Brooklyn’s vegans have long been lamenting a dearth of junk food options in the borough — sure, we have kale-infused sunflower butter milkshakes and cilantro-rubbed seitan spring rolls, but where are the un-chicken fingers? Why no vegan frito pies? What about mock-olate candy bars? Truly, a vegan’s deepest and most simple wish is to enjoy the same privileges of terrible food decision-making as their carnivorous friends.
So if you, like your trusty Brokelyn editors, are vegan and left wanting, then you’ll be as thrilled as we are to hear that the Champs Jr. in Greenpoint (620 Manhattan Avenue), which mysteriously closed last month, is re-opening this Monday as an ALL-VEGAN PIZZA BY THE SLICE JOINT in partnership with Philly-based company Blackbird Pizzeria. The micro-Champs will now be a late night mecca of cruelty-free, hot n’ crusty gooey junk known as Screamer’s Pizzeria. Open daily, 11am-midnight.
Pizza traditionalists and meat mongers, it’s safe to say stay far away; this place is going to infuriate you.🍕
The partner company, Blackbird Pizzeria, is a popular vegan spot for Philly-dwellers who abstain from cheesesteaks. (Yes, they serve vegan cheesesteaks.) FWIW, their linkup with Brooklyn’s Champs Empire isn’t totally out of left field. According to a rep, Champs has been using Blackbird Seitan in its sandwiches for the past few years. So if you’ve tried the Reuben or the Philly Cheesesteak, you know what kind of mock meat you’re in for.
“There’s a pretty noticeable lack of authentic New York style pizza, done vegan and done well, here in NYC,” said Romany Pope, a rep for Champs diner. We can only assume that means Screamer’s will be serving up New York-style pies — large, thin-crusted and sold in wide slices, and most importantly, foldable.
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The full range of flavors and prices at Screamer’s are still TBD, but you can certainly expect vegan Margherita, Hawaiian and Supreme, with DIY slice toppings like almond ricotta, caramelized onion, broccoli rabe, seitan sausage, avocado and kale pesto, with options to go Calzone or Sicilian Style, for roughly $3.50-4/slice.
We’d also say the store’s name is pretty fitting, since us vegans are always screaming about how we can’t get a decent [insert thing meat eaters enjoy] around here. What’s more, it will make for a nice, refreshing addition to the stretch of North Brooklyn that already has not one but two Vinnie’s Pizzerias within a 10-minute walk of one another. One can only eat so many pizza boxes made out of pizza, y’know?
Head over to Screamer’s on Monday, June 13 anytime from 11am-12am for their grand opening celebration. They’ll be serving up $2 slices all day long.
View Comments (3)
Definitely excited because it's nearby, but Vinnies has had AMAZING vegan pizza for quite a while now. I'm sure they have to change things up if their business wasn't doing too well with the previous menu, but I'd say for vegan "comfort food," Foodswings is sorely missed.
Romany is from Australia. Therefore any comments, statements, or opinions about the authenticity of New York style pizza is invalid.
We need a screamers pizza in Lee's Summit, MO