admin
Massimo Laveglia, co-owner of L’Industrie Pizzeria, has fundamentally challenged the long-held paradigm of the New York City slice shop, a model he critically views as delivering a suboptimal product. His philosophy, rooted in a dedication to freshness and meticulous preparation, stands in stark contrast to the decades-old practice of serving slices that have languished behind glass for hours. This innovative approach has not only garnered L’Industrie a fervent following, marked by consistent queues stretching down Brooklyn and Manhattan streets, but has also earned it the prestigious title of Pizza Today’s 2026 Pizzeria of the Year.
Challenging the Status Quo: A New Standard for the New York Slice
When Massimo Laveglia, an Italian native, acquired L’Industrie from its French founder in 2017, he embarked on a mission to redefine the quick-serve pizza experience. His vision was clear: to elevate the humble slice from a mere convenience food to a culinary experience characterized by unparalleled freshness and quality. "We don’t have pizza sitting in the rack for more than five, 10 minutes," Laveglia emphasized in a recent interview with Pizza Today, articulating the core tenet of his operational model. He believes this commitment to immediate preparation yields a superior product, explaining, "Here, everything is fresh — and definitely you get better quality doing it this way. There is more detail in the work; there’s more love."
This commitment to freshness is most evident in L’Industrie’s signature offerings. For a Burrata slice, for instance, a plain base is taken from the rack, quickly finished in a dedicated slice oven, and then adorned with fresh burrata, vibrant basil, grated Parmesan, and a drizzle of premium olive oil. This "finish-to-order" methodology ensures that each ingredient, from the creamy cheese to the aromatic herbs, contributes its peak flavor and texture, transforming a simple slice into a bespoke creation. The palpable energy and anticipation among customers waiting in line, often for nearly an hour before the noon opening of the original Williamsburg location, attest to the perceived value of this distinctive approach.
The Genesis of a Partnership: From Soccer Dreams to Pizza Empire
Massimo Laveglia’s journey to becoming a celebrated pizzaiolo in one of the world’s most competitive food cities began not in a kitchen, but on a soccer field. Arriving in the United States with aspirations of a professional soccer career, he initially supported himself by working as a restaurant server. It was through a chance encounter with a wholesale supplier that he learned about a year-old pizzeria in Brooklyn that was available for sale. This serendipitous tip would ultimately redirect his career path.
Shortly after Laveglia took the helm of L’Industrie, he met Nick Baglivo, who would soon become his indispensable business partner. Baglivo, then working at a deli whose owner hailed from Laveglia’s father’s hometown in Italy, was captivated by L’Industrie’s nascent made-to-order slice concept. He frequently stopped by, offering assistance and observing Laveglia’s innovative method. Baglivo recalls the skepticism they faced in the early days: "It wasn’t glamorous in the beginning. … People thought we were crazy." Yet, he saw the inherent logic in their approach, questioning, "But when you think about it, why not take the extra minute to give somebody a fresh slice?" This shared belief in the value of quality and customer experience cemented their partnership. Laveglia eventually recruited Baglivo to officially join the project, forming a formidable duo that has since propelled L’Industrie from a modest Brooklyn outpost into a multi-unit operation consistently ranked among New York’s top pizzerias. Their partnership thrives on a hands-on approach, with Laveglia often addressing operational mechanics and Baglivo, with his chef background, guiding the evolution of L’Industrie’s diverse menu.
Unwavering Dedication and Operational Excellence
The consistent success and expansion of L’Industrie are largely attributable to the unwavering dedication of its co-owners. Eight to nine years into their partnership, Laveglia and Baglivo maintain an almost constant presence in their shops. "There’s not a day… that he and I are not at the shop. We’re always here, we’re always around," Baglivo states, highlighting a commitment that extends even to holidays. "Even the days that we’re closed — like Christmas Day — we’ll come here, we’ll drink coffee. We’ll come to the shop just to check." This relentless oversight is, according to Laveglia, the cornerstone of L’Industrie’s remarkable consistency. To further ensure product quality across all locations, managers are required to send daily photographic documentation of pizzas emerging from the ovens, creating a robust system of accountability and adherence to brand standards.
This meticulous attention to detail extends to the very foundation of their product: the ingredients. L’Industrie has cultivated exclusive relationships with suppliers, resulting in custom-branded flour and olive oil. Laveglia’s pursuit of the perfect dough recipe involved years of experimentation, trialing different flour brands every few months. He ultimately developed a proprietary blend, incorporating semolina, whole wheat (precisely 5% to avoid a "bread taste"), and Type 1 flour, among others. This custom blend is pre-mixed by their flour mill, a strategic move that saves considerable time and labor for staff who are responsible for preparing dough for hundreds of pizzas daily. The result is a dough that Laveglia proudly describes as "balanced, easy to work with. It’s definitely different from any other pizza dough."
Similarly, a trip to Puglia, Italy, led Baglivo and Laveglia to collaborate with an olive oil company on an exclusive label featuring 100% Coratina extra virgin olive oil, which is utilized throughout their pizzerias. These custom ingredients are stored with precision, exemplified by the basement-level cellar at the Brooklyn location, emphasizing the importance placed on quality sourcing and inventory management.
Strategic Expansion in a Crowded Market
New York City’s pizza landscape is notoriously competitive, a reality that deeply informs Laveglia and Baglivo’s methodical approach to expansion. "If you’re in Oklahoma or Iowa, the closest pizzeria is a mile away. Here, pizza is across the street. It’s down the block. There’s five pizzerias within half a mile. You’ve got to be on your game all day," Baglivo explains, underscoring the high stakes of operating in such a dense market. Unlike many ambitious operators who rush to open multiple locations, the L’Industrie owners deliberately waited years before even contemplating a second storefront.
Their first expansion came in 2022, when they felt the original Brooklyn shop had a strong, self-sufficient team. They sought a similar "small vibe" for their second location, eventually settling on the West Village. The opening of this new outpost, however, brought back the demanding hours reminiscent of Laveglia’s early days. "I was there all the time — from 6 a.m. through night," he recounted, detailing the four to five months of intensive work required to establish the new site. Despite the challenges, the West Village location, strategically situated on historic Christopher Street amidst formidable competition like Mama’s TOO! and John’s of Bleecker Street, quickly began drawing its own lines out the door, a testament to L’Industrie’s proven appeal.
Staffing this expansion was carefully managed. Laveglia noted that approximately 80% of the new staff transferred from the Brooklyn location. A rigorous training program ensured that new hires, brought on months in advance, were fully integrated into the L’Industrie system before the West Village opening. The company prioritizes internal growth, encouraging employees from all roles to advance within the company. This internal promotion strategy ensures that even those with prior pizza-making experience must adhere to L’Industrie’s unique, standardized system, maintaining consistency across all operations. To further reinforce this, Laveglia and Baglivo are developing an app to grade employee adherence to their system, fostering healthy competition and ensuring sustained quality across their growing empire.
The most recent and perhaps boldest expansion occurred in March of this year, with the opening of L’Industrie’s third location in New York City’s iconic Little Italy. This neighborhood, boasting an estimated 60 Italian restaurants and pizzerias within a five-block radius, presented their greatest challenge yet. However, Baglivo, a native of Midtown Manhattan, saw strategic advantages: "Little Italy is a central location: It was really close east, far enough west. We hit four to five different neighborhoods off that corner." This location also offers a larger footprint with high ceilings and an expansive dining area, allowing for an open-front design that blurs the lines between the vibrant street life and the pizzeria’s interior. The third opening proved to be a smoother process, with the owners leveraging their accumulated experience. "We just rolled right into it. We didn’t come up for air, we just kind of went for it," Baglivo stated, reflecting on their efficient, continuous expansion.
Beyond Pizza: A Culinary Expansion with Italian Pastry Excellence
While pizza remains its core offering, L’Industrie has significantly diversified its culinary repertoire, particularly in the realm of desserts, under the guidance of acclaimed Italian pastry chef Gabriele Marziali. Hired in late 2025 (as per original article context, implying current employment) from Rome, where he was celebrated as the "king of laminated pastry," Marziali’s mandate is two-fold: to elevate L’Industrie’s dessert program and to standardize operations across all three locations.
Marziali is among the first employees to arrive daily, overseeing the production of breads, pastries, and pizza dough. While L’Industrie uses a proprietary flour blend for pizza, Marziali utilizes a different blend for his fresh-baked pastries. Each location crafts three distinct types of bombolones daily, catering to both walk-in customers and special catering requests for trays of mini bombolones and cookies.
The commitment to fresh ingredients is paramount in the pastry kitchen. Carrots are peeled each morning for two pans of carrot cake, baked on-site and frosted with a rich blend of cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Marziali continuously refines processes and recipes, though some items, like the olive oil cake, remain sacrosanct due to popular demand. "Olive oil cake is something I would never want to change because people love it," he says, but stresses his focus on "mak[ing] sure every day the customer takes away the best cake possible in terms of shelf life, texture and how we have it on the counter."
His expertise truly shines in the creation of Millefoglie, a delicate layered pastry. Marziali’s team meticulously mixes and folds puff pastry dough to create incredibly thin layers, which are then coated with a light, airy Chantilly cream (a blend of whipped cream and custard). The Millefoglie is baked to achieve a shiny, slightly bitter, and salty crust that perfectly contrasts the sweet, ethereal filling.
L’Industrie also offers seasonal soft-serve gelato, featuring two rotating flavors. Marziali prioritizes fresh fruit, often blending and sieving seasonal produce like cantaloupe directly into the gelato base. The second flavor might draw from Italian staples such as pistachio paste, hazelnuts, or even olive oil. From May to October, a countertop machine dispenses refreshing frosé. While they once held a broader wine and beer license, the sheer volume of demand led them to streamline their beverage offerings to a select few, including custom-branded aluminum bottles of water.
Transparency, Community, and the Future
A defining feature of L’Industrie, particularly at its Brooklyn flagship, is the transparent approach to food preparation. Glass panes separate the dough mixer and proofers from the customer area, allowing diners to witness the intricate process of dough cutting and balling for pizzas and breads. "I always had an idea of making dough in front of the people because we don’t want to hide secrets. We don’t have anything to hide," Laveglia states, fostering a connection between the customer and the craft. This open kitchen concept not only entertains but also reinforces the pizzeria’s commitment to quality and authenticity.
Beyond the daily operations, L’Industrie engages its community through unique offerings like its weekly Wednesday sandwich special. Using a sesame seed bun made from the same signature pizza dough, shaped into a baguette, these limited-time sandwiches are a social media phenomenon. Baglivo, self-described as "the belly behind the sandwiches," curates these specials based on seasonal inspiration, weather, and personal cravings. His Instagram videos announcing the week’s creation invariably trigger a flood of orders and comments, with the special lasting only as long as the bread.
The accolades L’Industrie has received, culminating in the 2026 Pizzeria of the Year award, are significant markers of their success. However, for Laveglia and Baglivo, true success is measured by consistent customer satisfaction and continuous improvement. "We’re always making sure we read every review. We take all constructive criticism, and we try to apply it and work at it," Baglivo asserts, emphasizing their deep-seated dedication. "This is not a fly-by-night type thing for us. This is our life. We dedicate ourselves to this every day." This philosophy, combining traditional Italian passion with innovative operational strategies, positions L’Industrie Pizzeria not just as a thriving business but as a transformative force in the competitive world of New York City pizza. Their journey from a cramped, 250-square-foot space in Williamsburg to a multi-unit sensation across the city serves as a compelling case study in how unwavering commitment to quality, transparency, and a customer-centric approach can redefine an iconic culinary tradition.
