Emma KM

The Italian Dream: 5 Spots to Eat Pizza in New York

What things do you associate with New York? Many people will say that this is the Statue of Liberty, the yellow taxi or the Brooklyn Bridge. Well, and what about pizza? New York pizza is known all over the world. New Yorkers even insist that it’s thinner and tastier than pizza cooked in Italy. In New York, this traditional Italian dish is prepared in the form of a huge pie, which is served either in slices or wholly.

Today, New York features more than 400 pizzerias, not counting all the restaurants that have pizza in the menu. However, not all of them deserve your attention. Let’s get acquainted with the best pizzerias in New York. According to the residents of the city, you should definitely pick up Alamo car rental in New York and visit at least one of the following restaurants…

Grimaldi’s

As reported by the owners of this restaurant, the skill of cooking pizza on coals is a fading art. This is the skill that Grimaldi’s chefs are proud of. Its pizza has a light smoked flavor and the finest crust, which is simply impossible to achieve by baking the dough in a gas or electric oven. This high quality-product is achieved through the use of coal from Pennsylvania, which features the highest quality on the planet.

About 150 kg of coal are burned in the restaurant every day, which makes it possible to heat the oven up to 650°С. The result is satisfied smiles on the face and great guests’ reviews. Not surprisingly, the queues at the restaurant begin to form long before the opening!

Address: 1 Front St, Brooklyn, NY

 

Di Fara

According to Zagat rating, Di Fara for the past eight years is among the best establishments in the list of New York pizzerias. The restaurant owner comes from an Italian family of bakers and pizza-makers, and he even won the title of “rock star” among local fans. He cooks pizza for visitors of the restaurant, and on those rare days when he leaves pizzeria for business needs, the establishment is simply closed.

(photo by John Penny)

All restaurant recipes are based on family traditions that are passed down from generation to generation and are kept in the strictest secrecy. The ingredients are imported from Italy itself, which provides a unique authentic taste of the finished product.

When ordering a whole pizza at Di Fara, you will be given the choice between a round and square shape, which is $4 more expensive. Remember that there’s no menu in the restaurant. All pizza is automatically served as plain – a combination of cheese and tomato sauce. If you want something more interesting, then you have to choose the desired filling for a fee.

Address: 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY

 

Joe and Pat’s

(photo by Adam Goldberg)

This is another establishment in New York, which for more than half a century never ceases to please connoisseurs of good pizza. The decor of the restaurant is made in the Mediterranean style and sets the visitors in a positive mood, as if transferring them to the cozy towns of the Italian coast. The owners and workers of the pizzeria are from the same family and are always happy to support the conversation in both English and Italian. A special feature of Joe and Pat’s is the heart-shaped pizza. This fact emphasizes the chef’s love for this dish. As in Grimaldi’s, in this restaurant you cannot order a single slice – when visiting Joe and Pat’s, get ready to eat the whole pizza. In addition to the delicious pizza menu, the restaurant is rich in traditional salads and hot dishes, giving guests the opportunity to taste other delicacies of Italian cuisine.

Address: 1758 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY

 

Artichoke

(photo by Howard Walfish)

This relatively new pizzeria was opened in 2008 in Manhattan. A menu full of improvisation will surprise you with a juicy broccoli and pecorino cheese sandwich, as well as a culinary intrigue of the restaurant – artichokes stuffed with cheese. This delicacy is also served in combination with spinach. Or maybe you prefer the crab stuffing or pizza with meatballs and parmesan? In any case, get prepared for long queues, as the place is very popular. This is probably the only drawback of the restaurant. Well, if you don’t want to spend time in the queue, come there at 3 o’clock in the morning or order home delivery – the restaurant works and delivers 24 hours a day!

Address: 114 10th Ave, New York, NY

 

Lucali

(photo by Adam Kuban)

The history of the creation of this pizzeria has a romantic touch. Its owner and chef, Mark Yokano, wanted to save his favorite childhood pastry shop from chain restaurants. Therefore, he decided to buy the room by opening an independent restaurant in it. Mark had to spend days and nights without a break, mastering the skill of cooking the finest dough in a traditional wood-burning stove. However, his efforts paid off. Lucali instantly won the hearts of the locals and became famous for its extraordinary pizza for the whole of New York. In the interior of the pizzeria the central place is occupied by the chef’s desk, on which this cherished dish is prepared.

When visiting Lucali for lunch or dinner, you can taste either the traditional pie, or calzone. You won’t find any other types of pizza or dishes there. In addition, all fillings are offered separately.

Address: 575 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY