New York pizza is not one thing. It is a foldable slice you eat standing up, a coal-oven pie shared with friends, and a thick square slice from a Brooklyn legend. Here is where to start, and where to go once you have the basics.
The slice shops
Joe's Pizza, Greenwich Village. A classic cheese slice, thin and foldable, eaten on the sidewalk. It is the standard against which many other slices get judged.
Prince Street Pizza, Nolita. Known for its thick square slice with pepperoni cups that curl and crisp. Expect a line.
Artichoke Basille's, East Village. The famous artichoke slice is creamy, rich and unlike anything else on this list. It is a late-night favorite, and it is exactly the kind of place people come back for.
The pies worth the trip
John's of Bleecker Street, West Village. A coal-oven pizzeria that serves whole pies only, in a dark, old-school dining room.
Lucali, Carroll Gardens. A candlelit Brooklyn spot with a short menu and a big following. Expect a wait.
Di Fara, Midwood, Brooklyn. A neighborhood institution that regularly tops national rankings, famous for its round pie.
Roberta's, Bushwick. A wood-fired Brooklyn favorite with a loyal crowd and a famous Margherita.
Hidden gems outside Manhattan
L&B Spumoni Gardens, Gravesend. A Brooklyn classic known for its thick grandma-style square slice with sauce on top, and for its spumoni.
Denino's, Staten Island. A pizzeria that locals love, easy to combine with a ferry ride.
Louie and Ernie's, the Bronx. Known for its sausage pie, a reminder that great pizza is not only in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
How to order like a New Yorker
Start with a plain cheese slice, since it tells you the most about a place. Ask for it reheated if it has been sitting. Bring cash for the smaller counters, and fold the slice lengthwise to keep it from dripping.
Opening hours, prices and lines change often, so check each place's own page before you go. This list is a starting point rather than a ranking.
