Hailed as the pizza capital of the world — it’s almost sacrilegious not to indulge in a classic NY pie when visiting New York City. If you’re unfamiliar with NY-style pizza, the slices are large and wide, with a foldable thin crust. Traditionally, it’s topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, with any extra toppings placed on top of the cheese. With so many different choices in the Big Apple, what is the best pizza in NYC? We’ve got you covered by finding the consensus top seven pizzerias across expert rankings.
New York pizzerias are known for their generous toppings and for serving pizza by the slice, making it easy to grab a quick, delicious meal on the go. Many of the best pizzas are found in local neighborhoods where recipes have been perfected over generations. We mentioned the foldability of a slice, which makes it easy to eat and enhances the flavor and textures so that you can savor the flavors with every bite.
We have such a love affair with pizza that a recent survey found a majority of adults claim they can point out the best places a get a slice in the town they live in. A personal trainer from Northern Ireland even set out to prove it was possible to lose weight with a pizza-only diet. During his 30-day challenge, he ate pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and still managed to lose over seven pounds. That’s my kind of diet!
Which pizza topping is your favorite? The most popular remains pepperoni, but mushrooms, sausage, and green peppers are also high on the list. Then, there’s a whole debate over whether or not you should dip your slice into ranch dressing. A Dallas pizza chain thought this was such an abomination that it threatened to charge $1000 if a customer asked for a side of ranch dressing! What do you think?
Ready for the list of the best pizza in NYC that locals love and visitors line up for? Scroll down — your taste buds will thank you!
7 Places You Can Find the Best Pizza In NYC, According to Foodies
➡️ How Our “Best Of The Best” Lists Are Created
StudyFinds’ “Best of the Best” articles are put together with the idea of taking the work out of common consumer research. Ever find yourself searching for a product or service on Google and reading multiple reviews to find items listed across many of them? Our Best of the Best lists are created with that process in mind, with each item ranked by how frequently it appears on expert reviews or lists. With Best of the Best, you are getting consensus picks — making them truly the best of the best!
1. L’industrie Pizzeria
Considered one of the best places in the NYC area to get a slice by foodies, this popular Brooklyn spot now has a Manhattan location in the West Village. According to Secret NY, this restaurant is certainly no secret to locals and tourists, especially since they receive fresh ingredients from Italy every day!
The restaurant’s burrata slice is Instagram-famous, but NYC Tourism says you can’t go wrong by sticking with the plain slice, calling it “absolute perfection.” If you do want a topping, the website adds the fig jam and bacon slice is “amazing.”
The original Brooklyn location has a more diverse menu than the newer West Village pizzeria, but you really can’t go wrong at either spot. According to World of Mouth, these folks are masters in crafting paper-thin crusts. Oh and stay for dessert! Their gelato and diverse array of other classic Italian desserts is top-notch too!
2. L&B Spumoni Gardens
You know the ovens are well seasoned at this Brooklyn pizzeria that’s been serving Sicilian square-sliced pizza since 1938. According to the Food Network, this may not be a “thin crust classic” but it’s just as good and once you try a square pie, you may never go back!
What’s the difference? The cheese is baked into the crust, the sauce is on top and it’s a deep dish! Like your slice extra crispy? NYC Tourism encourages you to ask for a corner or edge slice. If you prefer a more lasagna-like piece, go for the center slice, but don’t wear a white shirt!
The lines can be long to get into this pizzeria but the wait is worth it. The Infatuation says going here is “a rite of passage” and if you haven’t been there “you really can’t call yourself a New Yorker.”
3. John’s of Bleecker
No individual slices at this family-owned pizza joint, you’ll have to order a full pie, but that’s okay. Food Network says, “Its thin, springy crust is topped by a layer of tangy sauce and a good serving of mozzarella.”
John’s doesn’t take reservations, but don’t be intimated by the line, it moves quickly and you won’t be disappointed. According to Secret NYC, it’s the coal-fired brick oven that gives the pizza its tremendous flavor.
A large pie will feed two hungry people and you’ll want to dive right in when comes out of the oven, but wait for it to cool off a bit, or you’ll end up with pizza burn on the roof of your mouth. New York Simply says since the pizza is cooked for only a short time at very high temperatures, the crust is charred on the outside, but chewy inside.
4. Famous Joe’s Pizza
This pizzeria is as authentic as it gets! The original owner, from Italy, is 75 years young and still runs things. “It’s been named the ‘best authentic slice’ in NYC by multiple media outlets (GQ, New York Magazine, LIVE! with Regis and Kelly and more!),” according to Secret NYC.
With many locations throughout NYC, you’re bound to be near one when you’re craving a good slice. NYC Tourism explains this crust is “flexible enough to fold without cracking and making a mess.”
New York Simply believes these pies have the “perfect ratio of sauce to toppings.” Craving a slice at 3 a.m.? No problem! Joe’s is open to until four in the morning, but be sure to have some Benjamins, as this is a cash-only restaurant.
5. Patsy’s Pizzeria
It’s still a mystery who invented the New York slice, but Secret NYC says this pizzeria is often credited with the creation. The restaurant, which opened in 1933 has 12 locations throughout the NYC area and is run by the fourth generation of family members.
The slices are so good, even the BBC says there’s “something about trekking to Patsy’s shoebox of a takeout shop in East Harlem and eating a lightly sauced, cheese-scattered equilateral-triangle slice.” If you’re a real pizza aficionado, you’ll appreciate the first generation coal-fired oven, which NYC Tourism says creates a “lighter, airier, and thinner crust” than a typical gas oven.
6. Di Fara Pizza
This old-school joint that opened in Brooklyn in 1965, hasn’t been around as long as some of the others, but according to Secret NYC it was one of the late Anthony Bourdain’s favorites. The Infatuation says the crunchy crust is “notably salty” and offers a “satisfying crackle” when folded.
Until he passed away in 2022, the original owner, Dom DeMarco was rolling out dough behind the counter. Food Network says the dining room has a “church dining hall” feel with its Formica tables, but you won’t have to fork over ten percent of your salary to eat here. A slice only costs about six bucks.
7. Lucali
A-Listers Jay-Z and Beyonce are known to frequent this Brooklyn pizza joint, where people start lining up at 4 p.m. to get in the door of the first come, first serve pizzeria that’s consistently rated as the top in the Big Apple.
The Infatuation says the pizza makers use empty wine bottles to roll out the dough to perfection on a marble countertop. That leaves us to wonder if they use the empty bottles brought in by customers to the BYOB restaurant?
Secret NYC loves to see the chef/owner Mark Iacono slinging pies along with his staff. Unlike other pizzerias, Food Network says this pizzeria could be the backdrop for a marriage proposal, thanks to its romantic, dimly lit atmosphere. Who knows, you may be able to get an A-lister to help you out with that proposal.
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Sources:
- Michelin
- Secret NYC
- The Infatuation
- Food Network
- BBC
- NYC Tourism
- Cozy Meal
- World of Mouth
- Fodors
- New York Simply
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This article may contain affiliate links in which we receive a commission if you make a purchase.
No Artichoke Basile? Hinky list
No John’s, no real list
Nothing on staten island. Unreal
Stromboli’s at St. Marks and 1st Avenue. I’ve sworn by it for over 40 years. It’s truly one of the best for poor people like us.
Brick Oven on 3rd.
Will change your taste bud life.
Village Pizza on Eighth Avenue between W. 13 St and West 14th Street. Has been there since 1991. A Greenwich Village standard. Anyone who is anyone goes there, from those who get off the subway from work, to residents, to celebrities
There’s a little place on Amsterdam and 11O th called V&T Restaurant/Pizzeria, but tell anyone!!