Contributor
Tom Semini is a London transplant living in New York for the better part of a decade, and travelling there regularly since the late 90s. He spends most of his weekends daydreaming about, or on the hunt for, pizza. For more of his views on pizza follow him on Instagram at: @londonerinnewyork.
First off, it’s worthwhile giving a quick breakdown of the various types of pizza one can find in NYC. Each type has its distinctive characteristics and can make for a very different culinary experience.
1. Classic NY
Key characteristics are a very thin foldable base with a slight crisp to the undercarriage; tangy tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella.
2. Fancy NY
Similar to the above but with more gourmet produce on top such as fresh fior di latte / buffalo mozzarella, freshly grated parmesan and fresh basil and sometimes a more puffy cornicione.
3. Sicilians & Grandmas
Not all squares are created equal. Even (non pizza nerd) native New Yorkers confuse grandma squares and Sicilian squares.
Grandma pizza is reputedly a Long Island creation, originally made by Italian immigrant grandmothers at home in a rectangular tray. It tends to be much thinner than a Sicilian but not quite as thin as a regular slice.
Sicilian pizzas are as the name suggests based on the Sicilian (Palermitan) sfinciuni. They are also rectangular but much thicker in dimensions. Don’t let its girth confuse you it’s deceptively light. As one of the big names in the US pizza scene John Arena often says – Sicilian pizza should look like a brick but feel like a feather. An almost candy floss airy dough with a substantial crisp on the undercarriage and lots of tangy sauce are some of the key traits with this beauty.
4. Neapolitan / Neo-Neapolitan
NYC has a bevy of excellent traditional Neapolitan pizzerie characterised by the slightly soupy centres and very floppy base. Many New Yorkers thumb their noses at this floppiness, so in response a new wave of Neapolitan-ish pizza places opened up serving a very similar product but with a bit more structural integrity. A sliding scale of hybridisation between Neapolitan and New York style pizza now exists. Arguably the best of both worlds.
5. Wildcards
Detroit Style – Continuing with the rectangular theme, Detroit pizza is thick like a Sicilian but much denser and often greasier (with a buttered crust and base). Obviously this is not a slice native to NY but the Big Apple has recently benefited from a series of very good Detroit pizzerias opening up.
Chicago – If any Chicagoans are reading this no offence is intended by calling deep dish and tavern style “wildcards”. I’m not trying to reignite the Jon Stewart controversy ! I’m a big fan of both styles of Chicago pizza. Deep dish is a beast of a pie. If a quiche and a pizza had a massively overweight lovechild this is what it might look like. Bring an extra stomach if you’re going to take this on alone. Tavern pizza is more reminiscent of a regular NY pie – thin, crispy and generously cheesed and sauced. It’s cut into little squares – noughts and crosses style – which always makes me think of a kiddie’s birthday party.
Ok!
Enough preamble. Onto the hit list…
Where to find the best pizza in NYC
Unless otherwise specified, get the ‘regular cheese/plain/house’ pizza. By all means get the pepperoni too but always try the unadulterated product.
Classic
Upside Pizza | Corner of 39th st and 8th Ave
All the hallmarks of a classic NY slice in a trendy new age slice joint. Located in the hellscape between Times Square and MSG which is also where most tourists end up so the location works. It’s open till 3am on weekends.
Sauce Pizzeria | East Village; LES; Midtown
Another relatively new joint this place does a very delicate, borderline fancy slice. Two main locations in the East Village and the Lower East Side which if you’re young and looking to party is invariably where you’ll end up. Open till 4am. Ideal to try to soak up the booze before heading home.
Luigi’s Pizza | 686 5th Ave, Brooklyn
For the more adventurous traveler who wants to experience proper old school NY. For me this is the quintessential, perfectly done NY slice. Well away from any tourist spots this is a fair way out in South Slope but it’s worth the trip.
Fancy
Di Fara | 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn
Generally regarded as the OG, gold medalist of NY pizza, the owner Domenico De Marco has been crafting his pies himself since 1964. The hours can vary so check online first. This place can also attract massive queues. Best time to go is first thing when it opens or as soon as possible thereafter. Get a regular slice AND a square.
Lucali | 575 Henry St, Brooklyn
Another titan of the scene. This isn’t a slice place. It’s a rustic, sit-down, wooden tables and candles place. Be prepared to queue…a long time… the locals do so time and time again because they know it’s worth it. Put your name down; go hit a neighbourhood bar (no less than 10 minutes away) and run, don’t walk when they call. It’s also BYOB so it’s a great option for an affordable date.
L’industrie | 254 S 2nd St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Yet another Brooklyn spot, this place does what might be the most standout slice I’ve ever had. The “Burrata” slice – a regular slice with fresh basil and dollops of chilled burrata added after it’s come out the oven so it melts into the slice – is a game changer. Located in super “hip” Williamsburg. Grab a slice, go explore.
Sicilians & Grandmas
Village Square | 147 Avenue A
Located in Alphabet City / East Village and open till late this is another great spot to hit before hitting the bars or exploring downtown. The “Upside Down” Sicilian slice is the thing to get here – cheese goes on first and then the sauce which means you get a beautiful hit of sweet tomato sauce before you get to the gooey cheese lining the soft airy base. The Grandma and regular slices are also excellent here so you could almost tick all boxes in one spot
Famous Bens | 177 Spring St
This is another gem of an old school, no thrills slice joint. I was lucky enough to discover this place when I first moved to NY and happened to be living round the corner. It’s run by a charming curmudgeonly Sicilian bloke who will commendably ignore you if you use your phone at the counter. It’s version of the traditional Palermitan sfinciuni is superb and the best I’ve had outside of Sicily. Once again their regular slices and grandmas are also masterful. Perfectly placed for taking a load off after shopping around soho and refuelling with a selection of slices.
Neapolitan/Neo-Neapolitan
Motorino | East Village, Upper West, Williamsburg
This is very close to being traditional Neapolitan pizza but it has just enough structural integrity in the undercarriage to allow for folding and eating with hands rather than a knife and fork. Great place to dine in and have a few glasses of wine. Sometimes the servers push some of their more zany creations. Ignore them. Go with the Margherita or the Soppressata.
Speedy Romeo | 63 Clinton St, LES
Another hybrid but more of a departure from traditional Neapolitan. This is an effortlessly trendy and fun place to share a few pizzas with friends and have a few drinks before venturing out to explore the Lower East Side. Make sure at least one of the pizzas is the margherita but some of their other creations are truly awesome.
Wild Cards
These are places that aren’t New York per se but are available for consumption in NY and are excellent and if you’re not travelling to other major US cities you may as well eat your fill in NYC.
Emmetts | 50 MacDougal st
Possibly the best Chicago Deep Dish and Tavern style pizza you’ll find outside Chicago.
Emmy Squared | East Village, Upper East Side, Williamsburg
Responsible for putting Detroit pizza on the map in New York.
Pizza Loves Emily | 919 Fulton St, Brooklyn)
Owned by the same people as Emmy squared the pizza here is fairly unique. It’s neither NY nor Neapolitan…it’s just damn good.
It’s also worth noting that all three of the above also do one HELL of a cheeseburger. No more Sophie’s choice between pizza or burgers. Get both!
Final thoughts
Ultimately there are so many great options in NY you really are spoilt for choice and are far more likely to find a good slice than a bad one. Even some of the dollar slice joints are palatable. These recommendations are obviously subjective, there are many alternatives that do very similar quality pizza; these just happen to be my go-to places. No definitive list will ever be agreed upon by everyone, just enjoy!
PS – If you’re a pizza fan and planning a trip you should checkout Scotts Pizza Tours on Instagram – he organises day tours of NY’s best pizza places for groups.
3 Responses
Very nice article! Lots of great suggestions!
It’s a great article, eh? I’m definitely going to put on weight during my next trip to NYC!
This is really informative and well written.