Blog

Pizza Beneath a Stained Glass Ceiling

Have you ever enjoyed pizza under an elegant 19th century stained glass ceiling? Well, as they say – in New York, you can do it all.

Next time you’re in Times Square, pop into the unassuming storefront of John’s Pizzeria (aka John’s of Times Square, 260 W 44th St), head down the hall to the main dining room, and look up. Opened in 1888, the space originally was the New York Gospel Tabernacle Church, led by Canadian preacher A. B. Simpson. Eventually closed down and abandoned, the space sat empty until 1995, when a certain Madeline Castellotti came along. “During her initial tour of this location, the perfectly intact stained glass ceiling caught her attention,” notes the history on John’s website. “It was made up of 8 parts, all equal in size, just like a pizza pie. It was then that Madeline Castellotti knew this would be home to her dream, the most unique pizzeria in the world.”

In preliminary searches online, I haven’t been able to dig up any details about who originally created that stained glass ceiling, even as it “quietly survives as one of the city’s biggest,” according to Hyperallergic. If you have any insider information, let me know in the comments below. I’d love to learn more about its origins.