Since I’m allergic to the protein in cow’s milk, I either avoid dairy or go ahead and indulge and suffer the consequences. Once in awhile, I crave a slice of pizza but don’t want to tempt the fates by consuming cow’s milk mozzarella. Even buffalo milk-based cheese doesn’t work for me.

During these times, there’s nothing else to do but go for pizza with soy cheese. Now there’s no denying that soy pizza is a very poor substitute for the real thing; in fact, to call it pizza is insulting to the pie. But at Freddie and Pepper’s, admittedly, a cramped basement dive on Amsterdam across from the Jewish Community Center, I can almost have my pizza and eat it too.

Baked on a whole wheat crust and dotted with chunks of broccoli and red peppers, this slice has a nice crunch, and the veggies help mask the rubbery consistency of the soy “cheese.” Clearly, the shop is catering to the health conscious, who are abundant on the Upper West Side. But at least for me, this ersatz dish satisfies my craving—at a dietary price I can tolerate.

Freddie and Pepper’s
303 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY
212 799 2378

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