Pizza has long been a fave of on-the-go New Yorkers. It’s divinely delicious and handheld. But when it comes to the best pizza in NYC, some neighborhoods are more delectable than others. Arthur Bovino, who runs foodie-favorite Instagram account @nycbestpizza, explains the key element to identifying a pizza neighborhood: “A pizza neighborhood’s a place that I wouldn’t need to leave for great pizza,” says the East Village resident. “That would mean at least one great spot, and then a couple other good or fun ones. I like the Williamsburg and Greenpoint area — I’d consider moving there to have L’Industrie as my local place. With a Joe’s outpost also nearby, plus Best and Paulie Gee’s, you’ve got good options.”
We followed our noses to neighborhoods with some of the best pizza in NYC. Here’s our list, complete with the median rental and sales prices for each area, and the best places to stop in for a slice.
Table of Contents
Harlem Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below
East Harlem
2156 Second Avenue
$2,375No Fee
2|
1
East Harlem
411 East 118th Street
$2,100No Fee
1|
1
South Harlem
234 West 123rd Street
$2,700No Fee
1|
1
East Harlem
1796 Third Avenue
$2,250No Fee
Studio|
1
East Harlem
164 East 107th Street
$2,295No Fee
1|
1
South Harlem
132 West 112nd Street
$2,817No Fee
2|
1
South Harlem
2082 Frederick Douglas Boulevard
$2,595No Fee
1|
1
South Harlem
60 West 125th Street
$2,900No Fee
1|
1
South Harlem
2054 Adam C Powell Boulevard
$2,800No Fee
2|
1
Central Harlem
211 West 146th Street
$1,895No Fee
Studio|
1
East Harlem
402 East 118th Street
$2,766No Fee
1|
1
East Harlem
112 East 116th Street
$2,750No Fee
2|
1
Best Pizza in NYC: East Harlem in Manhattan, Patsy’s Pizzeria
They don’t call Patsy’s Pizzeria a “pizza dynasty” for nothing. Founded in 1933, this coal-oven joint was reportedly the first ever to start selling pizza by the slice, and New Yorkers couldn’t be more grateful. (Proof it’s old-school good: Frank Sinatra was a fan of this place). A few blocks west, Sam’s Famous Pizzeria specializes in surprising toppings. This is the place to try a gyro pie or even a Nutella pie! In addition, the brick apartment buildings on the surrounding blocks are home to a plethora of affordable apartments in NYC. Many are super-convenient to Central Park and Museum Mile if historic pizza isn’t enough culture for you.
- Median Asking Rent: $2,275 as of November 2021.
- Median Sales Asking Price: $720K as of November 2021.
- Subway Info: The 4, 5, and 6 trains can deposit you in Midtown in 30 minutes (or less, if you catch the express).
Downtown Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below
East Village
608 East 9th Street
$2,999No Fee
1|
1
East Village
515 East 6th Street
$2,850No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
190 Orchard Street
$2,995No Fee
2|
1
Gramercy Park
341 First Avenue
$2,795No Fee
Studio|
1
East Village
155 Second Avenue
$3,000No Fee
1|
1
East Village
542 East 11th Street
$2,450No Fee
Studio|
1
East Village
517 East 5th Street
$2,700No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
123 Ludlow Street
$2,595No Fee
2|
1
East Village
94 Third Avenue
$2,825No Fee
Studio|
1
East Village
516 East 5th Street
$2,675No Fee
1|
1
West Village
29 Jones Street
$2,850No Fee
Studio|
1
Soho
148 Sullivan Street
$2,775No Fee
1|
1
Best Pizza in NYC: Nolita in Manhattan, Lombardi’s
New York’s obsession with pizza makes perfect sense. After all, the first pizzeria in the nation was reportedly born here — at Lombardi’s, founded by Naples expat Gennaro Lombardi back in 1905. The place is still thoroughly old school, with a whisper of char on their coal-oven-baked crusts. There are just a handful of truly unforgettable topping options, including their worth-the-wait famous clam pie. (It boasts Romano cheese, parsley, garlic, and some three dozen fresh-shucked clams — lemon on the side.) Nolita itself is just as palatable, with cinematic streets and jaw-dropping architecture. You may recognize the 1885 Puck Building — built in Romanesque Revival style, complete with a golden Puck statue — from the sitcom “Will & Grace.” And the nearby beaux-arts Police Building had a star turn in Martin Scorsese’s film “Gangs of New York.”
- Median Asking Rent: $3,695 as of November 2021.
- Median Sales Asking Price: $7.2M as of November 2021.
- Subway Info: The Broadway–Lafayette Street station is home to four lines: B, D, F and M. Hop on the D here and you’ll be in Times Square in 11 minutes.
Astoria Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below
Ditmars-Steinway
23-11 37th Street
$2,350No Fee
1|
1
Astoria
30-64 21st Street
$1,600No Fee
1|
1
Astoria
31-18 35th Street
$2,125No Fee
1|
1
Ditmars-Steinway
23-90 29th Street
$1,800No Fee
1|
1
Astoria
30-15 33rd Street
$2,695No Fee
1|
1
Astoria
25-35 18th Street
$2,200No Fee
Studio|
1
Astoria
12-15 31 Drive
$2,800No Fee
2|
1
Ditmars-Steinway
24-08 33rd Street
$3,000No Fee
2|
1
Ditmars-Steinway
74-11 Ditmars Boulevard
$1,875No Fee
1|
1
Astoria
11-15 Broadway
$2,850No Fee
1|
1
Ditmars-Steinway
21-12 33rd Street
$2,700No Fee
1|
1
Astoria, Queens: Basil Brick Oven Pizza
That’s right, Astoria! “No matter where in Astoria you live, you’re bound to have a favorite neighborhood pizzeria,” says Mevy F. Rim, a broker with Modern Spaces. “My personal favorite is Alba’s on Ditmars Boulevard. Aside from being just a delicious slice of pizza, it brings back so many fun childhood memories.” Other area faves? Rose & Joe’s Italian Bakery, where broker George Halvatzis of Halvatzis Realty often stops in for a Sicilian slice. (Heads up: They also stuff their cannoli fresh upon your order!) At Basil Brick Oven Pizza, the addictive pies emerge from a 900-degree wood-burning oven. Try the Pizzucca, with herbed pumpkin-walnut sauce, pancetta, basil, mozzarella, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Astoria locals love that they can walk off their pizza indulgences in the 60-acre Astoria Park, where you’ll find an Olympic-size pool and one of the most postcard-worthy panoramas in the outer boroughs.
- Median Asking Rent: $2,200 as of November 2021.
- Median Sales Asking Price: $817,200 as of November 2021.
- Subway Info: The N and W trains beeline to this part of Queens and can take you to the East side of Manhattan in 15 minutes. (As the saying goes here, “Fifteen minutes to Bloomingdale’s.”) The M60 bus also stops here — and then heads to Laguardia Airport.
Bensonhurst Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below
Bensonhurst
2048 66th Street
$2,299No Fee
3|
1
Bensonhurst
8002 21st Avenue
$2,175No Fee
1|
1
Bensonhurst
1365 West 7th Street
$1,926No Fee
1|
1
Bensonhurst
79 Avenue O
$2,495No Fee
2|
1
Bensonhurst
69 Avenue O
$2,495No Fee
2|
1
Bensonhurst
1315 West 7th Street
$1,549No Fee
1|
1
Bensonhurst
6801 Bay Parkway
$2,100No Fee
1|
1
Bensonhurst
7402 Bay Parkway
$2,200No Fee
1|
1
Bensonhurst, Brooklyn: L&B Spumoni Gardens
In 1938, an Italian immigrant with six kids to support sold pizza most unexpectedly: hawking it from a horse-drawn wagon. The horse, Babe, carried the pizza wagon through the streets of Bensonhurst and Gravesend, Brooklyn. Now, the L&B Spumoni Gardens family’s fourth generation is running its brick-and-mortar empire. Don’t miss their “World Famous L&B Sicilian Pie,” with the crispy crust of your dreams. And end your meal with a scoop of spumoni, an Italian ice cream made using the founder’s own recipe. It’s so delish they named the place after it! You’ll find great and relatively affordable NYC apartments throughout Bensonhurst, including 1920s brick buildings with leafy inner courtyards.
- Median Rent: $1,699 as of November 2021.
- Median Sales Asking Price: $1.4M for the same time period.
- Subway Info: The D train will get you to midtown in about 55 minutes.
Staten Island Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below
Grasmere
130 Fayette Avenue
$1,400No Fee
Studio|
1
Saint George
30 Daniel Low Terrace
$2,198No Fee
2|
1
Tompkinsville
11 Pine Street
$2,950No Fee
3|
1
New Springville
106 Shiloh Street
$2,999No Fee
3|
1
South Beach
31 Jackson Avenue
$2,399No Fee
2|
1
Saint George
5 Stuyvesant Place
$2,700No Fee
1|
1
Dongan Hills
192 Raritan Avenue
$3,000No Fee
3|
1
Saint George
4 Nicholas Street
$2,300No Fee
2|
1
Westerleigh
212 Manor Road
$2,600No Fee
3|
1.5
Stapleton
8 Navy Pier Court
$2,255No Fee
Studio|
1
Stapleton
7 Navy Pier Court
$2,395No Fee
Studio|
1
Staten Island: Joe & Pat’s
Often the “forgotten borough,” Staten Island boasts a unique housing stock, and lots of great restaurants to boot. There’s a 1,778-acre Greenbelt with myriad hiking trails, and most of the island offers great value with a small-town feel. And, of course, drool-inducing pizza options. Joe & Pat’s Pizzeria & Restaurant serves an ultra-thin-crust pie that’s been downright legendary since 1960. Over at Lee’s Tavern, the Italian shredded pork pizza is beloved. (Another must: breadcrumb-stuffed marinated artichokes.)
- Median Asking Rent: $2,000 as of November 2021.
- Median Sales Asking Price: $692,500 for the same time period.
- Subway Info: There are no subways to Manhattan from Staten Island. But the Staten Island Ferry can get you to Whitehall Terminal at the foot of Manhattan in 25 minutes. (And it’s famously free!)
Bushwick Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below
Bushwick
1428 De Kalb Avenue
$2,995No Fee
2|
1
Bushwick
141 Woodbine Street
$2,500No Fee
Bushwick
86 Grove Street
$2,538No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
318 Knickerbocker Avenue
$2,900No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
783 Knickerbocker Avenue
$2,650No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
783 Knickerbocker Avenue
$2,699No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
16 Charles Place
$2,800No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
589 Knickerbocker Avenue
$2,649No Fee
Studio|
1
Bushwick
18 Irving Avenue
$2,500No Fee
2|
1
Bushwick
1040 Jefferson Avenue
$2,800No Fee
2|
1
Bushwick
72 Himrod Street
$2,795No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
24 Lawton Street
$2,070No Fee
Studio|
1
Bushwick, Brooklyn: Roberta’s
Everyone from Bill and Hillary Clinton to Marnie on HBO’s “Girls” (also known as actress Allison Williams) has eaten at Roberta’s. It’s arguably home to the best pizza in NYC. Sam Sifton, Food Editor of the New York Times, deemed its pies “marvelous things.” We love their inventive combinations, like the Bee Sting, with mozzarella, tomato, soppressata, chile, basil, and drizzles of honey. And don’t forget dessert (try the geranium mascarpone gelato). The surrounding neighborhood, Bushwick, is an affordable place for renters with lofts built into former warehouses, plus sundry two-family clapboard and limestone homes.
- Median Rent: $2,800 as of November 2021.
- Median Sales Asking Price: $1.1 million for the same time period.
- Subway Info: If you head to the L it will take you to Midtown in about 30 minutes, but buses may get you where you’re headed faster.
Lower East Side Rentals Under $3,100 on StreetEasy Article continues below
Lower East Side
190 Orchard Street
$2,995No Fee
2|
1
Lower East Side
123 Ludlow Street
$2,595No Fee
2|
1
Lower East Side
161 Rivington Street
$2,695No Fee
1|
1
Lower East Side
161 Rivington Street
$2,695No Fee
1|
1
Lower East Side
165 Attorney Street
$2,495No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
203 Chrystie Street
$2,799No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
155 Chrystie Street
$3,100No Fee
2|
1
Lower East Side
154 Orchard Street
$2,475No Fee
Studio|
1
Two Bridges
17 Catherine Street
$2,800No Fee
2|
1
Lower East Side
199 Orchard Street
$2,300No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
57 Clinton Street
$2,795No Fee
1|
1
Lower East Side
166 Suffolk Street
$2,350No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side, Manhattan: Scarr’s Pizza
If you believe that beauty is in the details, Scarr’s Pizza may be your definition of the best pizza in NYC. Why? Scarr’s churns out pies with practically Michelin-level chef skills within their standard-issue storefront, complete with a neon beer sign. That includes stone-milling their own grains right on-site. Choices include everything from the Hotboi Original Pie, with beef pepperoni, jalapenos, and Mike’s Extra Hot Honey, to a vegan pie topped with NUMU vegan cheese. Their co*cktails alone — like the guava margarita — are worth moving to the neighborhood for. The area is chockablock with history, too. Former tenement buildings still have their century-old architectural flourishes, like rounded windows and Italianate friezes and cornices.
- Median Rent: $3,595 as of November 2021.
- Median Sales Asking Price: $1.1 million as of November 2021.
- Subway Info: Here, the F train is your friend. And the D will get you to Times Square in 25 minutes flat.
Greenwich Village Rentals Under $3,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below
Greenwich Village
120 Mac Dougal Street
$3,100No Fee
1|
1
Greenwich Village
25 West 13th Street
$3,500No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
120 West 3rd Street
$2,750No Fee
1|
1
Greenwich Village
220 Sullivan Street
$3,395No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
220 Sullivan Street
$3,495No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
211 Thompson Street
$3,495No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
203 Bleecker Street
$3,100No Fee
1|
1
Noho
306 Mott Street
$2,800No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
68 West 10th Street
$2,800No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
1 University Place
$3,395No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
176 Thompson Street
$3,350No Fee
1|
1
Greenwich Village
224 Sullivan Street
$2,995No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village, Manhattan: Arturo’s
Arturo’s opened in Greenwich Village in 1957, and we can’t help but imagine young Bob Dylan, Count Basie, and Jackson Pollock stopping in for a slice to fuel their artful endeavors. It certainly ranks among the best pizza in NYC, in part because of what it’s not: trying too hard. Neighbors are willing to wait in line for their simple coal-oven pies with traditional toppings (anchovies with mozzarella; a sauceless sausage-and-onion “bianca”) and a heaping portion of live jazz. Even better? Knowing the timeless romance of Greenwich Village is right outside your door. Where else do Federal-style townhomes from the 1700s mingle with night-owl haunts like the subterranean Comedy Cellar? (Big names like Dave Chappelle and Colin Quinn often pop in to do a set.)
- Median Asking Rent: $4,250 as of November 2021.
- Median Sales Asking Price: $1.8M for the same time period.
- Subway Info: There’s a veritable alphabet of choices at West 4th Street: A, B, C, D, E, F, and M.
Upper West Side Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below
Upper West Side
309 West 107th Street
$2,800No Fee
Studio|
1
Manhattan Valley
82 West 105th Street
$2,645No Fee
1|
1
Manhattan Valley
82 West 105th Street
$2,395No Fee
Studio|
1
Manhattan Valley
57 West 105th Street
$2,400No Fee
1|
1
Upper West Side
123 West 92nd Street
$3,000No Fee
Studio|
2
Manhattan Valley
28 West 105th Street
$2,600No Fee
Studio|
1
Manhattan Valley
229 West 109th Street
$2,047No Fee
1|
1
Upper West Side
248 West 105th Street
$2,900No Fee
1|
1
Lincoln Square
17 West 64th Street
$3,000No Fee
Studio|
1
Lincoln Square
71 West 71st Street
$2,250No Fee
Studio|
1
Upper West Side
325 West 89th Street
$2,450No Fee
1|
1
Manhattan Valley
852 Amsterdam Avenue
$3,000No Fee
1|
1
West Harlem, Manhattan: Harlem Pizza Co.
“Bono Trattoria’s wood-fired oven makes the perfect thin crust, with not too much sauce or too much cheese,” says Kimberly T. Hastie, a broker with Brown Harris Stevens. “One of the best restaurants Harlem has to offer, in my view!” But it’s not the only one. The neighborhood is home to multiple spots that lay claim to the best pizza in NYC, including the family-style offerings at Harlem Pizza Co. They use seasonal and local produce for their show-stopping pies. Try the Ooey Goey (with burrata, pecorino, and white truffle oil) and the Hangover (sweet fennel sausage, broccoli rabe, taleggio, pecorino, and basil). Bonus: this corner of Harlem has tons of great apartments, too. Many are tucked into the area’s trademark architecture: Italianate and Gothic-era brownstones and rowhouses. It’s no wonder history buffs love the neighborhood as well. You can pay your respects to General Ulysses S. Grant at his tomb in Riverside Park. And definitely stop in at Alexander Hamilton’s own 1802 house, Hamilton Grange, now a National Memorial with free admission.
- Median Asking Rent: $2,400 as of November 2021.
- Median Sales Asking Price: $489,500 in the same time period.
- Subway Info: Hop on the 1 train here and you’ll be at Columbus Circle in just 25 minutes. Ditto for the A and C trains.
Bronx Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below
Fordham
219 East 196th Street
$1,500No Fee
1|
1
Belmont
669 East 183rd Street
$2,000No Fee
2|
1
North New York
474 East 141st Street
$1,800No Fee
1|
1
Pelham Parkway
2120 Cruger Avenue
$1,875No Fee
1|
1
Bronxwood
2901 Matthews Avenue
$1,700No Fee
1|
1
Morris Park
1575 Williamsbridge Road
$1,875No Fee
1|
1
Norwood
3230 Steuben Avenue
$2,195No Fee
1|
1
Norwood
3539 Decatur Avenue
$1,951No Fee
1|
1
Bedford Park
3175 Grand Concourse
$2,095No Fee
1|
1
Mott Haven
224 East 135th Street
$2,459No Fee
1|
1
Concourse
1049 Grand Concourse
$1,765No Fee
2|
1
Mott Haven
310 Grandconcourse
$2,415No Fee
1|
1
Arthur Avenue, Bronx: Zero Otto Nove
Let the tourist throngs descend on Little Italy. Real New Yorkers know Italian delights galore await them in the Bronx on Arthur Avenue. Tuscany-inspired Zero Otto Nove has some of the best pizza in NYC, bar none. On the lineup here? The La Riccardo, topped with butternut squash puree, smoked mozzarella, pancetta, and basil, and the carbo-licious Patate Salsiccia e Provola, with potatoes, sausage, and smoked mozzarella.The surrounding Belmont neighborhood is home to plenty of great housing options, including Tudor-style apartment buildings and row houses. And it’s close to both the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden, which has a completely intact old-growth forest within its 250-acre grounds.
- Median Rent: $2,250 as of November 2021.
- Median Sales Asking Price: $405K in the greater Bronx for the same time period.
- Subway Info: Expect a 50 minutes trip via the D.
More of the Best Pizza in NYC
If none of these neighborhoods sate your cravings, don’t fret! New York City has some 334 pizzerias worthy of checking out, according to Bovino, from Midwood, a very affordable neighborhood for renters and buyers to Yonkers. Should we change our nickname from the Big Apple to the Big Pizza? Food for thought.
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