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A Brief History of Pizza in New York City (and Where To Find an Authentic Slice)

Whatever your pizza proclivities, there’s the perfect slice for you in the Big Apple.

Pizza slices in New York City
Hi, I'm Gianmaria!

Gianmaria Franchini is a writer based in Oakland, CA who makes his life between California and Italy. He’s a Senior Writer with Viator, and the in-house San Francisco expert.

Pizza is woven into the fabric of New York City's food culture, and every New Yorker has a favorite pizzeria. With an authentic New York slice, a few things are sacrosanct: the pizza has a thin crust (that's not quite Neapolitan thin); a raised edge; and a balance of melty mozzarella cheese and slightly-sweet tomato sauce. Pies are bigger than their Italian counterparts, and baked to perfection in gas ovens.

A brief history of pizza in New York City

The New York slice that's famous today emerged at the turn of the century, when enterprising Italian immigrants brought wood-fired Neapolitan pies to NYC. With space at a premium, pizzaiolos turned to a new fuel source for their ovens, and the coal-fired pie was born. Baked crispy from edge-to-edge in blazingly-hot coal ovens, these pies quickly became a New York tradition.

Over time, gas ovens became the standard. The ease and convenience of operating a gas oven is breezy when compared to their finicky coal counterparts, and the lower cooking temperatures result in slices that are easier to reheat. Gas ovens are typically what you find in pizzerias today. In short, if you're trying to make a fantastic slice—as famed Di Fara founder and pizzaiolo Domenico De Marco so sagely notes—“the oven has a lot to do [with it].”

A pizza goes into an NY oven.
Wood-fired pizza ovens were once the standard in New York City.Photo Credit: Goinyk Production / Shutterstock

Types of New York pizza

Today you can generally find three types of NY pizza, and given New York's storied pizza past, all are perfectly authentic. The first is Neapolitan-style. This is the old-world, 2-minutes in the oven pizza, that's elegantly charred at its edges.

The second is the pre-gas oven New York–style. This includes wood-fired and coal-fired pies, meaning stalwarts like Lombardi's (founded by Gennaro Lombardi in 1905), newcomers like Roberta's, and the once-in-a-lifetime pies at Grimaldi's.

The third is what might rightly be called the classic New York slice. It's thin, breaks when folded, and drips a few delicate drops of grease onto the paper plate as you're eating. Order a plain slice (aka, a cheese slice)—anywhere in the five boroughs—and this is what you'll get.

A diner picks up a slice of pizza.
There are several variations of New York pizza.Photo Credit: MariaKovaleva / Shutterstock

Where to grab the best slice

But when all's said and done, it's not actually the style that makes an authentic New York pizza. According to Big Apple pizza guru Scott Wiener, it's not so much what we eat, but how we eat it. "[The] pizza that made New York famous is pizza by the slice," says Weiner. So, if you want to try real New York pizza, it's all about the slice. Here are our top recommendations for where to find authentic New York pizza.

Joe's Pizza

Joe's serves this writer's favorite slice in NYC; not highlighting Joe's would be a dereliction of duty. This is by-the-book authentic, and features an exceptional pizza dough. If you're in Greenwich Village you can stop by the original Carmine Street location, or head to one of the other four outposts (including the centrally-located spot on 14th Street). You'll eat standing at the counter, but that's part of the fun.

Di Fara Pizza

Di Fara has been a household name in Midwood since 1965. Reportedly Bill de Blasio's favorite, you can expect a wait at this family-run Brooklyn gem. On weekends, expect to wait even longer—when they're busy they don't even pick up the phone for orders. Thankfully they've opened an outpost in Williamsburg. Pick your preferred location, and marvel at their olive oil–drizzled works of art.

Customers enjoy pizza at Joe's.
Joe's Pizza is a Greenwich Village must.Photo Credit: rblfmr / Shutterstock

Prince Street Pizza

Prepare for a line at this Nolita pizzeria, and order the square (otherwise known as a Sicilian slice). It's incredibly crispy, yet light and airy, with a sauce that's perfectly sweet. And don't ask for a side of ranch. These pizzaiolo's will have none of it.

Paulie Gee's Slice Shop

A newish addition to the Brooklyn pizza scene, Paulie Gee's Slice Shop in Greenpoint brings the famed pizzeria's delicious pies to the masses. Round and square are served here, along with fantastic vegan options and an upside-down Sicilian (cheese under sauce) that's just a standout slice of pizza.

New Park Pizza

This place is not for lightweights. Though the Howard Beach, Queens location means you need a car to get here, it's well worth it. Order a regular slice—but skip the square—and get it fresh from the oven. Calories aside, this is likely to be the best New York Pizza you'll taste.

Full Moon Pizzeria

Located on iconic Arthur Avenue, Full Moon has been serving New York–style pizza since the mid-1970s. Slices here are huge, so come hungry, and browse the case to choose your favorite among the plentiful options: the specialty pies are outrageous.

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