Ama La Vita: Great Kosher Pizza in Chelsea’s Kosher Food Desert

Chelsea has plenty of places to eat, but for kosher diners, the choices thin out considerably. In what can feel like a kosher food desert, Ama La Vita is a welcome find: a small Italian-inspired kosher dairy café with really good pizza, great coffee, and prices that give you another reason to come back.

Located at 121 West 19th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, Ama La Vita is right by the Chabad Center for Jewish Discovery, which shares the same street address. For those who remember grabbing sushi here, the café took over the former Sushi Tokyo space, bringing a different kind of kosher dining to this pocket of Chelsea.

The pizza is the main draw for us. On our visit, we ordered a half New York–style, half Margherita pizza for $16.90. The New York half is the standard cheese-pizza option, while the split lets you try both styles without committing to two separate pies. The pie had a beautifully blistered crust with charred edges. The New York half featured an even blanket of golden, bubbling cheese, while the Margherita paired visible pools of mozzarella with a generous layer of red tomato sauce. It was really good, and at that price, particularly for kosher food in Manhattan, we thought it was a very reasonable deal.

There is room to branch out on a return visit, too. The restaurant’s menu offers black truffle pizzas, and olive and pesto options. There are also sandwiches, salads, and pasta, including mozzarella sandwiches, grilled cheese, Caprese salad, and pasta with marinara, pesto, pink sauce, or truffle cream. Coffee is another strong point, and the pastry selection includes biscotti and several varieties of cake.

Anyone who has read our guide to the best kosher pizza knows we have opinions on the subject. Ama La Vita deserves a place on your radar, especially if your kosher pizza outings usually revolve around Brooklyn or other parts of Manhattan. The location makes it useful; the pizza makes it worth returning to.

One practical caveat: the place is small, popular, and can get mobbed. This is worth keeping in mind if you are arriving with a group or hoping to settle straight into a table. Give yourself some flexibility, or consider takeout when the room is packed. They also offer online ordering for pickup and delivery through their website.

Of added convenience, there is a Trader Joe’s two blocks away on the corner of 21st Street and 6th Avenue, and it has a bunch of kosher items.

Ama La Vita: 121 West 19th Street, New York, NY 10011
Website and ordering: amalavitany.com