The most conservative estimates put the number of NYC pizza spots at 1,600. Since Lombardi’s opened in 1905, hundreds, if not thousands, of dollar New York slice joints, Neapolitan pizzerias and places providing regional delights have come and gone. The last decade or two has seen pizzaiolos from Milan to Naples set up shop in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, giving us a taste of what you can enjoy across the Atlantic without the airfare and hotel. Nowadays, you can get a dollar slice in a dingy Times Square spot or splurge on a $65 truffle pie in the West Village. New Yorkers are spoiled for choice, and these are our picks for the best pizza in NYC right now.
Old-School New York
Denino’s Pizzeria & Tavern
This recently remodeled Staten Island institution also has a location in the super-competitive West Village. The term “tavern-style” refers more to the original location’s setting than the pizza itself. The bottom is dry with bread crumbs. Lift one of the firm crust slices, and you’ll get little, if any, folding.This is the second-oldest NYC pizza spot still operating in the forgotten borough. The cheese and M.O.R. pies are the most popular, with the latter being an abbreviation for meatball, onions and ricotta. The Margherita was added a little more than a decade ago, while the clam pie was added after years as a popular Lent request.– BC
524 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island
Di Fara Pizza
Di Fara is located under the Q train on an otherwise quiet street corner in a residential section of Brooklyn that most tourists have never heard of. This unassuming corner spot is one of New York’s main destination pizza spots. Before it even opens, locals and tourists alike get in line to get the first slices out of the oven. While the round slices are the most popular, do try the squares as well. The crust is crunchier, and there will be more of the slightly tangy sauce with hints of salt. There’s a relatively new location on South Street in the Seaport District. – BC
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
Old Fulton Street is to pizza what Mulberry Street and Arthur Avenue are to all other Italian food. There are a half-dozen pizza spots within the 16-acre area historic district known as Fulton Ferry. And Grimaldi’s is arguably the most famous. The line forms well before they open every day at 11:30. Inside, the red and white gingham tablecloths match the tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella atop the traditional pie, which you’ll see on most other tables.If you want to skip the line AND get some local history, check out A Slice of Brooklyn’s pizza tour. – BC
Patsy’s Pizzeria
The walls at Patsy’s are lined with pictures of famous guests who have dined there since they opened in 1933. They include a who’s who of athletes, entertainers and politicians, but the Frank Sinatra portrait stands out the most. It is, after all, more than double the size of the rest. The restaurant itself is a cash-only, no-frills dining experience. It’s not difficult to imagine Frank Sinatra or Mayor LaGuardia dining there before credit cards even existed. Slices are sold to go next door, but the dining area only serves whole pies. The crust, however, is thin enough that you’ll be able to eat a whole pie yourself. – BC
John’s of BleeckerStreet
As one of the oldest pizzerias in NYC, John’s of Bleecker Street is a must-try on any pizza enthusiast’s list. The shop opened in 1929 by John Sasso, who had cut his teeth at Lombardi’s. Don’t expect to walk in and grab a slice because John’s only sells by the full pie (which you’ll want to eat anyway after one bite). Try The Sasso, a thin, coal-fired pie topped with mozzarella, tomato sauce, Parmigiano, oregano and black pepper. – AG
L&B Spumoni Gardens
L&B Spumoni Gardens has been serving hungry Brooklynites since 1939, and they serve an extensive Italian American menu with everything from fried calamari to veal piccata. But you’re here for the pizza, which is available in their famous Sicilian pie or the lesser-known but just as good round version. Go with the classic, topped simply with cheese and tomato — you won’t be disappointed. – AG
Sam’s Restaurant
This family-owned red sauce joint has been a Cobble Hill institution since 1930, and while their escarole pizza is a favorite, the old-school ambience offers equal appeal. Everything about Sam’s — from the red vinyl booths to the decor and owner/waiter Louis Migliaccio’s gruff-yet-warm demeanor — feels like a blast from the past. Perhaps that’s why this iconic Brooklyn spot has been featured in 59 different movies and TV shows. But be sure to check beforehand whether or not the place is actually open. Because he basically runs the restaurant by himself, Migliaccio has a tendency to shut it down whenever he can’t be there. (Currently, Sam’s is “closed for vacation” until Sept. 24.) But the food is worth the wait. — Bonnie Stiernberg
Whether your budget is $10 or $200, you’ll find something to eat that will leave you wanting to explore more
Nouveau New York
Fornino
At Fornino, pies are divided into three generations, with the most options in the third. The first generation of wood-fired pies are traditional Neapolitan style, while the second generation ventures out to other parts of Italy. Finally, the third includes creations by head pizzaiolo Michael Ayoub, like the Al Roker and black truffle-topped Tartuffo. Fornino also has vegan cheese and can prepare any individual pie gluten-free. The full-service restaurant is in Greenpoint, but there’s also a rooftop location at Time Out Market and a seasonal one at Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park. – BC
Ops
I know it’s a big statement, but Ops might have the best dough on this entire list. They use a sourdough starter to naturally leaven all of their pies, as well as their loaves of bread and incredible focaccia, with toppings that change daily. They always have a pizza and calzone special, but pies like the Cicero (made with “many onions,” sharp provolone, preserves tomatoes and oregano) are always a good choice. Ops also takes their wine program seriously without being serious at all. There’s no wine list; just simply tell your server what you like, and they’ll bring a couple bottles for you to taste. – AG
Ovest Pizzoteca
Owned by a Neapolitan-born baker and pizzaiolo Michele Iuliano, Ovest is part of the Luzzo’s group. Iuliano, who likes to joke about good pizza being an aphrodisiac, came up with their slogan, “Eat Pizza, Make Love.”The crust is crunchier than the average Neapolitan-style pizzeria. If you’re bored with round pies, they also have square pies, pizza cones and even a frusta, or stuffed pizza. The bufala is their top seller. And all cheese pies are made with imported buffalo mozzarella. – BC
Mama’s Too
Sure, you could walk into any old pizzeria and grab a slice, or you could walk into Mama’s Too and get a really good slice. With locations in both the West Village and Upper Manhattan, you’re never too far from their crunchy, generously topped pies. Try the 19th Avenue, made with fennel sausage, mozzarella and roasted peppers. – AG
Sottocasa
Sottocasa, meaning “under the home” in Italian, is nestled beneath a classic Brooklyn brownstone along Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill. There’s also a Harlem location near the corner of 121st and Malcolm X.Emily’s Matt Hyland found his calling while training under co-founder and head pizzaiolo Luca Arrigoni, who learned from Keste’s Roberto Caporuscio. The dough here is chewy, with the sauce having hints of salt. And while the red pies make up most of the pizza menu, there are a half-dozen whites, with Autunno being the most unique. If you enjoy imported Italian meats atop your red pie, try the Amatriciana or Laura, which is named after Luca’s wife.– BC
Roberta’s
After all these years, Roberta’s is still one of the coolest and most consistently delicious restaurants in NYC. Even with worldwide expansion, the original location hasn’t lost its punk rock edge, perfectly wood-fired pies, elevated kitchen dishes and top-notch yet unpretentious wine list. The ever-popular Bee Sting is always a good idea, made with tomato, mozz, soppressata, basil, chili and honey, but you can’t go wrong with anything they make. – AG
Scarr’s Pizza
There’s almost always a line outside of Scarr’s Pizza, and for good reason — they serve some of the best pies in New York City in an effortlessly cool, always energetic space. Scarr’s uses 100% stone-milled flour for their pizza, which you can enjoy by the slice or entire pie for both take-out and dine-in. You can’t go wrong with a classic like Margherita or a white grandma pie, or try one of their original creations like the Hot Boi, made with beef pepperoni, jalapeños and Mike’s Extra Hot Honey. – AG
Regional Delights
Emily
Emily’s flavorful sauce and chewy crust make it worth the journey to the south end of Clinton Hill. Most of the red and pink (vodka) wood-fired, New Haven-style pies have traditional pizza toppings, while the white pies get more creative with ingredients you won’t find at a typical NYC pizza joint. Examples include Oaxaca cheese and stewed beef, which you can try on the birria. That one even comes with a consome for dipping. Another Mexican-inspired pie is the Al Pastor, which includes the polarizing pineapple atop.
For thick crust, crunchy bottom, Detroit-style square pies, head over to Emily West Village. There, you can try Midwest versions of many of the same pies that are served New Haven style in Brooklyn, including Colony and the white, pistachio-topped namesake Emily.– BC
919 Fulton Street, Brooklyn and 35 Downing St
L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele
The crispy, chewy Neapolitan pie we watched Julia Roberts devour in Eat, Pray, Love is now available in the West Village. Head pizzaiolo and partner Michele Rubini oversees the pizza kitchen. According to the Ischia native, “Everything’s the same except for the water.” For those new to L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, the 16-inch pies may look huge out of the oven, but the crust is super-thin to the point where just about anyone can finish one on an empty stomach. The Margherita may be the undisputed main attraction, but there are six other options you won’t get in Naples, including the burrata-topped Pesto and the rich, decadent truffle pie. – BC
Speedy Romeo
Speedy Romeo serves 12″ hardwood-fired Neapolitan-style pies with a Midwestern twist. The crust is on the crunchier side. The Saint Louie is topped with San Marzano tomato sauce, pepperoni, Italian sausage, pickled chilies, and provel cheese from the city that gave the world (or at least the Lower 48) Imo’s Pizza.For those who haven’t had pizza in Missouri, provel is a mix of cheddar and Swiss with a low melting point. The result is a semi-buttery texture. Every pie (except for the certainly worth-trying Margherita) is named after a film or song. Scarlet Begonia is a marinara topped with chili flakes, while Whole Burrata Love is a messier Margherita.– BC
Una Pizza Napoletana
Una Pizza Napoletana specializes in — you guessed it — Neapolitan-style pizza. Founder Anthony Mangieri opened the first location of his famed pizza shop in 1996, and it’s currently on Orchard Street in Manhattan’s Lower East Side neighborhood. The naturally-leavened, wood-fired pizzas are topped simply, with ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, Pecorino Romano and salted anchovies. Finish things off with a scoop of homemade gelato or sorbetto. – AG
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