The 10 Best Pizza Slices in New York City!

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Who doesn’t love pizza? There’s really nothing better than an authentic New York slice. But, beware! Not every pie is delicious. Some are downright nauseating. The list below will guide you on your quest to find the best slices that the Big Apple has to offer.

Thankfully, Fathom contributor Devorah Klein Lev-Tov has spent the past six years editing non-fiction books and eating pizza. When it comes to pies, as well as books, she’s looking for the real deal.

NEW YORK – Trying to narrow down the best pizza in NYC is like trying to select the best apples from an orchard during U-pick season. The options are limitless. That said, I have sampled my fair share of NYC slices and have come to a few conclusions. There’s a different pizza for every mood and appetite. If you’re visiting the city and don’t have time to sample around, these top ten slice joints, classy restaurants, and old-school institutions will do the trick.

1. Di Fara
Lay of the Land: You do not go to Di Fara for ambiance or speedy service. You go because it’s an institution. Beret-clad pie-master Dom DeMarco has been obsessively manning the oven for 40 years, and he’s the only one who touches the pie — hence the sometimes excruciating wait. Go as a party of two so that you can keep each other company and split a whole, drizzled with top-notch olive oil and finished with fresh basil. You can order slices, but they cost five bucks these days, and, trust me, you’re going to want one more than one.
Overall Vibe: Wood paneling, bare tables, and oven smoke clog the small room, but you can entertain yourself by reading the articles plastering the walls.
Square or Round: It’s a draw. Both are excellent, although the square tends to come out with a blacker crust.
Good to Know: It’s cash only.
Find It: 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY 11230, +1-718-258-1367
Review: NYT

2. L&B Spumoni Gardens
Lay of the Land: This is a 72-year-old classic neighborhood joint in residential Gravesend, Brooklyn, close to Coney Island. It’s packed most evenings and especially Sunday nights when Italian families are supping with nonna. The real charm is inside, but on nice nights you can grab a slice and catch the patio action. Aside from the addictive Sicilian pies (in which sauce is ladled over the cheese), roasted artichokes and garlic bread make great sides.
Overall Vibe: This is a classic red-sauce Italian joint, so bring the attitude and your Jersey Shore-loving friends.
Square or Round: Square Sicilian is their specialty.
Good to Know: The only way to finish the night is with a spumoni ice.
Find It: 2725 86th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11223, +1-718-449-1230
Review: Slice Blog

3. Motorino
Lay of the Land: This spot won the hearts and taste buds of many, including The New York Times‘ Sam Sifton, who declared it to be the city’s very best pizza. It is perfectly cooked and perfectly proportioned (the crust to sauce to cheese ratio is flawless), and they’ve got a host of inventive toppings (from Brussels sprouts to clams). They inherited Una Pizza Napolitana’s famous oven, which seems to be working out beautifully.
Overall Vibe: Clean, East Village cool.
Square or Round: You’ll only find round.
Good to Know: Motorino is open for brunch, and the fantastic pizza al’uovo — with eggs, pancetta, pecorino, fior di latte, basil, and chili oil — is sure to cure any hangover. Also, the tiramisu is pretty damn authentic.
Find It: 349 East 12th Street, New York, NY 10003, +1-212-777-2644
Review: NYT