9 New York Pizza Spots Only Locals Know By Name & 9 That Regularly Impress Tourists
New York City’s pizza scene offers options ranging from hidden neighborhood gems to world-famous institutions.
While tourists flock to the Instagram-famous spots with lines around the block, true New Yorkers have their own sacred pizza haunts they guard jealously.
Let’s explore both worlds – the secret local favorites and the tourist magnets that actually live up to their hype.
1. L’Industrie Pizzeria (Williamsburg & West Village)
Hidden in plain sight, L’Industrie creates slices that make pizza purists weak at the knees. The dough ferments for 72 hours, resulting in a perfect chewy-yet-crisp crust that locals line up for without complaint.
Their fig-jam-and-bacon slice has developed a cult following among Brooklynites, while their classic margherita reminds everyone why simple can be extraordinary.
Cash-only until recently, this spot remains refreshingly unpretentious despite its growing reputation.
2. Scarr’s Pizza (Lower East Side)
Scarr’s doesn’t just make pizza – they mill their own flour in-house. This obsessive attention to ingredients creates a slice that tastes like a revelation compared to corner pizzerias.
The retro wood-paneled interior feels like a 1970s time capsule, complete with vintage Budweiser signs. Locals crowd around the handful of tables, devouring square slices with perfectly crispy edges and airy centers.
Their vegan options aren’t an afterthought either – they’re legitimately delicious enough to convert carnivores.
3. Louie & Ernie’s Pizza (Bronx – Schuylerville)
When Bronx natives talk pizza, Louie & Ernie’s inevitably enters the conversation. This unassuming house-turned-pizzeria has been slinging pies since 1947 from a residential street most tourists will never visit.
I still remember my first bite of their sausage pie – the fennel-flecked meat comes from the butcher shop down the street.
Their white pizza, smothered with ricotta, mozzarella, and garlic, has ruined lesser versions for me forever. Cash-only and no-frills, it embodies authentic borough pride.
4. Ace’s Pizza (Williamsburg)
Detroit-style pizza in Brooklyn? Ace’s makes it work with rectangles of focaccia-like dough crowned with Wisconsin brick cheese that caramelizes into crispy edges locals call ‘frico.’ The tiny shop barely fits five people, but regulars don’t mind the squeeze.
Their ‘Vodka Meatball’ pie combines vodka sauce with fresh basil and dollops of fresh mozzarella that melt into creamy pools.
Weekend specials sell out within hours, prompting neighborhood pizza fiends to set alarms for the online pre-order window.
5. Bar 314 (Morningside Heights)
Columbia University students guard this neighborhood secret fiercely. While tourists crowd downtown pizzerias, locals enjoy Bar 314’s Neapolitan-style pies without the hassle. Their hot honey drizzle transforms the already excellent pepperoni pizza into something transcendent.
The crust bubbles with perfect leopard spotting – charred in spots but never burnt. I celebrated finishing my master’s thesis here, demolishing an entire ‘Bee Sting’ pie with spicy soppressata and that addictive honey.
The bartenders remember regulars’ orders after just one visit.
6. Mama’s Too (Upper West Side)
Mama’s Too flipped the script on Upper West Side pizza when it opened in 2017. Unlike the area’s traditional slice joints, these squares feature impossibly light dough that rises for days.
The crust’s underside displays a gorgeous honeycomb structure that bread bakers dream about. Their house special with caramelized onions, crumbled sausage, and pecorino creates flavor explosions in every bite.
Weekend mornings bring another treat – their pizza-dough cinnamon buns sell out faster than most people hit snooze.
7. NY Pizza Suprema (Midtown)
Midtown might seem like tourist territory, but Pizza Suprema has fed knowing locals since 1964. Steps from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, this joint serves slices that make commuters miss their trains willingly.
The upside-down slice – sauce on top of cheese – prevents the dreaded soggy center. Their sauce recipe remains unchanged for decades, striking the perfect balance between sweet and tangy.
Even at midnight after a concert or game, quality never wavers. The line moves efficiently thanks to no-nonsense counter staff.
8. Rizzo’s Fine Pizza (Astoria & Lower East Side)
Rizzo’s has been crafting their signature thin-crust Sicilian squares since 1959. Unlike typical thick Sicilian slices, these paradoxically combine a whisper-thin base with a light, airy edge.
The original Astoria location maintains its old-school charm with vintage signage and no-frills service. Their classic slice features a distinctive sauce-to-cheese ratio – neat rectangles of mozzarella floating on vibrant tomato sauce.
Neighborhood old-timers and young families alike pack the small dining room, united by appreciation for pizza perfection.
9. Joe & Pat’s (Staten Island)
Staten Islanders make the pilgrimage to Joe & Pat’s for whisper-thin crusts that somehow support generous toppings without collapsing. Operating since 1960, it remains worth the ferry ride that most tourists never take.
Their vodka pie has achieved legendary status, with the perfect sauce-to-cheese ratio that never becomes soupy. The pepperoni curls into crispy cups that collect tiny pools of spicy oil.
Family recipes passed through generations ensure consistency that keeps locals coming back weekly for their pizza fix.
10. Una Pizza Napoletana (Lower East Side)
Recently crowned “best pizzeria in the world,” Una Pizza attracts international pizza pilgrims. Owner Anthony Mangieri performs pizza ballet, stretching dough with monk-like concentration before sliding it into a 900-degree wood-fired oven.
The marinara pizza demonstrates minimalist perfection – San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and olive oil on a chewy-yet-crisp crust with leopard-spotted edges. No substitutions or modifications allowed – this is pizza as religious experience.
Tourists happily endure long waits and premium prices for this transcendent Neapolitan masterpiece.
11. John’s of Bleecker Street (Greenwich Village)
Coal-fired ovens are increasingly rare in New York, but John’s continues the tradition that began in 1929. The intense heat creates a distinctive char that tourists photograph almost as much as they eat.
Whole pies only – no slices – emerge from the ancient ovens with bubbling cheese and slightly smoky flavor. The dining room’s worn wooden booths display decades of carved initials from visitors worldwide.
My first apartment in the city was six blocks away, and I still dream about their sausage and onion pie with extra-crispy edges.
12. Lucali (Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn)
Celebrities and civilians alike brave hours-long waits for Mark Iacono’s candlelit pizza paradise. The BYOB policy creates a festive atmosphere as groups clutch wine bottles while waiting for their names to be called.
Watching Iacono roll dough with a wine bottle instead of a traditional rolling pin is part of the show. The massive pies feature a paper-thin crust that somehow remains structurally sound under fresh basil and creamy buffalo mozzarella.
Smart tourists arrive by 4pm to put their names on the list for dinner.
13. Chrissy’s Pizza (Greenpoint, Brooklyn)
Social media catapulted Chrissy’s from neighborhood spot to international sensation. Founder Chris Hansell ferments his dough for over 50 hours, creating an airy, flavorful crust that visitors document extensively for their followers.
The classic round pies showcase restraint – just enough sauce and cheese to complement rather than overwhelm the crust. The pepperoni cups crisp perfectly, creating tiny pools of spicy oil.
Smartphone-wielding tourists now mingle with locals in a line that forms well before opening time, especially on weekends.
14. Joe’s Pizza (Greenwich Village & Multiple Locations)
When visitors ask for “a real New York slice,” locals point them to Joe’s. Since 1975, this corner institution has represented the quintessential folded, portable pizza experience that tourists crave.
The beauty lies in consistency – perfectly balanced sauce-to-cheese ratio, crust with appropriate crispness, and slices always reheated to order.
No gimmicks or trendy toppings needed when you’ve perfected the basics. Countless movies and TV shows have featured Joe’s, cementing its status as the slice tourists must try before leaving town.
15. L&B Spumoni Gardens (Gravesend, Brooklyn)
Three generations of the same family have been serving Sicilian squares from this Brooklyn institution since 1939. The unique upside-down approach – cheese first, then sauce – creates a distinctive experience visitors travel miles to taste.
The outdoor tables fill with families during summer evenings. Everyone orders the same thing: square slices and cups of the namesake spumoni ice cream for dessert.
Last summer, I brought visiting friends here after a Coney Island beach day. Their expressions after the first bite confirmed why L&B remains special after all these decades.
16. Patsy’s Pizzeria (East Harlem)
Patsy’s coal-fired oven has been turning out thin-crust pizzas since 1933, making it one of the city’s oldest continuously operating pizzerias. Frank Sinatra’s favorite pizza spot still maintains its old-world charm despite changing neighborhoods.
The paper-thin crust emerges blistered and slightly smoky from the intensely hot oven. Their classic pie needs nothing more than tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil to achieve perfection.
History buffs appreciate that Patsy’s was among the first to sell pizza by the slice, revolutionizing how New Yorkers eat.
17. Prince Street Pizza (SoHo)
The Spicy Spring square has become NYC’s most Instagrammed slice. Crispy-edged dough cradles tangy sauce and the signature topping – concave pepperoni cups that crisp into spicy oil pools during baking.
Located in trendy SoHo, the tiny storefront generates lines that snake down the block. Tourists clutch their red-stained paper plates while posing for the perfect pizza selfie. Despite the hype, the quality justifies the wait.
Each square delivers a perfect textural contrast between crispy bottom, fluffy interior, and those magical pepperoni cups.
18. Totonno’s Pizzeria Napolitano (Coney Island)
Pizza pilgrims journey to this Coney Island landmark that’s been operating since 1924. Founded by Antonio Totonno Pero, who learned his craft at Lombardi’s (NYC’s first pizzeria), the coal-fired tradition continues virtually unchanged.
The sparse dining room features checkered tablecloths and cash-only signs. Whole pies emerge with slightly charred edges and minimal toppings – the mark of confidence in fundamentals.
After surviving fires and Hurricane Sandy, Totonno’s resilience adds to its mystique. Visitors often combine their pizza pilgrimage with a stroll on the nearby boardwalk.