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Iconic Brooklyn pizzeria Di Fara is launching a frozen pizza line for retailers
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Jan 16, 2025
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Courtesy Di Fara Pizza
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Jan 16, 2025
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For decades, legendary pizza-maker Domenico “Dom” DeMarco personally made every pie at Brooklyn's iconic Di Fara Pizza.
But after he died at 85 in 2022, his widow, five sons and two daughters carried on his legacy by maintaining Di Fara's 60-year-old original location in Midwood (on a street that now bears his name), opening other brick-and-mortar shops, and launching their latest venture: a frozen pizza line.
“Try his family recipe for yourself from the comfort of home,” reads the back of the box, which includes a brief bio chronicling DeMarco’s journey from Italy to Brooklyn and his accession to pizza royalty.
Margaret Mieles is one of Di Fara founder Domenico De Marco's seven children, all of whom currently co-run the business.
Courtesy Di Fara Pizza
Di Fara’s officially announced the pizza line’s launch at tristate area ShopRites this November. The subsequent feedback has been “tremendous,” said Margaret Mieles, DeMarco’s middle daughter.
“I was like, 'wow, this is the best frozen pizza,'” she said, before quickly adding, “Not that I eat frozen pizza.”
Mieles said the ingredients in the frozen pies are the same as the ones made in the pizzerias, and that she and her siblings know the recipes well.
“My dad was making every pizza for many, many years, but we were also in the background,” she said. “We grew up alongside him.”
The supermarket pies, which are currently available in classic-style or with pepperoni, retail for around $10 to $12, although prices can vary by location.
While the response so far has been mostly positive, the pizza is not without its critics – including fans who resent the expansion of what was once a single-location neighborhood pizza shop.
“There's always going to be a handful of people that will say something negative, like ‘it's kind of watering down the brand and the legacy,’” said Mieles. But even DeMarco understood that expansion was necessary: he opened a Williamsburg location and began shipping pies nationwide during his lifetime.
And the way Mieles sees it, expanding access to her late father’s pies is a way to introduce many more folks to his legacy.
“There were people that will never get to meet my dad in person. So they'll get to meet him through this new project,” Mieles said.
Tagged
pizza
brooklyn
Hannah Frishberg
Hannah Frishberg covers New York City arts and culture. Got a tip? Email Hannah at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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