The best pizza in New York hides among more than 2,000 pizzerias, and at some point during your trip, you’re going to walk past one and feel that pull. The smell of charred dough, the sight of a triangular slice flopping over a paper plate, the late-night neon glow of a slice counter on a quiet street — pizza in New York is part of the city’s DNA. It’s been here since 1905, and over the past 120 years it has evolved into something more than food. It’s a ritual.
But here’s the thing: not all best pizza in New York candidates are created equal. Some places are world-famous tourist traps with two-hour waits. Others are tiny corner shops where locals grab the best slice of their life for under $5. The trick is knowing which is which.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know — the legendary pizzerias, the best pizza in New York spots by neighborhood, the styles you’ll encounter, and the practical tips that’ll help you eat like a New Yorker instead of a confused tourist.
A Quick Primer on NYC Pizza Styles
Before you start ordering, it helps to know what you’re looking at when hunting for the best pizza in New York. New York’s pizza scene has half a dozen distinct styles, and choosing the right one for the moment matters.
The classic New York slice is what most people picture: a wide triangular slice cut from an 18-inch hand-tossed pie, thin enough to fold lengthwise (the famous “New York fold”) so the tip doesn’t flop. Tomato sauce, low-moisture mozzarella, baked in a deck oven. This style was essentially invented by Patsy Lancieri at his East Harlem pizzeria in 1933, when he started selling pies by the slice — a revolution at the time.
Neapolitan Pizza
Neapolitan pizza is the wood-fired Italian style with a puffy, leopard-spotted crust and a soft, almost soupy center that you eat with a knife and fork. It’s baked at 800°F+ for 60 to 90 seconds, usually with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella.
Sicilian
Sicilian is square, thick, and focaccia-like — heavier and more bread-forward than the classic round slice. The most famous version in the city, L&B Spumoni Gardens’ “upside-down” Sicilian (cheese under sauce, dusted with parmesan), was named the best pizza in New York State by Food Network in September 2025.
Grandma Slices
Grandma slices are thin square pies baked in oiled rectangular pans, with cheese underneath and dollops of crushed tomato, garlic, and oregano on top. They were born in Italian-American home kitchens on Long Island in the mid-20th century and have become a New York staple.
You’ll also run into:
- Detroit-style — rectangular with caramelized cheese edges and sauce striped on top
- Roman al taglio — long rectangles cut with scissors and sold by weight
- Bar pies or tavern style — thin, crispy, personal-sized cracker-crust pies
- Vodka slice — a square or round slice with pink vodka cream sauce that became the defining trend of the modern New York pizza scene in 2024-2025
The Legendary Pizzerias
These are the places that defined what best pizza in New York means. Some are essential, some are tourist-heavy, and a few are worth the wait.
Lombardi’s in Little Italy is where it all began. Opened in 1905 by Gennaro Lombardi, it’s officially recognized as America’s first pizzeria. It’s still serving coal-oven pies at 32 Spring Street, though the original 1905 coal oven was unfortunately destroyed when the adjacent building was demolished after the pandemic, so today’s pies come from a gas oven. Cash only, whole pies only, no reservations. Worth a visit for the history alone.
John’s of Bleecker Street has been firing coal-oven pies since 1929 in a graffiti-carved wood-booth dining room in the West Village. No slices — only whole pies and calzones. This is celebrity-spotting territory (Conan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Danny DeVito are regulars), and it gives you something close to what New York pizza tasted like a century ago.
Joe’s Pizza at 7 Carmine Street is the quintessential New York slice. Founded in 1975 by Joe Pozzuoli, it’s the slice from Spider-Man 2, the one praised for its “tip integrity” (no flop), and the late-night savior open until 3 AM most nights and 4 AM on weekends. A plain cheese slice is around $4 and is exactly what you came to New York to eat.
Patsy’s Pizzeria in East Harlem (the original 1933 location at 2287 1st Avenue) is the place credited with inventing pizza-by-the-slice. The walk-up window still sells coal-oven slices for around $3-5. Note: this East Harlem original is unrelated to the “Patsy’s” chain you’ll see in other neighborhoods.
Di Fara Pizza in Midwood, Brooklyn was for years considered the best pizza in New York, with founder Domenico “Dom” DeMarco hand-cutting basil with scissors over each pie. Dom passed away in March 2022, and in September 2024 Brooklyn co-named the corner of Avenue J and East 15th Street “Domenico ‘Dom’ DeMarco Way” in his honor. The shop is still operating under his children, though most locals will tell you the magic isn’t quite the same without Dom himself.
Lucali in Carroll Gardens is the cult favorite. Opened in 2006 by Mark Iacono (a former construction worker with no pizza background), it has become a celebrity magnet — Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Selena Gomez, and Taylor Swift with Travis Kelce in 2024 have all been spotted here. The catch: no reservations, ever. You arrive at 3:30 PM to put your name on the waitlist, the host starts taking names at 5 PM, and waits regularly stretch past two hours. Cash only, BYOB. If you can’t face the line, Mark’s brother runs Giuseppina’s in South Slope, which serves nearly identical pizza with no wait.
L&B Spumoni Gardens in Bensonhurst has been making its iconic Sicilian Square Slice since 1939. Cheese under sauce, dusted with parmesan, eaten in their outdoor garden. As mentioned, Food Network crowned it the best pizza in New York State in 2025. They also opened a new outpost at 46 Old Fulton Street in DUMBO — their first expansion in 80+ years.
Totonno’s in Coney Island, opened in 1924, is the oldest continuously family-owned pizzeria in the United States. The original coal-fired oven still produces pies today. The catch: post-pandemic hours are extremely limited — Saturday and Sunday only, noon to 5:30 PM, and they often run out of dough by mid-afternoon. Cash only, whole pies only.
The Modern Champions
The current conversation about the best pizza in New York is dominated by a different generation of pizzaiolos.
Una Pizza Napoletana at 175 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side is, by most rankings, the best pizza in New York and America. Anthony Mangieri personally hand-makes every dough ball and bakes every pie himself. He was named the world’s best pizzaiolo by 50 Top Pizza in 2024, and his restaurant ranked #1 in the United States in 2022, 2024, and 2025 — and tied for #1 in the world in 2025. They open Thursday through Saturday for dinner only, make about 150 pies a night, and reservations release two weeks in advance at 9 AM on OpenTable. Pies are around $30 each, and they’re worth every dollar.
L’Industrie Pizzeria in Williamsburg (254 South 2nd Street) and the West Village (104 Christopher Street) is the slice shop defining the best pizza in New York today. Founder Massimo Laveglia’s burrata slice has become the most photographed pizza in New York, with the two locations selling roughly 2,500 of them a week. In 2025, L’Industrie won both Best Pizza Slice in the USA and Pizza of the Year from 50 Top Pizza. Slices run $5-$7, and the lines run an hour or more — but they move quickly.
Scarr’s Pizza at 35 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side is the only slice shop in New York that mills its own flour in-house. Founder Scarr Pimentel was a 2024 James Beard nominee for Best Chef in New York State, and Time Out named Scarr’s the #2 best pizza in the world in March 2025. The retro 1970s diner aesthetic, the natural wines, and the Hotboi slice (pepperoni, jalapeño, hot honey) make it a downtown essential for the best pizza in New York experience.
Mama’s Too! on the Upper West Side (2750 Broadway) was named the best pizza in New York City for 2025 by Time Out. Owner Frank Tuttolomondo’s Cacio e Pepe square and pepperoni square are the most photographed in the neighborhood. A second location opened on Bleecker Street in 2024.
Prince Street Pizza in Nolita is a square-slice institution. The Spicy Spring pepperoni square — thick Sicilian crust, fresh mozzarella, spicy Fra Diavolo sauce, and curled cup-and-char pepperoni — is the slice that broke Instagram and is still worth the line.
Roberta’s in Bushwick (261 Moore Street) defined the wood-fired Brooklyn pizza scene of the 2010s. The Bee Sting (mozzarella, soppressata, chili, honey) helped pioneer hot honey on pizza alongside Paulie Gee’s in Greenpoint, who created what’s now Mike’s Hot Honey.
The Best Pizza in New York by Neighborhood
If you only have a day or two, here’s where to find the best pizza in New York by area.
In Midtown and Times Square, skip the sidewalk slice peddlers and head to:
- NY Pizza Suprema — across from Madison Square Garden
- Don Antonio — West 50th Street, famous for fried pizza
- John’s of Times Square — in a converted church on West 44th
In the West Village and Greenwich Village, hit Joe’s Pizza, John’s of Bleecker, L’Industrie’s West Village location, and Mama’s Too!’s Bleecker Street outpost — all within walking distance of each other.
In the East Village, the must-stop is Joe & Pat’s at 168 1st Avenue, the East Village outpost of the Staten Island institution that invented the vodka pie.
On the Lower East Side, you’ve got Scarr’s, Una Pizza Napoletana, and Lombardi’s all within a 10-minute walk.
On the Upper West Side, Mama’s Too! and Sal & Carmine’s (a Pizza Hall of Fame slice shop on Broadway since 1959) are both worth the trip uptown.
In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, L’Industrie is the headline, but Best Pizza on Havemeyer Street is a longtime favorite for its sesame-crust white pizza.
In DUMBO, choose Juliana’s over the more famous Grimaldi’s next door — Juliana’s is run by Patsy Grimaldi (the original Grimaldi’s founder, who passed in 2025), and most critics consider it the best pizza in New York’s DUMBO scene.
In Carroll Gardens, Lucali is the destination, but the F&F Pizzeria at 459 Court Street is consulted on by Pizzeria Bianco’s Chris Bianco and is essential for its naturally fermented sourdough clam pie.
In Astoria, Queens, Milkflower at 34-12 31st Avenue makes some of the best pizza in New York’s Neapolitan tradition.
In The Bronx:
- Zero Otto Nove — Arthur Avenue
- Full Moon Pizza — Arthur Avenue
- Louie & Ernie’s — Pelham Bay, legendary sausage pie
On Staten Island, the original Joe & Pat’s, Denino’s, and Lee’s Tavern form the holy trinity of the cracker-thin “bar pie” tradition.
For everything else worth doing in each of these neighborhoods, see the best things to do in New York.
Practical Tips for Finding the Best Pizza in New York
A few things to know before you start.
How to Order
- Say “lemme get a slice” — never “piece of pizza.”
- A “regular” or “plain” slice means cheese.
- Eating with a knife and fork at a slice counter reads as a tourist move; the fold is the move.
- If your slice has been sitting under the warmer, ask for it “hot” to have it tossed back in the oven for two minutes.
Cash vs. Card
Most slice shops take cards, but bring cash for these:
- Cash only: Lucali, Totonno’s, Lombardi’s, Lee’s Tavern
- Backup cash recommended: Di Fara, Grimaldi’s
Prices in 2026
A plain slice runs $3.50 to $5 at most neighborhood shops, $5 to $8 for specialty slices, and $5.50 to $12 at trendy new-wave shops. A whole pie at a sit-down pizzeria is typically $25 to $35. The famous $1 slice is essentially extinct since 2 Bros. raised prices to $1.50 in March 2023, though Seamless ran a one-month $1 promotion at 40+ shops in spring 2025.
Tipping
At counter slice shops, tipping is optional — a dollar or two in the jar is plenty. At sit-down pizzerias like Lucali, Una Pizza, and Roberta’s, tip 20% pre-tax minimum. At BYOB spots like Lucali, tip on what you would have spent on wine.
Avoiding Lines
- Lucali: arrive at 4:30–5 PM to sign the list before doors open
- Di Fara: mid-afternoon on weekdays
- Prince Street: right at 11 AM open or after 8 PM
- L’Industrie: weekday afternoons between 2 and 4 PM
Pizza Tours
If you want a guided experience:
- Scott’s Pizza Tours (since 2008) — walking tours ~$65; Sunday Pizza Bus Tour (4.5 hrs, four pizzerias) ~$95
- A Slice of Brooklyn — 4.5-hour bus tour from Manhattan to Grimaldi’s and L&B Spumoni Gardens, ~$95–$110, with stops at DUMBO, Bay Ridge, and the Coney Island Boardwalk
The Bottom Line
You won’t eat your way through every great pizzeria in New York on one trip. Nobody does. The smart play to find the best pizza in New York is to pick three or four spots that match your neighborhood, your schedule, and your appetite for waiting in line.
- One perfect slice: get a plain at Joe’s Pizza on Carmine Street
- Best pizza in New York and beyond: book Una Pizza Napoletana two weeks in advance
- Trending Instagram slice: brace for the line at L’Industrie
- Pure history: eat at Lombardi’s, John’s of Bleecker, or Patsy’s in East Harlem and know you’re sitting where pizza in America was invented
For a broader look at where to eat beyond pizza, see the guide to the best restaurants in New York.
Whichever direction you go, do this much: hold the slice by the crust, fold it lengthwise, let the oil drip, and take a bite. That’s the moment you understand why New Yorkers will argue about the best pizza in New York for hours and travel an hour by subway for the right slice. Welcome to the club.