Profile

While Tomato & Basil’s location would seem to work against it—busy Fourth Avenue rushes past, and the closest subways are poky and infrequent—this pizza spot consistently manages to draw diners from Park Slope and Gowanus. The allure is in solid, unchallenging Italian-American grub, as unpretentious as the décor, where bare brick walls are covered with garage-sale tchochkes and faux antique posters. Institutional plastic lights and cold metal chairs and tables don’t add much warmth, but Tomato & Basil has spirit, via the chatty manager, Alberto, and the kitchen’s experiments with new topping combinations. While the thin-crust pizzas don’t compare with gold-standard Grimaldi’s, the house specialty, Grandma pizza, is chewy and excellent: Its focaccia-like crust is rectangular and half-risen, like an underbaked Sicilian pizza, and generously topped with fresh basil, chunks of tomato (not processed sauce), and ample garlic. The Americanized pasta and dinner menus are extensive, and while the Philly cheesesteak hero can’t claim authenticity—it uses mozzarella, not Cheez Whiz—it’s still gooey and filling. Tomato & Basil may not deserve a special trip, but the locals all agree: It’s a perfectly fine neighborhood joint. — Timothy Cooper

Grandma pizza, $18; cheesesteak with onions, $6.50