Cold Spring native and best-selling author (The Secret History of the Pink Carnation series) Lauren Willig is a fan of Papa John’s (no, not the chain) on Route 9 in Garrison. “I have fond memories of playing mini golf out there back in the day, and more recently of them keeping the place open half an hour late for us so we could come and pick up our pizza,” she says.
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Chris Silva, the driving force behind the Bardavon and UPAC, doesn’t have to go far for a good slice. His preferred pizza is TJ’s in Poughkeepsie. “It’s right next door to the theater,” he says. “It’s fresh, there’s lots of variety, and the owners and staff are super friendly.”
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Beacon artist Lee Price portrays women and food in her work — often in a controversial manner — and usually gets her pizza from Four Brothers Trattoria. “I’m vegan and my boyfriend is not,” she says. “We order the Grandma’s pizza, half no cheese. It’s amazing even without the cheese.”
Environmental advocate and author Frances Dunwell is partial to Rino’s in New Paltz. “I can walk there for lunch, and they have excellent salads as well as interesting pizza specials, like ham and pineapple,” she says.
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Soul singer Jermaine Paul bagged first place on TV’s The Voice and won a recording contract with Universal Records. But he can’t forget his Valley roots: He grew up in Monroe and now lives in Harriman. He says his favorite pizza is “definitely Marina’s off Route 17. I used to live right across the street, and they’ve known me since I was a little guy.”
Carole Ash -— former state director of the Nature Conservancy and the first woman ever to head the Palisades Interstate Park Commission — is now president of the Carey Center for Global Good and resides in Rensselaerville. Her favorite pizza joint is the Palmer House on Main Street. She recalls walking in one time when “the chef was slicing bacon that came from his own farm. Everything is fresh and homegrown.”
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Anne Marie Leamy of K104’s morning show (where she’s known simply as Annie) and Cablevision’s The Neighborhood Journal hands-down loves DD’s in Poughkeepsie. “My favorite part is that they remember your name, your family, and what you like,” she says. “The signature line from the boys is ‘nice and fresh,’ and it makes me smile every time.”
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Rising musical star Connor Kennedy frequents Catskill Mountain Pizza Company in Woodstock. “It’s a quick stop and a nice bang for your buck,” says the guitarist. “They’ve managed to achieve the perfect ratio of thin crust and greasy, gooey, cheesy goodness.”
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