Pizza legends Patsy and Carol Grimaldi honored with street renaming in DUMBO
Old Fulton Street in DUMBO officially received a new honorary street designation: Patsy and Carol Grimaldi Way, recognizing the couple whose pizzerias became synonymous with New York City pizza.
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A Brooklyn pizza legacy is now permanently etched into the neighborhood it helped transform.
Old Fulton Street in DUMBO officially received a new honorary street designation: Patsy and Carol Grimaldi Way, recognizing the couple whose pizzerias became synonymous with New York City pizza.
"I'm here with my family today, honoring the legacy of my brother Pat and Carol," said Esther Massa, Patsy Grimaldi's sister. "It was a very beautiful day for the unveiling."
Patsy and Carol Grimaldi opened the original Grimaldi's Pizzeria on Old Fulton Street in 1990, helping establish the neighborhood as a destination for pizza lovers from around the world.
After selling the business in 1998, the pair returned from retirement in 2012 to open Juliana's Pizza in the same location. The restaurant would later earn national recognition, including being named the No. 1 pizzeria in America by TripAdvisor.
For those who continue carrying on the Grimaldi legacy, the street renaming is a fitting tribute.
"It's really an incredible feeling," said Matthew Grogan, co-founder of Juliana's. "I came in as a guest, as a customer. And now to be able to keep this legacy alive, not only as a pizzeria, but also as a permanent fixture on the street."
The honor recognizes more than just great pizza.
Community leaders say Patsy and Carol arrived in DUMBO at a pivotal moment, helping shape the neighborhood into the thriving destination it is today.
"Patsy and Carol are icons of DUMBO from day one," said Alexandria Sica, president of the DUMBO Business Improvement District. "They moved in before any other businesses were really here. They created this fantastic pizza scene and inspired hundreds of other small businesses to come to the neighborhood."
Today, visitors still line up for Juliana's signature coal-fired pizzas, with the Margherita remaining a fan favorite. Now, alongside the famous slices, a street sign serves as a lasting reminder of the couple's impact on Brooklyn.
For Grogan, the new designation may even encourage visitors to learn the story behind the name.
"Maybe they're not familiar with what we do or with the area," he said. "They see the street sign, they're curious, and they can learn a little history."
The honorary street sign ensures that the Grimaldi name and the role Patsy and Carol played in shaping DUMBO will remain part of Brooklyn's story for generations to come.
