Is there any food more synonymous with New York than pizza? The Big Apple’s rich culinary history was forever changed when Italian immigrants brought the humble pie stateside. Ever since New York’s first pizzeria, Lombardi’s, opened in 1905, American pizza has evolved into something completely different from its European roots. The slice was born, and pizza became foldable and portable. Over the years, New Yorkers never stopped experimenting and innovating with baking techniques, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with pizza.
Now, over a century later, many consider New York the pizza capital of the world. From thin, crispy slices that have become New York’s signature style to soft, bouncy Neapolitan pizzas to tangy, chewy sourdough pies, New York’s pizza scene has it all. (And let’s not forget the creative toppings! Did you know New York is the birthplace of hot honey on pizza?) We’ve spent over a decade eating pizza in New York, from calzones at Lucali to tie-dye pesto pizza at Rubirosa to dollar slices in the East Village. These are our current favorite spots to grab a slice or devour a pie in New York City, from Manhattan to Brooklyn.
Looking for more great spots for food and drinks in NYC? Check out our city map of New York!
Mama’s Too
Frank Tuttolomondo’s pizza joint, Mama’s Too, stole our hearts with its incredible square pizza slices. The toppings change seasonally – most recently, we were obsessed with the elote pizza, but our other two favorites are the cacio e pepe and the vodka slice, with a rich tomato sauce. These squares are almost like focaccia – doughy, crispy, and with a caramelized crust. Everything is made fresh and served until it runs out. You don’t wanna miss this spot – it’s home to our favorite pizza slice in NYC! In addition to the original Upper West Side location, Mama’s Too has opened another shop in the West Village.
MAMA'S TOO Address & Contact Information 2750 Broadway, New York, New York Website Instagram Facebook
Ops
There’s no shortage of pizza and natural wine joints in Brooklyn, but Ops Pizza happens to make our favorite pie in New York. The pizza here leans Neapolitan, with a very fluffy sourdough base and modern, creative toppings. The potato, ricotta, and broccoli rabe pie was a standout, and we also loved one with oyster mushrooms, guanciale, gouda, and Brussels sprouts. Ops’ insane wine list includes bottles from Partida Creus, Lammidia, Christian Tschida, Matassa, Le Coste, Escoda-Sanahuja, and Anders Fredrik Steen. This is well worth the trek to Bushwick!
OPS Address & Contact Information 346 Himrod St, Brooklyn, New York Website Instagram Facebook
Best Pizza
Since 2010, pizzaiolo Frank Pinello has been running Best Pizza in Williamsburg, a no-frills, neighborhood slice joint of international acclaim. The most famous flavor (and our personal favorite) is the White Pie, which is topped with ricotta, mozzarella, and pecorino cheeses, caramelized onions, and finished with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. The pizza is baked in a wood-fired oven, and the resulting dough is extremely thin with a chewy crust. One thing that makes this pizza stand out is the sesame seeds, which are baked into the crust, giving it a unique, nutty finish.
BEST PIZZA Address & Contact Information 33 Havemeyer St, Brooklyn, New York Website Instagram Facebook
Una Pizza Napoletana
Pizzaiolo Anthony Mangieri started his pizza career with a shop in the East Village, relocated it to San Francisco, and then moved it back home to New York City. There’s no mistaking that it’s some of the best Neapolitan pizza you can find in the world, and that’s simply the result of an extremely dedicated chef. Mangieri himself has committed to making every pie until the dough runs out each day. The co-owners of Wildair invested in the latest version of the restaurant and added some small plates, desserts, and a killer natural wine list.
UNA PIZZA NAPOLETANA Address & Contact Information 175 Orchard St, New York, New York Website Instagram
Paulie Gee’s
Paul Giannone opened his eponymous pizzeria in Greenpoint in 2010. Now, Paulie Gee’s has expanded beyond its original location with a handful of restaurants around the U.S., but Brooklyn is where it all began. While we’ve never sat down for a meal in the wood-fired pizzeria, we’ve frequented the slice shop, where you can find slices of all the Paulie Gee signatures. Kaitlin’s go-to slice is the “The Mootz,” a white pie with fresh mozzarella, garlic, and Pecorino Romano, while Anders loves the “Hellboy,” an upside-down Sicilian square with fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, Pecorino Romano, pepperoni, hot honey, and a sesame seed bottom. Paulie Gee’s was the first pizzeria to serve hot honey on pizza.
PAULIE GEE'S Address & Contact Information 110 Franklin St, Brooklyn, New York Website Instagram
Roberta’s
This iconic Bushwick pizzeria looks like a grungy dive bar on the outside – the entrance is wallpapered with stickers and graffiti, and the building itself feels like an abandoned warehouse, with shipping containers as makeshift walls. But the space has charm, in a rock-and-roll sort of way, and, despite the no-frills venue, Roberta’s can still draw a long line for their pizza. Once you snag a seat, order the signature “Bee Sting” pizza, topped with mozzarella, large slices of soppressata, and a drizzle of hot honey. In the summer, the big backyard with communal tables and a bar is a great spot to hang outside with a glass of natural wine. Now, Roberta’s has become an international chain with locations all over the world, but the original Bushwick location will always be a piece of New York pizza history.
ROBERTA'S Address & Contact Information 261 Moore St, Brooklyn, New York Website Instagram Facebook
Prince Street Pizza
If you see a line down the street in Soho, you’re in the right place. The shop is located, you guessed it, on Prince Street, and is home to maybe the most famous pepperoni slice in the world. The walls are proudly plastered with pictures of celebrities – even the rich and famous can’t get enough of this pie. Prince St. serves a lot of different pizzas, but you’re here for their signature Sicilian-style slice: a thick, chewy square, baked in an oiled pan, which gives the airy crust its signature crispiness around the edge. The cheese is melted directly onto the dough, with the sauce poured on top to prevent the dough from getting soggy. Last but certainly not least, come the ‘roni cups, delicious little grease traps filled with olive oil. Prince Street Pizza has become a national chain, with locations in every major city in the U.S., but the Soho shop is where the pizza party began.
PRINCE STREET PIZZA Address & Contact Information 27 Prince St, New York, New York, United States Website Instagram Facebook
Leo
Leo is an easygoing neighborhood restaurant in Williamsburg that specializes in sourdough pizza. The crust is thick and bready, with a crispy crunch. You can’t go wrong with a classic margherita, but our favorite pie here is the “Papa Madre” with potatoes, fontina cheese, lemon, and oregano. But don’t stop at the pizza – Leo’s menu sports Italian staples like focaccia with whipped ricotta, hearty meatballs in tomato sauce, and pastas like mafaldine with short rib ragu, all alongside an extensive natural wine list. For dessert, Leo offers a seasonal soft serve swirl. On our visit, the ice cream flavors were kabocha squash and salted caramel.
LEO Address & Contact Information 123 Havemeyer St, Brooklyn, New York Website Instagram
F&F Pizzeria
F&F Pizzeria is a slice joint from the people behind Frankies 457 Spuntino (located next door) in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. In typical NYC style, the pizzas are pre-baked and slices are reheated to order. The signature clam pie was our favorite – it tastes like garlic bread meets mussels in a white wine sauce. Delicious and unique, garlic-heavy and perfectly cheesy, with nice chunks of clam and a fresh squeeze of lemon on top. The pizza is thin and has a really nice structure; it held up well with no sog or slippage of the toppings. The cheesy, peppery cacio e pepe slice was also good, but we wanted more from the hot sausage and sage slice.
F&F PIZZERIA Address & Contact Information 459 Court St, Brooklyn, New York Website Instagram
L’Industrie Pizzeria
If it’s crunchy, crispy pizza you’re craving, head to trendy L’Industrie Pizzeria, a slice joint that opened in Williamsburg in 2017 and also has a West Village location. Here, the style of pizza is super thin and almost cracker-like in texture with a deeply caramelized edge. The signature slice is topped with a dollop of burrata and a fresh basil leaf, but there are other creative offerings, including fig jam and bacon, or mushroom, ricotta, and truffle oil. Italian treats like maritozzo (cream-filled buns) and bombolone (doughnuts) line the pastry case if you’re craving something sweet.
L'INDUSTRIE PIZZERIA Address & Contact Information 254 S 2nd St, Brooklyn, New York Website Instagram
Scarr’s Pizza
The pizza at Scarr’s looks about as classic New York-style as it gets, but what sets this Lower East Side hotspot apart is that they mill their own organic grains in-house for their dough, resulting in a distinctly wheaty flavor. When we arrived close to their 1 a.m. closing time, there were only a few slices of cheese pizza left – and we snagged them. But we’re eager to come back and try their signature “Hotboi” pizza with pepperoni, jalapeños, and extra hot honey.
SCARR'S PIZZA Address & Contact Information 35 Orchard St, New York, New York Website Instagram
What’s your favorite pizza in New York? Let us know in a comment below.