In 1905, Lombardi’s opened as New York’s first pizzeria, bringing the simple dish to Gotham’s Italian restaurants. Owner Gennaro Lombardi helped train a generation of pizzaioli, dispatching thin-crust acolytes all over the city. The onetime exotic immigrant food quickly became synonymous with Gotham, and arguing over the city’s best pizza has become a classic New York pastime. With that in mind, we trekked all over town to find out if old favorites still lived up to their reputation and if new pizzerias could rise to the fierce competition. Here are the best New York pizza spots. By Arthur Bovino
1. Classic pie at Di Fara Pizza
Bow down, ladies and gentlemen. The king is an exquisite blend of bright plum-tomato sauce, puddles of rich buffalo mozzarella, zesty sausage, peppers and onions, all topped with drizzled olive oil from a copper pot and snipped basil leaves. Watching living legend Domenico DeMarco concoct his signature pie is damn near theatrical—if a bit on the long side. The hike for many of us to this no-frills Midwood spot will take a while. But trust us—one bite is worth the wait. $32.
2. Classic pie at Rubirosa
The crisp throwback crusts, crowned with subtly sweet marinara and fresh mozzarella, are barely thicker than the paper plates your usual dollar slices are served on—but don’t write this pie off because it’s so damn pliable. (We’ll let deep-dish–lovin’ Chicagoans do that.) The nuanced za at this rustic Nolita eatery is a family affair too—it’s from Angelo Pappalardo, who learned the art of thin crust as a kid at his father’s Staten Island stalwart, Joe and Pat’s. $25.
3. Margherita at Kesté
The Neapolitan round on offer at Roberto Caporuscio’s West Village pizzeria is as exemplary a pie as you’re likely to find outside Naples—not surprising, considering Caporuscio grew up on a dairy farm an hour outside the city. It’s all about quality sourcing—San Marzano tomatoes, house-pulled mozz and a puffy, chewy crust built with Caputo 00 flour. We’re happy as hell you crossed the pond, dude. $13.
4. Pie with basil at Lucali
Chef/owner Mark Iacono’s next-generation pizzeria in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens has attracted za cognoscenti and celebrity admirers alike (sup, Bey and Jay?), and for good reason: Lucali’s basic pie with basil is a tour de force, with a wide, char-pocked crust capped in garlic-zapped sauce, buffalo and low-moisture mozzarellas, whisper-thin ribbons of Parmigiano-Reggiano and aromatic rosettes of basil. $24.
5. Margherita at Totonno’s
Coal-fired blisters, spotted pools of house-made mozzarella and just the right amount of sauce (read: not much at all) keep us coming back to this 91-year-old Coney Island joint. Anthony “Totonno” Pero’s main attraction is a thing of beauty—perfectly served on a Styrofoam plate. $19.50.
6. Clam pie at Franny’s
New Haven may have invented the clam pie, but Andrew Feinberg and Francine Stephens’s New York pizzeria damn sure perfected it. The gorgeous version here boasts a deep flavor, and the secret’s all in the sauce: The bivalves are plumped up in a white-wine reduction that’s then thickened with heavy cream and spread atop a crisp, AP-flour–based crust. With zippy chiles and a generous sprinkling of parsley, this is one pie to clamor over (yeah, we went there). $19.
7. Hot Supreme at Margot’s
There are few things we love more than a critic turned pro. From 2003 to 2014, Adam Kuban made a name for himself as the founder of beloved pizza blog Slice. Since then, he’s put his own slinging skills to the test, launching a weekend bar-pie pop-up inside Clinton Hill pizzeria Emily that regularly sells out months in advance. This mouth-tingling number builds on a well-done, credit-card–thin crust with Romano cheese, garlic-fennel sausage, pickled jalapeños and shaved red onions—a combo that’s launched this new pizzaiolo into the city’s pizza pantheon. $25.
8. Pepperoni pie at Joe’s
A Greenwich Village institution since Pino “Joe” Pozzuoli opened his doors in 1975, this pocket-sized pizzeria excels in the quintessential New York slice, with its pliant yet cracker-thin undercarriage, slightly sweet sauce and a blanket of drippy, fresh mozzarella—big rounds of pepperoni are the metaphorical cherry on top. Stock up on drinks, though: The high demand means you’re almost always guaranteed a just-made one that will burn your tongue. $24.
9. Coal-oven Margherita at Patsy’s Pizzeria
The slices of Margherita at this 1933 East Harlem original are super thin and shorter than you’ll typically find, which means the average person—okay, fine, we—can easily wolf down five to six slices each, especially when they’re fresh from the oven with that bubbling, browned cap of creamy mozzarella beneath that zippy sauce. $18.
10. Bee Sting at Roberta’s
Carlo Mirarchi knows how to mess around. His Neapolitan pies sport witty names (Spudnik Cheesus Christ) and even more playful toppings, but our favorite is the takeout- and delivery-only Bee Sting, a salty-sweet blend of oven-crisped sopressata, crushed tomatoes, punchy chile and, the kicker, a few sticky swirls of honey that masterfully cut the spice and savoriness of the salami. Sometimes it pays to stay in. $16.
11. Pepperoni at Lee’s Tavern
Staten Island, represent! Dongan Hills’ 75-year-old tavern still slings out a a golden-crusted pepperoni bar pie, loaded with concave little half moons of cured meat that get fantastically crispy and crackly-edged in the oven. You’ll be glad you properly padded your stomach—this is the kind of joint where you want to sidle up to the bar for a few beers, watch whatever is on the tube and shoot the shit. $20.
12. Delboy at Paulie Gee’s
There are few greater second-act stories than Paul Giannone, a professional computer geek turned pizzaiolo who turns out hour-long-wait–worthy Neapolitan pies in a barn-inspired Greenpoint joint. Among the scorched standouts is this bold, meaty number, zipped with spicy Berkshire sopressata piccante, fresh cow’s-milk mozzarella and nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano. If you’re a heat seeker, make that Delboy a Hellboy with a pop of chile-infused Mike’s Hot Honey. $16.
13. Margherita at John’s of Bleecker
The coal-fired brick oven at this reliably shabby old-timer turns out a standard-bearing Margherita pie, thin of crust and light of sauce, with gooey grated mozzarella clinging to every nook and cranny. With good-natured, Old World gruff, the servers will inform you that it’s only pies here, no slices—a great excuse to inhale an entire one all by yourself. John’s is both a local landmark and a major stop on the New York pizza-tourist circuit, and you don’t gain that kind of rep for nothin’. $17.50.
14. Brussels Sprout at Motorino
Mathieu Palombino didn’t invent brussels sprouts, but his skill with them might make you think the gods had him in mind when they did. The sheer number of greens studding the iconic pie might give pizza purists pause, but the bitterness of those crispy bulbs and leaves is masterfully offset with sweet, delicate fior di latte; smoked, thick-sliced pancetta; buttery pecorino and a drizzle of vibrant extra-virgin olive oil. $16.
15. Sicilian pie at L&B Spumoni Gardens
The heralded square za at this fourth-generation, family-run Gravesend staple, which opened in 1939, is some of the most distinctive pizza in the boroughs, thanks to its signature upside-down composition: On a puffy, pillowy crust—whose caramelized crunch is the happy result of the old steel pans it’s made in, with decades of olive oil cooked right into them—a light mozzarella coating is hidden beneath a fine layer of tomato sauce, dusted liberally with salty pecorino romano on top. $38.
16. Meatball pie at Nick’s Pizza
We’re bowled over by this beauty, whose impressively huge house-made beef balls are sliced thin for even distribution across the oregano-zapped sauce. Even more impressive—and pretty confounding? The char-splotched pies, which scream coal-fire–cooked, are actually birthed in a garden-variety gas oven. The space itself is pretty pretty too. $17.50.
17. Margherita at Pizza Moto
For years, Dave Sclarow doled out his pies at events and festivals about town via a humble portable pizza oven he welded himself. But you wouldn’t know it from the lines for his classic Margherita. Now offered at a stall inside Crown Heights beer garden Berg’n, the lightly blackened round is marked by its slightly chewy cornicione (that’s pizza-aficionado speak for the outer crust), sharp pecorino and a deliciously bright, tangy tomato sauce. $23.
18. Sicilian at New Park Pizza
Trust us, speak up and order this one well-done. Why? Because something fantastic happens when the pillowy, square pie is left a little longer in the oven at this blue-collar Howard Beach staple: That second turn around the hearth browns the crust to a well-oiled crunch with an unbelievably salty butter finish that balances the natural sweetness of the tomato sauce. $23.50.
19. Vodka pie at Joe & Pat’s Pizzeria
Creamy vodka sauce, stretchy fresh mozzarella and fragrant basil—those are the three key ingredients central to the pie Staten Islanders have been swearing by for more than 50 years. The airy crust, a slightly sweet sauce and an herbal finish means you can gobble three slices and still have room for more. $17.
20. Montanara Starita at Don Antonio
What’s even more sinfully delicious than pizza? Fried pizza. This Hell’s Kitchen collaboration between Kesté’s Roberto Caporuscio and his mentor Antonio Starita—the third-generation owner of the revered Pizzeria Starita a Materdei in Naples—takes a Neapolitan pie to the next level, flash-frying the crust until it’s funnel-cake fluffy inside with a crispy coating, topping it with imported smoked buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil and then finishing it in the oven. $13.
21. Pizza Patate at Sullivan Street Bakery
Jim Lahey might be best known for his bread, but his Roman-style, focaccia-like pizza is just as ace. His pizza patate takes the rare starch-on-starch approach to delicious effect with brown-edged petals of potato, tangles of sweet onion and delicate rosemary, plus black pepper for bite. $27.
22. Sausage pie at Louie & Ernie’s Pizza
Juicy, fennel-spiked chunks of sausage from the S&D Pork Store a few blocks down are held in place—well, just barely—by a bunch of melted cheese on this Bronx-born pie. It’s a hot, creamy mess of pizza-and-pork deliciousness. Yes, you will need a napkin—and a nap afterward. $20.
23. The King Salami at Speedy Romeo
When you visit the Clinton Hill eatery (named for co-owner Todd Feldman’s family’s Meadowlands racehorse), you’ll want to order this, a spicy-sweet spread of sopressata, fennel-fronted finocchiona and red peppers atop a delectable yet thick crust. You have the wood-burning stove to thank for that. $16.
24. The Emily at Emily
Owners Emily and Matt Hyland are relatively new to the scene, opening their cozy Clinton Hill spot in January 2014, but they have an artisan’s touch, crafting well-balanced, artfully rendered Neapolitan pies. Their flagship is this eponymous white pie, hooded in creamy puddles of fresh mozzarella—made in-house using Battenkill Valley dairy—sottocenere for some black-truffle funk, crushed pistachios and swirls of honey for sweetness. $19.
25. Funghi pizza at Marta
Distinguished dough puncher Nick Anderer brings the same level of skill he regularly displays at Maialino to Danny Meyer’s latest pizza outlet. Built on a shatteringly thin, Roman-style tonda crust, Anderer’s mushroom number features hen-of-the-woods and hedgehog shrooms, whose roasted woodsiness is softened via fontina, red onion and thyme. $19.
