Who Remembers Richie's Pizza?

I know that there are at least two people in the blogosphere besides myself that remember Richies Pizza in Jerusalem, Jameel and Trep.

But I am curious. Who else remembers this place? Surely there are others.

Anyone?

How about Lalos or Champs?

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

You mean there are people who don't remember Richie's? [shock]. I was still a kid, visiting Israel, during its heyday, and my family was always reluctant to let me near the place for fear of the soldiers hanging out there, looking to pick up an unwary Anglo girl. (I looked significantly older than my chronological age.)

Air Time said...

I went there once as a kid on a family trip, but when I came for my year it was gone.

Anonymous said...

I remember. I was THE Anglo hangout.

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

I remember Lalos, even though I never stepped foot in there.

Instead, I would go to "The Tea House" (Beit HaTay) on Yoel Moshe Solomon St...and listen to Pink Floyd.

Richie's would be later taken over by Apple pizza, which remains the reigning pizza place to this day in downtown Jerusalem.

Anonymous said...

Richie's was the only pizza place in Yerushalayim at the time.

He himself was a strange character. He lived in the Rova. What ever happened to him?

Anonymous said...

Not me.

But I remember Jerusalem Pizza in Manhattan.

Anonymous said...

WOW - you brought back some memories for me! Summer of '86, my first true love, dancing at Lalo's and the bulletin board at
Richie's.

Jack Steiner said...

Moze,

Apparently there are a few.

AT,

At least you made it.

Cosmic X,

Cool.

Jameel,

C'mon admit it, you were the guy dancing on the table. I saw the t-shirt at Mr. T's.

I used to hit the Tea House.

Anon,

Good question.

Miriam,

Never made it there.

AMM,

I was gone then, but I knew a lot of people who were there.

PsychoToddler said...

How you get so big eating food of this kind?

Remember it I do.

yaak said...

Ahh, Richie's! You could smell it from Rehov Yaffo!

JJ said...

It was gone by my first trip here, I think, but I remember hearing about it from all my friends who spent a year in Israel. I could tell it was THE place to be!

Jack Steiner said...

PT,

I guess that means that old you are.

Yaak,

True.

RR,

It was one of them.

Anonymous said...

Never heard of Richie's. My favorite place was Abu Shanab's, just inside the Jaffa Gate, but I don't know if it's still there, this was 10 years ago... you gotta love a restaurant named after facial hair.

Jack Steiner said...

Tzipporah,

Richies was great.

Anonymous said...

I remember Richie's Pizza. I'm Richie! Still living in the Rova. Opened July '73, closed Nov. '90, right before Gulf War 1.I burnt out, but it was a great run, and I enjoyed it emensely. Still getting stopped in the street by old customers, still run into old workers in the weirdest places. "Long Stange Trip It's Been.
Richie

Jack Steiner said...

Hi Richie,

So glad that you came by. Your place holds so many good memories for me. Thanks for that.

Anonymous said...

Any chance there are still some Richie's Pizza t-shirts around anywhere? I would love to get one. My wife claimed mine for her own when we first met, and it got so worn out we had to toss it. It would be fun to give her another.

Jack Steiner said...

Can't answer regarding the T-shirts. My own has long since disappeared.

Anonymous said...

Anyone remember the "Chocolate Soup" in Jerusalem, also a hangout for anglos in the 70's.

Jack Steiner said...

I remember Chocolate Soup. Didn't get there until '85, but I was there.

Yehuda Berlinger said...

I remember Richie's fondly. The pizza was quite peppery, and the bulletin boards were covered with notes. Good place.

Jacob Richman said...

I remember the bulletin board and I remember a guy that used to hang out and preach about aliyah outside the pizza store.

Esser Agaroth said...

B"H

Been here 11 years,...no clue what you're talking about. Where were these places?

The least worst pizza in J-M is still Big Apple IMHO. Although that secret place in Meah Shaarim I can't reveal to you is pretty good, especially since it's so cheap.

Now it's your turn...

LA: Do you remember Kol Dodi for chilli fries?

B and H bakery? Kotler's supermarket on Fairfax?

What about that Yemenite place on Pico no one ever remembers the name of?

Eilat market where you can get thin lafah which substitutes for tortillas well?

OK. Then how about No'ah's bagels for poppy seed covered hallah?

What about telling a friend going to San Diego to make sure to pick you up some Lang's garlic bagels {that he has to smell in is car for a week}?

OK. I'd better stop. I'm actually starting to miss So. Cal.

;-{

Leah Goodman said...

I remember it from my childhood. My brother and sister made aliya in the mid eighties, and when I'd visit them, the ONLY pizza was Richie's. Man, I remember that place... it was a landmark of my childhood. I cried when I heard it closed.

rickismom said...

Ritchie's? But of course!

Jack Steiner said...

the bulletin boards were covered with notes.

Yehuda,

That bulletin board was how I used to stay in touch with my friends. Too hard to try and catch them by phone and who wanted to carry a million asimonim anyway.

Jacob,

I remember that guy, but I can't think of his name.

LA: Do you remember Kol Dodi for chilli fries?

B and H bakery? Kotler's supermarket on Fairfax?

What about that Yemenite place on Pico no one ever remembers the name of?

Eilat market where you can get thin lafah which substitutes for tortillas well?

OK. Then how about No'ah's bagels for poppy seed covered hallah?

What about telling a friend going to San Diego to make sure to pick you up some Lang's garlic bagels {that he has to smell in is car for a week}?


Ok, I remember Kol Dodi but I don't think I ever ate there.

Kotlers is an affirmative and so is B&H.

The Yemenite place was The Magic Carpet- corner of Pico and La Cienega. It is gone now.

Eilat is a yes- you know there are places outside of Pico Robertson to get these items too.

Noah's was ok, not my favorite, but not terrible.

As for San Diego, I remember all the attractions. I am a native Angeleno.

Trilcat- Sometimes in addition to Ritchies we'd hit Pizza Rimini, just for a bit of variety.

Rickismom,

Good to see you're on the right side of the fence.

Esser Agaroth said...

Native? For some reason I thought you were born "outside," like in Ohio or something.

Yes, even back then, I could find "those things" in secret locations.

Magic carpet is closed? :-}

I took a date there. It went well, but obviously not well enough.

If you ever get back down to visit San Diego,...Lang's Bagels...College and El Cajon {or University?}. They mix their own spreads and smoked whitefish salad.

Jameel, I heard that missionaries hang out at the Tea House now.

Anonymous said...

I remember Richie's, my sister & her friend have a picture of the two of them with the infamous owner in 1988. I also remember Lalos & Champs & The Underground, but not as vividly. There was also a Tea Room around the corner from the bottom of Ben Yehuda.
I remember as a child going to sit on the stool in Richie's Pizza, and it was hard times to find a place to sit.

Jason H. Elbaum said...

Go Richie's! We still miss you...

Yaacov said...

Richie's Pizza and ice cream from the "dairy bar" across the street Yummm. And I can still (36 years later)smell the "Dairy Bar"'s sufganiyot. What was the actual name of that place?

Now if only I could find the recipe to Chocolate Soup!

Amy W. said...

I remember the Chocolate Soup! I didn't care much for the chocolate soup itself, but I loved other food there, I don't remember what. (Crepes?) They always seemed to have Simon and Garfunkle playing.

I remember Richie's Pizza also.

Anonymous said...

I remember Richie's from the '70s. Was there 74-75 when the refrigerator exploded across from the post office. Great falafel place next door. And who remembers Yusse and his donuts?

Anonymous said...


Remembering Lalo's and Richies Pizza with fantastic memories (circa 83-85)
Was part of AZYF LGI Tour from Metwro West NJ. While in J'lem, we stayed at a place called Kiryat Moriah. Was sort of a huge hostel up in the hills.

Met many soldiers from Golani at Lalo's, and also @ Pini's next door. Lost of good cheer, with liters of Goldstar beer and loud renditions of 'Golani Sheli'. Typically, we'd then hit the Underground next door, and get into some Echo and the Bunnymen, or 'You spin me right 'round, Baby, right 'round, like a record, Baby, right 'round.' whooo!

Thanks so much for sparking magical memories, and best to you all.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Negev I

Rabbi Yehudah Lowy said...

Hey Richie... I was in Jerusalem at Hebrew U. For 4 year program. Those were the days.

Rabbi Yehudah Lowy said...

I remember that doughnut place. What was it called?

Gadi said...

Used to work there

Gadi said...

Used to work there

Joshua said...

I also remember staying in a youth hostel right above Richie’s. Joshua

Anonymous said...

Used to be some Black guy who worked there back in the mid 70's. Some people
said he was Yemeni, but he sure had a New York attitude.

Once, the guy from "The Barn" pizza place came in groveling for a block of
mozzarella and got a load of NY attitude from the guy, but did walk out
with his cheese.

I think the donut place was run by the son of a Denver Rabbi.

Unknown said...

It was ON Rechov Yaffo, of course you could smeii it from there!

Unknown said...

Hi I worked at richies starting back in 1975.Im danny farber and richie you rock.Great memories.wow the crowds on saturday night.making pizzas to rock music spinning that dough up in the air.Rock on wishing every one the best in these crazy days of coved.

Brian said...

Richie's was legendary. It appeared in novels published worlds round it was so famous.
my brother Michael was the manager there in the early 80's after he stopped managing the King George Youth Hostel one block south. Big Dave manned the front counter during the day.I worked at Heppner's Deli on Luntz st. We had a fair amount of crossover of customers and employees notably Rochelle Safir and Ruth Kasow. Burger Ranch opened across the street just after Rimon restaurant transitioned from a meat place to a dairy cafe. Rimon later bought out Heppner's and expanded. Libby and the Flash, The Tea Room, Chocolate Soup, Champs, Charlie's Pub, JBR Club. A fun time to be young in Jerusalem. Thank you Richie

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