Los Amigos Thin Crust Pizza

Jackson Heights, Queens is a neighborhood where you can find Tibetan food tucked behind a cell phone store. Here, you can also find amazing tacos in the back of bodegas and grocery stores on weekends. Fittingly, a unique thin crust pizza joint can be found in the back corner of a nondescript corner store. Thanks to our friends at Eat Your World, this spot was on our radar for a few months. Finally, a few of us went to check it out as part of a pizza crawl on Northern Blvd. This crawl included both traditional and non-traditional pizza styles.

In front of Stop and Carry, a small sign is the only clue that Los Amigos exists inside this convenience store. We walked past the counters hawking cell phone accessories and candy to the back. In this corner, there is one small table with a couple of chairs, a dry erase board and take-out menus. Behind the counter is a small electric Adcraft countertop pizza oven manned by a pizzaiolo who hails from Guerrero, Mexico. His heritage is reflected in several of the pizza offerings, including spicy chipotle chicken and al pastor. These unique choices piqued our interest and we decided to order one along with a more traditional style.

Thanks to the thin crust style, each pizza is cooked in just about six to ten minutes. Shortly after, our chipotle chicken and margherita pies arrived on round metal pizza pans. On the sign outside, it proclaims that Los Amigos has “the crispiest crust in the neighborhood.” This assertion was confirmed true on the first bite of chipotle chicken pizza. In fact, the crust was not only crispy, but sturdy enough to withstand a New York fold on each slice. The texture of this crust was unlike any other we had tasted to this point.

In addition to the tender shredded chicken, the pie came topped with pineapple chunks and cilantro. These added an interesting contrast of sweetness from the pineapple and a fresh clean flavor from the cilantro. Although the smoky chipotle flavor stood out on the pie, there were several other intricate flavors detected. Initially, papalo leaf was one of these flavors, which I recognized from it’s presence in cemitas, the Mexican sandwich from Puebla. However, the pizzaiolo did not confirm the presence of papalo, but stated that he used fennel pollen in the chipotle sauce. Regardless, the pie was a revelation in complexity and is a good example to skeptics that pineapple can be a good topping on pizza.

As for the margherita pie, the fresh mozzarella was well-proportioned. Fresh shredded basil was generously dispersed on top, along with chunks of fresh tomato, a nice addition not usually found on margherita pizza. This pie was well-executed and enjoyable. A follow-up take-out visit yielded a three mushroom pie made with portobello, shiitake and button mushrooms. Not only were the funghi generously applied, but the addition of truffle oil added another layer of earthy flavor to the already delicious pie. As for the consistency, the crust lost a bit of crispiness in transit but remained sturdy and close to the initial visit.

There is something very special about a place like Los Amigos. We are continually impressed by the resourcefulness exhibited by food entrepreneurs in the neighborhood. Many are able to make the most out of limited space. Each time, the results have been delicious and we come away invigorated. Not only is there excitement for the food, but also a reverence for the proprietors. Once again, an example of how interesting the food scene in Queens can be. If you haven’t gone yet, we highly recommend checking it out. Let us know what you think.

Note: Los Amigos Pizza can be found on our Queens food maps in the Jackson Heights map.