10 New York Food Rivalries Locals Still Debate (But Outsiders Never Understand)
New York has a way of turning even the smallest food choices into epic battles.
Pizza slice or whole pie, cream cheese or butter on a bagel, pastrami or corned beef piled high on rye – the debates never end.
Outsiders might shrug at these arguments, but for locals, they’re a matter of pride, tradition, and identity.
These rivalries aren’t just about what tastes better, they’re about who you are and where your loyalties lie.
1. Di Fara Pizza vs Lucali
Brooklynites have drawn battle lines over pizza supremacy for decades.
In one corner stands Di Fara, where Dom DeMarco personally crafted each pie until his passing in 2022, meticulously snipping fresh basil with scissors over bubbling cheese.
Lucali counters with Mark Iacono’s candlelit charm and wood-fired perfection that regularly attracts celebrities willing to endure multi-hour waits.
The rivalry represents old-school craftsmanship against new-wave artisanal approaches.
2. Joe’s Pizza vs Scarr’s Pizza
Nothing ignites Manhattan pizza purists like the Joe’s versus Scarr’s debate.
Joe’s Pizza, a Greenwich Village institution since 1975, represents the quintessential New York slice – thin, foldable, and devoured while standing.
Scarr’s arrived in 2016 with a revolutionary approach: house-milled organic flour and a retro 1970s aesthetic that appeals to the new guard.
Veterans swear Joe’s consistency can’t be topped, while younger crowds insist Scarr’s ingredient-focused approach represents pizza evolution.
3. L&B Spumoni Gardens vs Prince Street Pizza
Square slice supremacy remains hotly contested between Brooklyn’s L&B Spumoni Gardens and Manhattan’s Prince Street Pizza.
L&B’s Sicilian-style squares feature sauce layered ON TOP of the cheese, creating a unique texture that’s been drawing crowds to Gravesend since 1939.
Prince Street’s newer but equally beloved Soho squares come topped with spicy pepperoni cups that crisp and curl into little grease chalices.
The debate centers on tradition versus innovation, outer borough pride against Manhattan flash.
4. Katz’s Delicatessen vs 2nd Ave Deli
Pastrami wars have raged between these Jewish deli titans since your grandpa was in knickers.
Katz’s embraces its touristy Lower East Side fame with theatrical counter service and those massive, hand-carved mountains of meat.
The relocated 2nd Ave Deli maintains a more neighborhood feel despite no longer being on Second Avenue.
Locals argue endlessly about which spot has juicier pastrami, more authentic matzo ball soup, and whether celebrity endorsements have compromised Katz’s once-unimpeachable quality.
5. Russ & Daughters vs Barney Greengrass
Smoked fish fanatics have long drawn borough battle lines between Lower East Side’s Russ & Daughters and Upper West Side’s Barney Greengrass.
R&D’s gleaming counter service and picture-perfect bagel sandwiches represent downtown precision.
Barney Greengrass (the “Sturgeon King”) counters with old-world charm and sit-down scrambled eggs with lox that have fed generations.
Your allegiance typically reveals not just taste preferences but your entire Manhattan identity. Downtown cool kids swear by Russ, while uptown traditionalists remain loyal to Barney.
6. Peter Luger Steak House vs Keens Steakhouse
Carnivorous New Yorkers have been taking sides in the Peter Luger versus Keens showdown since before the Brooklyn Bridge was finished.
Williamsburg’s Luger built its reputation on butter-sizzling porterhouses served by gruff waiters in a beer hall atmosphere.
Midtown’s Keens counters with its ceiling of clay pipes, mutton chops, and more refined service.
The rivalry transcends mere steak quality to represent broader cultural divides: outer borough authenticity against Manhattan sophistication, cash-only simplicity versus corporate card accessibility.
7. Junior’s Restaurant & Bakery vs Eileen’s Special Cheesecake
Cheesecake connoisseurs face an impossible choice between Junior’s dense, creamy Brooklyn classic and Eileen’s lighter, fluffier SoHo version.
Junior’s orange-and-stainless-steel diner aesthetic has served slices the size of your face since 1950.
Eileen’s tiny SoHo shop offers a more delicate approach with individual-sized cakes that somehow pack equal flavor punch.
The debate extends beyond texture preferences to philosophical questions about what cheesecake should be. Is it a substantial meal-ender or a refined sweet? New Yorkers will fight you over their answer.
8. Nathan’s Famous (Coney Island) vs Gray’s Papaya
Hot dog loyalties divide New Yorkers geographically and philosophically.
Coney Island’s Nathan’s Famous has been serving boardwalk beef since 1916, with snappy-skinned dogs that taste like summer memories and ocean air.
Manhattan’s Gray’s Papaya offers a completely different experience: late-night “recession specials” with papaya drinks have saved countless nightlife warriors from hunger.
The rivalry represents beach day traditions against nocturnal city energy. Your preference reveals whether you’re an outer borough nostalgist or Manhattan night owl.
9. J.G. Melon vs Minetta Tavern
Burger battles rage between Upper East Side’s cash-only J.G. Melon and Greenwich Village’s upscale Minetta Tavern.
Melon’s cottage-cheese walls and watermelon decor have framed no-frills burgers since 1972, served on paper plates with cottage fries.
Minetta’s Black Label burger, meanwhile, features dry-aged beef cuts in a reservation-required bistro setting.
Old-school New Yorkers defend Melon’s simplicity and accessibility, while gastronomes insist Minetta’s carefully sourced beef blend justifies both the price tag and the month-ahead reservation hustle.
10. John’s Deli (Stillwell Ave) vs Roll-N-Roaster
Southern Brooklyn’s roast beef sandwich showdown has passionate defenders on both sides.
John’s Deli in Gravesend serves legendary “roast beef heroes” drowning in brown gravy so rich it requires structural engineering to prevent total bread collapse.
Sheepshead Bay’s Roll-N-Roaster counters with thinly-sliced roast beef on freshly baked rolls with a side of cheez (yes, with a Z).
The rivalry divides families and neighborhoods, with decades-old arguments about gravy consistency, meat tenderness, and whether cheese belongs on a proper roast beef sandwich.