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Artichoke Basille's Pizza
328 East 14th Street
1-212-228-2004
www.artichokepizza.com

Drawing late-night lines down the block, this little East Village pizza place draws the crowds, especially those craving a bite after a night on the town.

"At 1, 2, 3, 4 [o'clock] in the morning, you've got lines going halfway down the street. There's no place, maybe Abercrombie [and Fitch], you're going to see lines like this," says one diner.

"This is the best pizza I've literally ever had," says another.

"It satisfies those late-night munchies," says a third.

Serving up slices in a tiny, 400-square-foot shop since 2008, Zagat surveyors say the "unique" signature pie, "slathered in artichoke dip" at Artichoke Pizza, is "ecstacy."

While the creamy artichoke pie is the main attraction, the pizzeria also bakes up margherita, Sicilian and crab.

"No toppings. This is what we got, and that's it," says chef-owner Sal Basile. "We make it really easy and simple, everything comes out fresh. We use top-shelf ingredients."

Basile and his fellow co-owner Francis Garcia are also cousins and best friends. They are no strangers to the restaurant business, as they grew up working in their family's restaurant on Staten Island.

With business booming in the East Village, the two just expanded their Artichoke Empire to locations in Chelsea and Greenwich Village.

While the Village spots are grab-and-go, eat-on-the-street kind of joints, the Chelsea locale includes a full, sit-down space and expanded menu. It doesn't stop there, as the pair have their sights set on other cities, other states and even dream of going global.

Diners have many ideas why Artichoke is so successful.

"The cream!" says a customer. "I don't like artichokes. I hate artichokes, I hate vegetables, but I will still come here and have artichoke pizza," says a customer.

"The cheese is really what makes it," says another. "I would have three of them. It'd be worth it, a day's worth of calories."

"Actually I wouldn't recommend it. I'd say stay out of the lines, so that they'll be shorter for me," says a third customer.

In the end, the owners are not sharing their secrets.

"Everybody wants to know. You'll never know, we can't tell anyone," says Basile.

As for the Zagat Ratings, Artichoke Pizza gets 23 out of 30 for food, 6 for decor and 13 for service. A meal costs around $10.