NYC's Best Pizza Pies: Top Slices In The 5 Boroughs
Everyone knows that New York City has the best pizza. But where are the best places to get a slice? We've narrowed down our top pie shops not be be missed. By Carly Petrone/Anna Van Lenten.
Sutton Pizza
1140 1st Ave.
10065
212-838-5080
More: Best Spots For Pizza And Drinks In NYC
Sutton Pizza & Gyro on the Upper East Side knows how to make one memorable white pizza. This little gem of a pizza shop has been around since the 1960s and has certainly perfected this no-sauce slice. Each cheesy bite melts into your mouth like butter, but it's not overly oily. The service is great and you can grab a seat in the back and watch a game on their televisions. If you're still hungry, this place also offers gyros, souvlaki, pasta, and parmigiana.
Artichoke Basille's Pizza
See website for various locations
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One of the great things about NYC is that you can get a pizza slice with artichoke dip on top. That's what Artichoke Basille's Pizza is busy serving up, and we are definitely on board. This "slice" is more of a wedge and is made with artichoke hearts, spinach, cream sauce, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheese. Yes, they have other creations (like vodka penne and crab) but the artichoke reigns supreme. We don't care how many calories it is, it's like comfort food on-the-go. You can grab a slice in Manhattan, or at their location in Astoria, Queens.
Grimaldi's Pizza
Various Locations
More: Best Thin Crust Pizzas In NYC
It's worth waiting in line for a slice at Grimaldi's Pizza. This pizza is made with fresh ingredients and served piping hot, straight out of their coal brick oven. This cooking technique gives each pie a unique, smoky flavor with a crisp crust that you can't get with gas or wood ovens. Plus, how can you resist homemade dough, fresh mozzarella cheese, and freshly-crushed tomato? It's up to you whether or not you want to add pepperoni, anchovies, sausage, ricotta cheese, or one of the many other toppings on their menu. This place is definitely worth the hype.
Joe's
7 Carmine St.
347-312-4955
http://www.joespizzanyc.com
More: Best Restaurants In Little Italy
When you just want a quick slice of cheese pizza, Joe's is the place to go. This small pizza joint is a Greenwich Village institution and it's been serving up slices since founder Joe Pozzuoli opened its doors back in 1975. Their simple cheese slice isn't fancy, but the ratio of sweet cheese to tangy sauce is perfection. Thin crust makes it easy to fold and eat on the run, but grabbing a seat by the window makes for great people watching too. A plain slice is less than $3, making it a great option after a night out at the bars.
Di Fara Pizza
1424 Avenue J
Brooklyn
11230
718-258-1367
You can feel the love put into every slice at Di Fara Pizza. That's probably because owner Domenico DeMarco has been making pizza on Avenue J for the past 52 years. You'll most likely see him cutting fresh herbs on top of his creations as you wait in line for your slice. Now that's dedication!
L&B Spumoni Gardens
2725 86th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11223
(718) 372-8400
spumonigardens.com
The Sicilian is amazing (they call it simply a "Square.") Silky mozzarella melts between the dough and sauce—allowing the crust to be light, but crispy on the bottom. Perfection.
New Park Pizzeria
156-71 Crossbay Blvd
Queens, NY 11357
(718) 641-3082
newparkpizza.com
Off the Belt Parkway near JFK, this is the best, most straightforwardly great pizza in Queens, for the not too sweet, not too salty sauce, the thin, yet airy, charred-in-the-right-places crust, and lovely supple cheese.
Roberta's Pizza
261 Moore Street
Brooklyn, NY 11206
(718) 417-1118
robertaspizza.com
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Savor the fluffy lush mozzarella cheese, piping hot and melting over a marinara with the merest hint of sweetness, all held up by a well-baked crust that's nicely chewy on the inside.
Saluggi's
325 Church Street
New York, NY 10013
(212) 226-7900
saluggis.com
Follow the sauce on these ample slices, from the tender crust in the middle to its crunchy chewy edge. The way the delicate lushness of the homemade mozzarella complements the subtle, savory, tart red base will complete you.
Spunto
65 Carmine Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 242-1200
spuntothincrust.com
More: Best Pizza Places In The West Village
Cracker-thin crust allows many guilt-free slices to be consumed—and no sogginess either. Sauce is pungent, mozzarella creamy fresh.
Sal & Carmine's
2671 Broadway
New York, NY 10025
(212) 663-7651
In an age where gooey, fat slices of bland mush are being pushed out of just about every storefront with the word "Pizza" above it, we thank goodness for Sal & Carmine's. The place has been making a classic thin-crust slice since 1959. The crust has the right amount of crunch and faint charring from the oven, infusing the tart sauce with a slight smoke. If you are looking for a classic, straightforward slice, it doesn't get any more on target than this.
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Carly Petrone is the founder of Petrone on the Rocks, a lifestyle site about food, drinks, beauty, travel, and more. She lives in New York City.