Ask a New Yorker what their favorite pizza is and you won’t get a quick answer, you’ll get a series of questions back. By neighborhood? By borough? New York style or Neapolitan? Square or round? Wood-fired, coal-fired, or electric? Sourdough? A slice or a whole pie? Sit-down or a quick slice on the go?
Each of these categories has its own winner, and each category has a very close second. It is, by design, an imperfect question. For this list, we’ve narrowed the field to below 14th Street. and still haven’t covered everything. But rest assured, these 14 spots make up the essential pieces of the New York pie.
[Caption: Seasonal pie featuring sungolds up front, a margherita with pepperoni and cornetto long hot peppers at Una Pizza | Photo by Nishtha Dalal]
Una Pizza Napoletana
Anthony Mangieri has spent 20 years making pizza, and given the worldwide accolades, he’s doing something right. He works the dough by hand for each pie, and carefully bakes three pizzas at a time in the wood-fired oven. Una Pizza Napoletana only opens three nights a week, and recently moved to a reservation-only system. To get a seat here, it takes meticulous planning two weeks ahead and setting an alarm clock, but the effort is worth it.
The small open kitchen puts Mangieri on full display. The pizza arrives perfectly bouncy with a blistered crust and balanced, barely-there sauce. Catch a rotating special if one’s on, they tend to lean seasonal and local. Since pies run on the lighter side (starting at $40), and are limited to one per person, you’ll have room for the Almond Cremolata after. 175 Orchard St., Lower East Side, unapizza.com
Rubirosa
The iconic and widely photographed tie-dye pie, featuring a spiral of fresh pesto over a creamy, slightly spicy vodka sauce, has earned its place on New York’s essential pies list. The ultra-thin crust is the foundation everything rests on, and the combination of sauce and pesto lands every time.
Rubirosa only sells whole pies, but you can get half with one flavor and the other half with something else. The wait can look intimidating, but it almost always moves faster than quoted, so don’t let it put you off. The pastas are worth noting too, and the Mushroom Campanelle is the sleeper hit. 235 Mulberry St., Little Italy, rubirosanyc.com
Mama’s Too
The no-frills pizza shop that became a city favorite got even more formidable when it opened on Bleecker Street. Mama’s Too landed in direct competition with L’industrie next door, which amounts to the West Village’s most delicious rivalry.
The round house pie with aged mozzarella, fresh tomato sauce, just-grated parmesan, and basil is a standout. The other pies are just as good, though many are square. Try the hot honey-laced Angry Nonna and fresh Bufalina topped with scallions. 325 Bleecker St., West Village, mamastoo.com
L’Industrie
The L’Industrie verse Mama’s Too debate continues to rage on and honestly, let it, because both sides are right. L’Industrie earns its place thanks to the strength of the burrata pizza alone, which has minimal toppings on a classic tomato mozzarella pie, finished off with dollops of fresh burrata, olive oil, parmesan, and basil.
Even if you’ve already grabbed a slice next door, stop in for the gelato before you leave. The delicious and airy soft serve is finished with a bright, floral olive oil and sea salt. 104 Christopher St., West Village, lindustriebk.com
Pasquale Jones
A constant in NoLita since it opened, Pasquale Jones from the Parcelle and Charlie Bird team works for just about any occasion, be that dinner with the parents, a larger group, or a date night. The restaurant benefits from Parcelle’s excellent wine list, elevated interiors, and a menu with no real blind spots.
Here pizza remains the clear focus, and chef Ryan Hardy goes deep into the craft. Make sure to try standouts such as the Diavola and Littleneck Clam pies. Bar seating offers a front-row view into the action. And, for an immersive experience, the limited-time Pizza Omakase is a must. 187 Mulberry St., Little Italy, pasqualejones.com
Scarr’s
Behind the neon signage on Orchard Street sits one of Pete Wells’ New York Times’s 100 Best Places to Eat, Scarr’s, owned by Scarr Pimentel. The wood-paneled space has a retro vibe, and serves slices and pies, either square or round. Pimentel makes each version with freshly-milled flour and premium ingredients.
The move here is the classic cheese slice with a pour of skin-contact wine, chosen from the restaurant’s excellent wine list. Other options include the Hotboi, which brings the heat from both the jalapeños and Mike’s Extra Hot Honey. The Vodka Pesto stands out thanks to the use of coconut milk in the spicy vodka sauce, adding a unique depth to an already interesting pizza. 35 Orchard St., Lower East Side, scarrspizza.com
Lil’ Frankie’s
This cash-only East Village spot earns its place on the pizza pedestal with a laid-back vibe, seriously good pies and pasta, and a late-night kitchen that runs from brunch all the way to 2 a.m. Lil’ Frankie’s works for anything from a casual hangout, to a late night bite, or as a neighborhood go-to.
Just don’t let the four-pie menu fool you, each of the Neapolitan-style pies are dialed in to hit the right sauce-to-cheese-to-topping ratio every time. Round out the meal with an order of pasta and the kale Caesar. The wine program also deserves a mention since it stands out as a “by consumption” concept. That means you can order a bottle and pay only for what you drink. 19 1st Ave., Bowery, lilfrankies.com
Emily’s West Village
It’s right there in the website name: Pizza Loves Emily. The West Village location of the popular Brooklyn spot is intimate and always buzzing. It fills up fast on weekends, so don’t be surprised if there’s a wait.
Once seated, the deceptively-small pizzas are filling, from the MVP with a bright parsley pesto to the VIP with pepperoni and Calabrian chiles. For a white pie, the namesake Emily comes with pistachio, truffle, and honey, which makes for an excellent combination. The menu extends well beyond pizza too, and the burger has its own following. 35 Downing St., West Village, pizzalovesemily.com
Motorino
Motorino has had a loyal base returning since 2010, and it has become a reliable benchmark for great Neopolitan style pizza. The spot runs casual from brunch through dinner, the East Village location operates out of the original Una Pizza Napoletana space and even uses the same oven.
The more interesting pies are worth seeking out, including the Amatriciana, which successfully transplants the Roman classic sauce on a pizza. The Prosciutto di Parma with fior di latte arrives with enough finely sliced prosciutto to enjoy as an impromptu antipasto before you pick up the slice. A bottomless brunch recently launched, and Sunday evenings come with a free bottle of the featured wine through the Sunday Wine Club. 349 E. 12th St., East Village, motorinopizza.com
Prince Street Pizza
A downtown classic that every New Yorker has visited at least once, and tourists come specifically to check the box, Prince Street Pizza has earned the attention. The draw is simple: square slices covered extensively with stacks of curled-up, spicy pepperoni, each one holding little pools of oil that tell you exactly what you’re in for. Prince Street has since expanded beyond New York, but the original one carries all the charm. 27 Prince St., Little Italy, princestreetpizza.com
Lucia Alimentari and Lucia Pizza of SoHo
These two spots are both neighbors and conjoined-sister shops, each slinging superb pizza. When Lucia opened the first slice shop in 2022, it quietly rose the ranks as pizza lovers discovered it. The SoHo expansion in 2023 made it easier to visit and harder to ignore.
Next door, Lucia Alimentari offers a small, moody space lined with Italian provisions, and the slice outpost on the corner is always bustling. The pies are textbook New York style, elevated through small details such as a drizzle of olive oil on the Margherita and hot cherry peppers on the Carmelle Picante. Don’t miss the Papa Leone, a clam pie rooted in family history thanks to the whole clams sourced from Avenue Fish Market that get sautéed and prepared weekly just as the owner’s father did. 301 W. Broadway, SoHo, lucia.pizza
Ceres
The Eleven Madison Park alums who opened Ceres last year caused so much buzz that the lines got out of hand. So, the team moved from slices to whole pies only. You’ll want the full thing too since each one features exceptionally high-quality, fresh ingredients, all on a New York-style crust.
The prices reflect the elevation and pedigree, and the small, focused menu includes standouts like the Nduja pie ($63), where the delicate burrata balances the heat of the spicy sausage just enough. The interiors are more polished than your average neighborhood pizza spot, though you’ll still be handed a paper plate. Order ahead online, and arrive a little early to find a seat. 164 Mott St., Little Italy, no website
Ops
Go here for simple pizza, natural wines, and an intimate space that feels like exactly the right place to be. The sourdough Neapolitan base of each pie is the star, and the Margherita puts a bubbly crust on full display. The Pops, with guanciale and onions, is a lovely combination that also earns a place on the menu. The wine list reads extensive but approachable. Grab a bottle with your pies and a side or two for a solid date night. 176 2nd Ave., East Village, opsbk.com
Upside Pizza
Founded by a Roberta’s alum and steadily expanding across the city, Upside makes a strong case for the sourdough NY-style slice. Square and round pies are both available, but the square pie with perfect pepperoni cups is the must-try order.
No matter which pizza you get, the low-moisture mozzarella used across the menu means plenty of those satisfying blistered cheese patches. For more interesting takes, the Cacio e Pepe is dense and flavorful, and the seasonal slice is always worth checking out. 51 Spring St., Little Italy, upsidepizza.com
