mass Ave. – in October, and Elliott says the response thus far has been positive.

“Everyone’s been receptive and neighborly so far, and people are starting to understand that we are a true New York-style pizza place,” says Elliott, who worked at Goodfellas’ Mass Ave. and Cincinnati locations prior to his current general manager role in Broad Ripple. “It fits in with the walkability of the neighborhood, and we’re starting to see some familiar faces that are becoming regulars, which is pretty cool.”

Elliott adds that the unique energy and pedestrian-friendly nature of Broad Ripple, coupled with its abundance of small, independent businesses, were the primary reasons why the Goodfellas management chose the area for its latest opening in the first place.

“We’re an independent pizza place and we like to focus on community, so Broad Ripple is a natural spot for us,” he says. “We love entertainment areas.”

Customers can choose their own ingredients or pick from more than 10 specialty pies including the Don, which comes teeming with pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, bacon and veggies, or the lighter Vinny, which features ricotta, fresh roasted garlic and mozzarella. Oven-baked subs, extra-large breadsticks and salads are also on the menu, and a $6 lunch special, which includes one slice, a side item and a drink, is available during daily 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. lunch hours.

From Thursday through Saturday Goodfellas stays open until 3 a.m., and those dining in can belly up to a wooden counter amidst cheesy aromas, brick walls and framed black and whites of Sinatra, Brando, Hepburn and others, while watching employees expertly shape and toss each and every pie. Elliott says the restaurant’s late hours, and the fact that it offers individual slices for $3 to $4, are making it a fast favorite among weekend bar-hoppers and Butler students, as well as the general public.

“Being close to Butler and having a decent bar scene down here, we anticipated some late-night business,” he says. “Not a whole lot of eateries are open late here, and I’m not aware of anybody who sells by the slice around here. We’re getting good feedback from that. Our pizza is always hand tossed in front of the customers, which I think they appreciate too.”

Goodfellas Pizzeria is located at 914 Broad Ripple Avenue. Call (317) 744-0491 or visit goodfellaspizzeria.com for more info.

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