The NYC Pizzeria Donald Trump Once Ate At With Sarah Palin

Before he was the face of the Republican Party nationwide, President Donald Trump was once merely a rich and famous New York businessman with a vague interest in politics. In this era, one notable foray Trump took into politics was a friendship with former Alaskan governor, Sarah Palin, whom he notoriously met for a meeting over pizza back in 2011. While the pair were notably criticized at the time for eating their pizza with knives and forks — and Trump displayed his refusal to eat pizza crust — an often-forgotten part of their meeting was where they dined; the two met inside a Famous Famiglia's Pizza location on 50th and Broadway, a Times Square pizza spot that was known to attract tourists.

Palin and Trump dined on New York-style cheese and pepperoni pizzas when they paid Famous Famiglia's Pizza a visit that summer night, and were also seen with family members — including the eventual first lady, Melania Trump — at the table. While neither of the high-profile diners had anything bad to say about their meal, the meeting has gone down in history as what not to do when getting a slice in New York City, among many who witnessed the pair's strange etiquette online.

Beyond just committing the social crime of eating pizza with a fork and knife, Sarah Palin and Donald Trump were also lambasted for their choice of eatery. While Famous Famiglia's Pizza has been a fairly popular restaurant in the years since it first opened in 1986, it's not exactly considered a must-try establishment. Unlike iconic spots like Di Fara's in Brooklyn or Lombardi's in Little Italy (two favorite pizzerias of the late, great Anthony Bourdain), Famous Famiglia's rendition of New York-style pizza is better recognized as a fast food equivalent of the beloved dish rather than a New York City staple. This identity is further enforced due to the restaurant being a full-blown chain rather than a standalone shop, with locations all over Manhattan and even north of the city in White Plains.

This reputation is even believed to be the reason why Trump chose to bring Palin to the restaurant. One Trump staffer at the time allegedly said the restaurant's status as just "one step above McDonald's" was pivotal in Trump's choice (via Eater). Given Trump's well-documented love for McDonald's, this being a desirable quality for the eventual president should come as no surprise.

Nevertheless, while Famous Famiglia's isn't considered the best of the best when it comes to New York pizza, it's still a more than capable chain to satisfy your pizza cravings when you're in the city. However, if you were hoping to visit this exact location to eat where the two noteworthy politicians once did, you're out of luck; the Famous Famiglia's Pizza on 50th and Broadway has closed down in the years since the infamous 2011 dinner.