By Cynthia Romero
On the corner of 14th St. and Ninth Ave. are three staples of the Meatpacking District whose owners pride them on being a “one-stop shop.”
A cold beer or two can be had at the Gaslight Lounge and G2 Lounge and the smells of the Gaslight Pizzeria next door will pull you in for a slice or pie.
You might just never leave the area, and that’s something owners Matt de Matt, Davy Curran, Peter Collins and Billy Reddy won’t mind. The marriage of the three businesses is the culmination of what De Matt refers to as a “wonderful 25-year friendship and loyal business partnership.”
“We all bring a level of expertise to our businesses,” he said. “What makes it really work is the fact that we are really just good friends.”
Gaslight has been a favorite neighborhood hangout for more than 13 years. The four men applied the same philosophy to their latest venture, Gaslight Pizzeria.
“We want to give people the most for their dollars,” De Matt said. “We always work with everyone who comes through our doors, and that’s why I think we’ve had such a great reception here.”
De Matt and his partners originally purchased the space having a pizzeria in mind. After working through the kinks of opening another restaurant at a different location, the quartet opened their Meatpacking District pizzeria two years ago, and they have never looked back.
“We make everything fresh here, from the dough to the hand-pulled mozzarella. The ingredients are all fresh,” he said.
From the tin ceilings to the brick walls and the fireplace, it’s easy to see why De Matt thinks the place is a perfect mix of old New York and new New York.
“We wanted everything about this place to resonate with the ’30s and ’40s while still giving a shot to the present,” he said.
The menu, complete with fresh salads, pastas, hand-tossed pizzas and desserts, is all prepared by the pizzeria’s chef, Joseph De Santo, who was carefully scoped out by the owners.
“We chose De Santo because he’s such a stickler for quality,” De Matt said. “Everything he prepares is amazing and he has such pride in what he does. It really comes across in the taste.”
While three’s been a charm for the four owners, De Matt hints that there will be another Gaslight Lounge and Pizzeria in the future.
“We definitely want to have another Gaslight Lounge, somewhere close so that people that want to be in this area can be,” he said. “As for the pizzeria, sure, it’s just a matter of time.”
For now, a launch of another project has De Matt excited.
“We have launched ‘We Love the Gaslight Lounge’ fan page on Facebook, which we’ll use to send out daily specials and invitations to our events including the annual Anniversary Party. It’s going to be a great way to extend our relationship with our loyal customers.”
Gaslight Lounge, G2 and Gaslight Pizzeria are located at the southwest corner of Ninth Ave. and 14th St. For more information, visit www.gaslightnyc.com .
