8 Italian Pizza Parlors In New York That Locals Say Still Taste Like Friday Night

Growing up in New York, Friday nights meant one thing: pizza with my family, crowded around a tiny table, arguing over the last slice.

That warm, cheesy magic never fades, and neither do the pizzerias that make it happen.

Some spots have been slinging perfect pies for nearly a century, keeping alive that nostalgic feeling of simpler times.

These eight Italian pizza parlors aren’t just restaurants—they’re time machines that transport you back to when Friday night was the best night of the week.

1. John’s Of Bleecker Street (Manhattan)

Walking into John’s feels like stepping into a black-and-white photograph from 1929. The coal-fired ovens here don’t mess around—they’ve been cranking out thin, crispy masterpieces for almost a century, and they refuse to slice your pie because they believe it ruins the integrity. You’ll have to wrestle with a whole pizza yourself, which honestly makes it taste even better.

I once tried sneaking in a request for slices, and the owner gave me a look that could curdle mozzarella. The crust crackles like autumn leaves, and the cheese stretches for days. It’s the kind of place where tourists gawk and locals nod knowingly.

No reservations, no nonsense—just pure pizza perfection that reminds you why Friday nights were sacred.

2. Di Fara Pizza (Brooklyn)

Domenico DeMarco was a legend who treated every pizza like a Michelangelo painting. For decades, this Brooklyn icon made each pie by hand, drizzling olive oil and sprinkling fresh basil with the precision of a surgeon. Even after his passing, Di Fara carries on his legacy with the same devotion and imported Italian ingredients that made it famous.

The wait here is legendary—sometimes over an hour—but watching the process is half the fun. You’ll see family members working the ovens with the same meticulous care Dom showed. The crust achieves that perfect balance between chewy and crispy, and the toppings taste like they were plucked straight from a Sicilian hillside.

Worth every minute of standing around like a hungry flamingo.

3. L&B Spumoni Gardens (Brooklyn)

Sicilian pizza flips the script—cheese on the bottom, sauce on top—and L&B has perfected this upside-down masterpiece since 1939. Their square slices are thick, doughy clouds with a crispy bottom that crackles when you bite into it. The tangy tomato sauce sits proudly on top like a crown, reminding you that rules are meant to be broken.

After demolishing a few squares, you absolutely must try their spumoni, a tri-colored Italian ice cream that tastes like childhood summers. My uncle once ate four slices and two spumoni cups in one sitting and declared it his finest hour.

The outdoor seating area buzzes with families, laughter, and the occasional food coma victim sprawled on a bench.

4. Joe’s Pizza (Greenwich Village)

If you’ve seen Spider-Man working in a pizza joint, you’ve basically seen Joe’s. This Greenwich Village institution serves up the quintessential New York slice—foldable, greasy in all the right ways, and hot enough to burn the roof of your mouth (which you’ll do anyway because patience is not a virtue here). Celebrities and construction workers stand shoulder-to-shoulder, united by their love of simplicity.

The secret is in the balance: thin crust that doesn’t flop, just enough sauce, and cheese that forms those perfect grease puddles. I’ve witnessed tourists attempt to eat it with a fork and knife, which is basically a crime punishable by public shaming.

Grab your slice, fold it lengthwise, and join the ranks of true New Yorkers.

5. Lucali (Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn)

Reservations at Lucali are harder to snag than Beyoncé concert tickets, but once you’re inside this tiny Carroll Gardens gem, you understand the hype. Mark Iacono runs this place like a family kitchen, personally crafting each thin-crust pie in his brick oven with the kind of love your nonna would approve of. Fresh basil leaves dot the surface like green confetti celebrating your good taste.

The atmosphere is romantic and intimate, with candlelight flickering off exposed brick walls. Cash only, BYOB, and absolutely no rush—you’re here to savor, not sprint. My first bite made me question every pizza decision I’d ever made before.

It’s the kind of spot where marriage proposals happen between bites of perfectly charred crust.

6. Patsy’s Pizzeria (East Harlem)

Since 1933, Patsy’s has been charring crusts to perfection in their coal-fired ovens, creating those beautiful leopard spots that pizza snobs dream about. East Harlem’s oldest pizzeria doesn’t need gimmicks or fancy toppings—they’ve mastered the fundamentals and stuck with what works. The smoky flavor from the coal oven is something modern gas ovens simply cannot replicate, no matter how hard they try.

My grandfather used to take me here when I was seven, and the taste hasn’t changed one bit. The crust bubbles up in places, creating pockets of airy perfection, while the edges get delightfully crispy.

This is nostalgia you can eat, served on checkered tablecloths by waiters who’ve probably seen it all twice.

7. Prince Street Pizza (SoHo)

Those little pepperoni cups at Prince Street Pizza aren’t just cute—they’re flavor grenades that explode with spicy, greasy goodness in your mouth. Their famous square slices feature pepperoni that curls up during baking, creating crispy edges and tiny pools of seasoned oil that somehow taste like pure joy. It’s messy, it’s bold, and it’s absolutely worth the inevitable napkin pile.

Located in SoHo, this spot attracts a mix of fashion models and construction workers, all equally powerless against the pepperoni’s siren call. The thick Sicilian base provides the perfect foundation for all that spicy action happening on top.

I’ve watched grown adults weep with happiness over these squares, and I’m not ashamed to say I’ve been one of them.

8. Rubirosa (Nolita)

Rubirosa took Italian tradition, gave it a New York makeover, and created something beautifully weird: the tie-dye pizza. Swirls of bright green pesto and pink vodka sauce create a psychedelic masterpiece that tastes even better than it looks. This Nolita hotspot buzzes with energy, blending old-school Italian hospitality with downtown cool in a way that somehow just works.

The thin crust provides the perfect canvas for this saucy artwork, and each bite offers a different flavor combination depending on which swirl you hit. My friend once ordered it for Instagram purposes and ended up ordering two more because it’s genuinely delicious, not just photogenic.

It’s proof that respecting tradition doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with it, especially on a Friday night.