New York City’s pizza ecosystem is not monolithic; it is a complex landscape of historical styles and modern culinary evolution. While the “New York Slice” is the most globally recognized format, the city hosts several distinct categories of pizza, each with unique architectural and gustatory properties.
Below is an overview of the primary pizza styles available in New York and the preeminent establishments serving them.
1. The Classic Pizza New York City Slice
This is the quintessential street food of the city. Characterized by a hand-tossed, wide, and thin crust, it is traditionally pliable enough to be folded in half. It utilizes grated, low-moisture mozzarella and a seasoned tomato sauce cooked in a gas deck oven. The crust should be crisp but not cracker-like, possessing a specific chewiness.
- Where to eat it:
- Joe’s Pizza (Greenwich Village): Widely regarded as the gold standard for the quintessential plain slice.
- Scarr’s Pizza (Lower East Side): Renowned for milling its own grains, offering a higher-quality crust profile.
2. Coal-Oven / Neapolitan-American
This style represents the genesis of pizza New York City in the United States, dating back to the early 20th century. These pies are baked in anthracite coal ovens that reach temperatures exceeding 900°F (480°C). The result is a charred, slightly smoky crust. Unlike the standard slice shop, these are typically sold only as whole pies and use fresh (wet) mozzarella rather than shredded.
- Where to eat it:
- John’s of Bleecker Street (West Village): An institution where the ovens have been seasoning the brick walls for decades; no slices are served, only whole pies.
- Patsy’s Pizzeria (East Harlem): One of the original coalitions of pizza history, famous for its thin, charred crust.
3. The Sicilian Square
The Sicilian slice is a rectangular pan pizza with a thick, spongy dough that undergoes a longer proofing process. The crust is focaccia-like—airy on the inside with a fried, crunchy bottom. It is significantly heavier and more filling than the round slice.
- Where to eat it:
- L&B Spumoni Gardens (Gravesend, Brooklyn): The definitive location for Sicilian pizza. They are famous for their “upside-down” method, placing the cheese directly on the dough and the sauce on top to prevent sogginess.
4. The Grandma Slice
Often confused with the Sicilian, the “Grandma” is also square but is distinct for its thinness. The dough is not given a long proofing time to rise; instead, it is pressed rapidly into an olive-oil-coated pan. It is traditionally topped with crushed tomatoes (rather than a slow-cooked sauce), plenty of garlic, and mozzarella.
- Where to eat it:
- Prince Street Pizza (SoHo): Famous for their “Spicy Spring” square, which features fra diavolo sauce and cup-and-char pepperoni.
- Di Fara Pizza (Midwood, Brooklyn): While famous for round pies, their square pie is a masterclass in the balance of herbs and oil.
5. Neo-Neapolitan / Artisanal
While historically distinct from the “New York style,” the city has seen a resurgence of authentic Neapolitan pizza—small, personal pies baked in wood-fired ovens with soft, puffy edges (cornicione) and a wet center. These strictly follow Italian traditions regarding flour (00 type) and tomatoes (San Marzano).
- Where to eat it:
- Una Pizza Napoletana (Lower East Side): Chef Anthony Mangieri’s establishment is frequently cited as serving some of the best naturally leavened wood-fired pizza in the world.
- Ribalta (Union Square): Offers a traditional Naples experience, using dough that is light and digestible.
6. Detroit Style
Although originating in Michigan, this style has established a dominant foothold in New York’s modern food scene. It is a rectangular pan pizza, similar to the Sicilian, but distinguished by its “frico” crust—a caramelized wall of cheese (usually Wisconsin brick cheese or cheddar) crisping around the edges of the pan. The sauce is typically ladled in “racing stripes” on top of the cheese after baking.
- Where to eat it:
- Emmy Squared (Various Locations): Credited with popularizing this style in NYC; known for a fluffy dough with a distinctly crispy cheese border.
- Ace’s Pizza (Williamsburg, Brooklyn): Offers a retro atmosphere with a lighter, airier version of the Detroit square.
7. Staten Island “Bar Pie”
Originating in the taverns of Staten Island, the “bar pie” is designed to be eaten easily alongside a drink. The crust is extremely thin, cracker-like, and rigid. Unlike the foldable Manhattan slice, this pizza shatters when bitten. It is generally smaller than a standard pie and topped sparingly to maintain the crust’s integrity.
- Where to eat it:
- Denino’s Pizzeria & Tavern (Port Richmond, Staten Island): An institution since 1937, famous for its garbage pie and clam pie on a cracker-thin crust.
- Lee’s Tavern (Dongan Hills, Staten Island): A neighborhood staple offering the quintessential crispy bar pie experience.
8. The New Haven Style (Apizza)
While native to Connecticut, New Haven style has a significant presence in New York. These pies are coal-fired and oblong (irregularly shaped) rather than perfectly round. They are cooked longer than Neapolitan pies, resulting in a “char” that proponents distinguish from “burnt.” A classic variant is the White Clam Pie, featuring fresh littleneck clams, garlic, oregano, and olive oil—strictly no tomato sauce and often no mozzarella (using pecorino instead).
- Where to eat it:
- Pasquale Jones (Nolita): Uses wood-fired ovens to create clam pies that rival those found in New Haven.
- Arturo’s (SoHo): A coal-oven establishment that leans heavily into the charred, crispy aesthetic associated with this style.
9. The “Dollar” Slice
While economically driven rather than distinctively culinary, the “Dollar Slice” (now often $1.50 due to inflation) is a specific sub-genre of the street slice. These are high-volume, utilitarian slices characterized by a softer, doughier crust, sweeter sauce, and commodity mozzarella. They are designed for immediate consumption on the sidewalk.
- Where to eat it:
- 2 Bros Pizza (Various Locations): The most recognizable brand in the budget slice market, known for high turnover which ensures the product is usually hot.
- 99 Cent Fresh Pizza (Midtown/Downtown): consistently rated as offering the best quality-to-price ratio in the budget category.
10. Korean Style (The “Gold Edge”)
Korean pizza is distinct for its bold interplay of sweet and savory flavors, often utilizing dough infused with green tea or black rice. The defining feature is the “Gold Edge”—a crust stuffed or topped with a ring of sweet potato mousse. Common toppings include bulgogi beef, sweet corn, bacon, and a drizzle of mayonnaise or ranch.
- Where to eat it:
- Pizza Maru (Koreatown & Queens): A major South Korean chain with a flagship presence in NYC. They are famous for their “Gold” pies featuring sweet potato mousse crusts and toppings like spicy chicken or bulgogi.
- Sanyupchun (Flushing, Queens): Offers traditional Korean-style pizzas loaded with toppings and cheese, emphasizing the rich, heavy style popular in Seoul.
11. The Mexican Slice
In neighborhoods with large Mexican populations (such as Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and parts of Queens), the standard New York slice has been reimagined. These pizzas typically use a standard tomato base but substitute traditional pepperoni for chorizo, al pastor pork, or carne asada. They are often topped with jalapeños, onions, cilantro, and sometimes fresh Oaxaca cheese or slices of avocado added post-bake.
- Where to eat it:
- Gaby’s Pizza (Astoria, Queens): A neighborhood institution famous for creating a distinct Mexican-Italian fusion. Their pies are generously topped with chorizo, onions, and peppers, offering a significant spicy kick.
- Tako Pizza (Staten Island): A dedicated fusion spot that blends taco ingredients with pizza structures, utilizing beans, guacamole, and sour cream.
12. Japanese “Wafu” Pizza
“Wafu” refers to Western dishes adapted to Japanese tastes. In the context of pizza, this style usually features a thin, crispy crust (similar to a bar pie) or a Neapolitan base, topped with ingredients like mentaiko (spicy cod roe), mochi (rice cake), nori (seaweed), and Japanese mayonnaise. It is often served in Izakayas (Japanese pubs) rather than dedicated slice shops.
- Where to eat it:
- NR (Upper East Side): A high-end cocktail bar and restaurant that serves an acclaimed Mentaiko Pizza with cheese, spicy cod roe, and shiso leaf.
- Sake Bar Hagi 46 (Times Square): Known for authentic comfort food, they serve a rustic Wafu pizza featuring toppings like mochi and spicy cod roe mayo, offering a chewy, savory texture distinct from Italian styles.
Classic & Coal Oven
- Joe’s Pizza: joespizzanyc.com
- Scarr’s Pizza: scarrspizza.com
- John’s of Bleecker Street: johnsofbleeckerstreet.com
- Patsy’s Pizzeria (East Harlem): thepatsys.com
Square, Grandma & Sicilian
- L&B Spumoni Gardens: spumonigardens.com
- Prince Street Pizza: princestreetpizza.com
- Di Fara Pizza: difarapizzanyc.com
Neapolitan & Specialty
- Una Pizza Napoletana: unapizza.com
- Ribalta: ribaltapizzarestaurant.com
- Emmy Squared (Detroit Style): emmysquaredpizza.com
- Denino’s Pizzeria (Staten Island): deninos.com
- Pasquale Jones (New Haven Style): pasqualejones.com
International Fusion (Japanese, Korean, Mexican)
- Pizza Maru (Korean): pizzamaru.com
- NR (Japanese/Wafu): nr-nyc.com
- Sake Bar Hagi 46: sakebarhagi46.com
Previously Mentioned (Detroit, Dollar, Fusion)
- Ace’s Pizza (Detroit Style): acespizza.com
- 2 Bros Pizza (Dollar Slice): 2brospizza.com
- Tako Pizza (Mexican Fusion): takopizzany.com
New Additions: The “Brooklyn Modern” Classics These establishments defined the post-2000s “hipster” pizza movement, blending Neapolitan techniques with New York attitude and innovative toppings (like hot honey).
- Roberta’s (Bushwick): Famous for the “Bee Sting” (honey and soppressata), this spot put the Bushwick neighborhood on the global culinary map.
- Paulie Gee’s (Greenpoint): Offers both a rustic wood-fired sit-down location and a retro 1970s-style slice shop known for the “Hellboy” slice.
- Lucali (Carroll Gardens): Widely considered the most exclusive pizza table in the city. It is BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverage), cash-only, and serves large, rustic pies with fresh basil.
