Closed for Business: Pizza Rustica, 357 Third Street
Tuesday, January 10, 2025 at 1:43PM 
Pizza Rustica (formerly known as Villa Rustica), the pizzeria on Third Street near Fifth Avenue, has shuttered. The phone number is no longer in service, construction paper covers the windows, and a sign in the window says simply "CLOSED."
Far from mediocre, the pizzas from here were generally regarded as among the best NY-style slices in the neighborhood, and developed an almost cult-like following. The pies were never soggy or too greasy, delivery was prompt, and you could tell that high-quality ingredients were used. They had an extensive selection of salads, pastas, and entrees, and pizzas came in varieties like Caprese, Chicken Scampi, and Chicken Marsala.
It opened about three years ago but never got much foot traffic due to its slightly off-the-beaten-track location. Last December they brought in new ownership and were forced to change their name to avoid being confused with La Villa Pizza around the corner, and some complained that quality slipped at around this time. But in a pizza market as crowded as Park Slope, sometimes even the good ones don't make the cut.
Closed for Business in Food, Scoops, Storefronts
Reader Comments (13)
Should be an sign to the folks over at Pete's to abandon ship on the pizza and move to something else. The area is saturated with terrific pizza....South Brooklyn in the middle, Franny's in the north and Giuseppina's in the south.
The pizza was awful. Actually, it was fucking awful.
See all the hype about Talde? Just like there was about Thistle Hill Tavern?
Go study them to see how to open a successful and lucrative Park Slope restaurant. Aunt Suzie should not be your role model, Dale Talde should be. This is 2012, not 1975.
Yeah, I wasn't a fan of their pizza, so I won't miss them. But I personally am really really hoping that Pete's reopens as promised. They have these amazing meatball sliders. So, so good. I do think South Brooklyn Pizza is the best in the neighborhood, though. Peppino's is good too.
Pete's should just open a Meatball Shop there then. More pizza (even if they have good balls) won't do well with a million other better pizza places in the area.
The plain pie wasn't very good, but they were a reliable Italian food delivery option. I never liked the name change, though that might be the beginning of the end.
The space has been grabbed up by Stone Park next door. They're turning it into a banquet space for events and such. They've always had to turn away requests for private parties on weekends due to their super popular brunch and limited space. So, now they'll be able to accommodate. Good for them!
I wondered why they weren't answering their phone last week! I liked their pizzas. Affordable, basic, good family pizza for a quick weeknight. Nothing special per se, but we need a place like that.
Good for Stone Park! Love that place.
What does this have to do with Stone Park?
...a couple comments up. They snatched up the space for a private room/banquet space.
Very cool for Stone Park...!
Some of the best pizza in the Slope. Very sad to see it go.