I know I’m about to start an international food war, but here it is: New York might just be the best pizza city in the world. Yes, Italy, I hear you hissing from across the Atlantic, but between the corner joints slinging cheesy perfection at 3am to the new-wave spots experimenting with toppings your nonna would faint over, NYC’s got a slice for every kind of pizza paramour.
Whether you’re into gooey Detroit-style slabs, floppy New York slices you have to fold in half or pillowy Sicilian squares, the city that never sleeps will keep you full, happy and coming back for seconds. Here’s my hit list of the best spots in New York City for your 2025 pizza pilgrimage.
Turbo Pizza
1540 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn
Brooklyn’s pizza scene just got a hot new contender with the recent opening of Turbo Pizza. Despite being fresh out of the oven, it's already creating serious buzz thanks to its Detroit-style pies served until the wee hours of the morning.
Decked out with wood panelling, vintage beer signs, a pool table, and a photo booth, Turbo has all the charm of your favourite dive bar, only with next-level pizzas courtesy of chef John True. I’m already plotting my next trip to New York just to dive into those cheesy, crispy squares.
Una Pizza Napoletana
175 Orchard St, New York
If you’re a Neapolitan-style pizza fan like me, Una Pizza Napoletana is an absolute must-visit. Located in the Lower East Side, this sleek spot has earned worldwide acclaim, even snagging the title of best pizzeria in the world in 2024. Chef Anthony Mangieri’s dedication shines through every pie, baked in a wood-fired oven to achieve that impossibly airy, chewy crust with those iconic Neapolitan bubbles.
Una isn’t your grab-and-go slice joint; it’s a sit-down experience, which makes scoring a table a bit of a mission. They only open Thursday through Saturday nights, and spots fill up fast, but trust me, it’s worth the wait. With the addition of small plates, desserts and a phenomenal natural wine list, Una Pizza Napoletana has your Friday night plans sorted.
Chrissy’s Pizza
142 Nassau Ave, Green Point, Brooklyn
It's a big call, I know, but Chrissy's might just be the best thing to come out of the pandemic. What began as a humble pop-up in a Bushwick apartment has found a permanent home in Greenpoint, where locals patiently queue for their fix of a saucy, thin-crust pie.
They don't do slices and there's no seating, but Chrissy’s strips back the fuss and doubles down on what matters: rich tomato sauce, stretchy cheese, and crust that strikes the perfect balance between crisp and tender. If you’re after a pizza that’s both nostalgic and next-level, this is your spot.
Louie & Ernie's
1300 Crosby Ave, Bronx
There's no denying New York has dozens of near-perfect pizza joints, but I'm declaring Louie & Ernie's as the very best in the Bronx. Known for its impossibly thin crusts and sausage-topped slices, this true neighbourhood favourite has been serving both slices and pies since 1947. There’s a timeless quality to their pizzas—simple, unpretentious, and absolutely delicious—that keeps locals coming back decade after decade.
Now, I know this is a pizza list, but I can’t talk about Louie & Ernie’s without giving a shoutout to their cheese calzone. Deep-fried to golden perfection, it’s crispy on the outside and ooey-gooey soft on the inside, and unlike anything I’ve had anywhere else.
Best Pizza
33 Havemeyer St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Could I really put together a list of New York’s best pizza spots without including the one literally called Best Pizza? Williamsburg's no-frills, neighbourhood gem more than lives up to its name with some seriously tasty slices on the menu.
Their White Pie is a standout—layered with ricotta, mozzarella, and pecorino cheeses, caramelised onions, and a fresh sprinkle of parsley. Baked in a wood-fired oven, the crust comes out paper-thin with just the right amount of chew. Crucially, sesame seeds are baked right into the crust, adding a subtle nutty crunch that you didn’t know you needed.
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John's Of Bleecker Street
278 Bleecker Street, West Village, Manhattan
Image credit: John's of Bleecker Street | Instagram
If you're after a singular slice, keep scrolling. However, if you're chasing old-school, whole pie cooked over coals from one of New York's oldest (and more iconic) pizza operations, this is your stop. Established in 1929, John’s of Bleecker Street would be my first stop for a true slice of New York history.
Unlike most grab-and-go slice shops, John’s has a sit-down dining room, with a decent selection of beers and generous pours of wine by the glass. Part of the magic here is the setting—checkerboard flooring, booths carved up with decades of scribbles and signatures, families of New Yorkers that have probably been coming here for years—but John's original pies really are a masterclass in simplicity: consistently charred crusts, tangy tomato sauce, and just the right melt of mozzarella. If you’re feeling extra, you can pile on pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, ricotta and more. Just don’t ask for pineapple. Or ranch. This is New York, after all.
Lucali
575 Henry Street, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
I've been told that getting a table at Lucali is a bit like winning the New York pizza lottery. They don't take reservations, there's almost always a line curling down the block, and it's a daily mad dash to get your name on the list when it opens at 4pm. But if you manage to snag one of those golden seats, you’re rewarded with a pie so perfect it could make a grown New Yorker cry.
The menu here is blissfully short: pizzas or calzones, but we're here to talk about the former. Think paper-thin crust, tangy marinara, molten mozzarella, and a snowdrift of fresh basil tossed on post-bake. It’s cash-only, BYOB, and the bodega a few doors down has you covered. Waiting is inevitable, but one bite and you’ll swear it was worth it.
L’Industrie
Various locations
Image credit: L'Industrie | Instagram
With two outposts (the original in Williamsburg and a shiny new one in the West Village), L’Industrie is giving classic Neapolitan-style pizza a fresh, flirty makeover. Here, the toppings are a lot more creative than your standard by-the-slice spot, with quality ingredients like whipped ricotta, truffle oil and burrata loaded onto the slices as they're ordered.
The West Village spot is still in its honeymoon phase, which means the line can get lengthy. If patience isn’t your thing, I recommend heading to the Williamsburg original to save yourself a few precious minutes of hunger-induced crankiness.
Prince St Pizza
27 Prince Street A, Nolita, Manhattan
If New York pizza had a walk of fame, Prince St Pizza's Spicy Spring slice would have its own star. This Nolita hotspot is all about thick, fluffy Sicilian-style slices, with its signature boasting a sweet-and-spicy red sauce, plenty of aged mozzarella and glorious pepperoni cups that curl into crispy little bowls of spicy oil.
I’ve also heard it’s a celeb favourite, and with the wall of photos inside to prove it, it’s clear that this messy, greasy slice has star power beyond just the taste. Just be prepared to eat it standing up, seating is very limited and Prince St is very popular.
Mama's Too!
Various locations
Image credit: Mama's Too! | Website
Mama’s Too might be a teeny, tiny, hole-in-the-wall, but their square slices pack a serious punch of flavour. The vodka slice—a thick, creamy, spicy layer of vodka sauce topped with generous dollops of whipped ricotta—is an absolute standout. Then there’s the cacio e pepe, a heavenly mix of four cheeses and freshly cracked black pepper that hits all the right notes.
But the one that I'd be standing in line for is the poached pear. Combined with sweet gorgonzola and a drizzle of hot honey, it's the perfect blend of sweet, spicy and savoury.
Roberta's
263 Moore Street, Bushwick, Brooklyn
I happened to be staying about a block away from Roberta’s on my last trip to New York, and out of the seven days I spent in Bushwick, I think I visited this beloved spot on at least half of them. From the outside, the warehouse might look a little rough around the edges, but step through the iconic red door and you’re instantly wrapped in warmth. The welcoming space is a lively oasis in an otherwise industrial area, complete with a tiki bar, long communal tables, fairy lights overhead and a covered outdoor area packed with picnic benches.
Everything I tried was top-tier, but the Bee Sting pizza still lingers strong in my mind: tomato, mozzarella, soppressata, fresh basil, a kick of chilli and honey to balance the heat. Although most pizzerias now have a similar combo on the menu, I have it on good authority that Roberta's was the first (and, in my opinion, is still the best).
Scarr's Pizza
35 Orchard Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan
The slices coming out of Scarr’s Pizza might look like your typical New York-style pizzas, but the secret to their success lies in the ultra-thin bases. They mill their own organic grains in-house to make the dough, giving each bite a distinct wheaty depth that sets them apart from the usual.
You’ll find all types of pies at Scarr’s (Sicilian, Grandma, square, round, you name it) but it’s those thin crusts that have earned their cult following. I’d be ordering the Hotboi, grabbing a spot in the outdoor courtyard, and challenging myself to a round of Mike’s Hot Honey arcade game while I savour every spicy, sweet bite.
Lucia Pizza
Various locations
Image credit: Lucia Pizza | Instagram
Lucia is the family-run Italian-American joint that carries a pizza legacy dating back to the 1970s, and it shows in every perfectly crafted slice. The creamed spinach slice nods to the legendary Peter Luger steakhouse, while the vodka slice comes straight from owner Salvatore Carlino’s family recipe first created in 1974.
Inside, each location has a cozy standing counter but most locals prefer to grab their pizza on a paper plate and snack on the street outside. You can also wear your favourite pizza shop on your sleeve—Lucia's collection of tees, caps, hoodies and beanies is some of the best hospo merch I've seen.
Patsy's Pizzeria
2287 1st Avenue, East Harlem, Manhattan
A true New York City classic, Patsy's Pizzeria has been turning out some of the city's finest coal-fired, thin-crust pizzas since 1933. Located in East Harlem, it’s a slice of NYC history beloved for its old-school vibe and perfectly blistered pies.
The magic lies in simplicity—fresh, high-quality ingredients like house-made mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes come together to create pizzas that are crisp, light, and bursting with flavour. Whether you’re all about a fully loaded pie or prefer classic Margherita like I do, Patsy’s serves up authentic New York pizza that’s hard to beat.
Joe's Pizza
Various Locations
Image credit: Joe's Pizza | Website
Does Joe’s Pizza feel familiar to you? Your spidey senses aren't wrong—this iconic New York institution has famously made more than one cameo in the Spider-Man movies. With five locations in NYC, Joe's is loved by locals and visitors alike for its no-frills approach to classic New York slices.
I have a fond (and admittedly, rather blurry) memory of grabbing a slice from Joe’s—exact location a total mystery—around 3am after a night out in Manhattan. A greasy, cheesy slice in the city that never sleeps is a quintessential NYC moment I hope everyone gets to experience at least once in their lives.
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