Our 5 Favorite NYC Pizzerias, By Category

The first step to choosing a great pie in this town is deciding what you're looking for. We can help.

Pizza is to New York City what tacos are to L.A., and the cheesesteak is to Philadelphia. New Yorkers are obsessed with it, and the search for the perfect pie is a rite of passage for any New York native or NYC transplant. One Queens resident has even devoted a good portion of his life to his quest for great pizza, and for that we salute him.

It’s undeniable that pizza is deeply woven into the culinary fabric of this city. Domenico DeMarco opened Di Fara in 1964, after emigrating from the Province of Caserta, Italy. He plied his craft quietly in the neighborhoods before the shop became an international destination for pizza enthusiasts. But NYC slice scene isn’t solely about classic, age-old spots. There are newcomers, famous for their fried pizza or creatively-topped Neapolitan pies, that continue to knock our socks off.

The NYC pizza scene is a complex labyrinth, strewn with transcendent experiences, overhyped disappointments, and a lot impassioned arguments. But one thing we know for sure is: No matter what type of pizza you’re craving, one of these NYC pizzerias is sure to hit the spot.

From classic New York-style slices to Neapolitan pies, here our favorite spots to eat pizza in NYC.

Best NYC Classic: Di Fara

Address and phone: 1424 Avenue J, Midwood, Brooklyn (718-258-1367) Website: difara.com Making the pilgrimage to Midwood for a pie at Di Fara is like visiting a living museum, where the masterpiece on display is septuagenarian pizzaiolo Dom DeMarco. For five decades, he's been hand-making pies behind the shop's counter using only the simplest, most high-quality ingredients: double-zero flour, San Marzano tomatoes, a buffalo mozzarella-parmesan-Gran Padano cheese blend, and a flurry of fresh basil that he lops off with a pair of scissors before serving each pizza. As with all popular things in New York, Di Fara has its detractors, who will tell you that it's not worth the wait (sometimes up to an hour or more), or that Dom has lost his touch. Don't listen to them. He may be getting old and burn a pie here and there, but if he weren't so humble, he might invoke Jay Z and let everyone know the truth: "Your best shit ain't better than my worst shit." Go pay homage, while you still can.

Best Neapolitan Pizza: Paulie Gee's

Address and phone: 60 Greenpoint Ave, Greenpoint, Brooklyn (347-987-3747) Website: pauliegee.com In a city overrun with Neapolitan pizza, Paul "Paulie Gee" Giannone's pies stand out from the pack. A former IT-professional, Giannone turned into a bonafide pizzaiolo after building a small wood-fired oven in his yard and obsessively throwing homemade pizza parties. Five years later, Giannone has what we consider the best Neapolitan-style pizzeria in NYC, and he's planning a massive nationwide expansion in the near future. The Hellboy at Paulie Gee's is a must-order; it features spicy sopressata, fresh mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and chile- and vinegar-spiked honey. The Anise and Anephew, topped with mozz, braised fennel, anisette cream, Berkshire guanciale, and fennel fronds, is another killer combination. And don't leave without trying the gorgonzola, prosciutto, and dried bing cherry number, called Cherry Jones.

Best New York-Style Pizza: Williamsburg Pizza

Address and phone: 265 Union Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-855-8729) * 87 Allen St (212-226-4455) Website: williamsburg-pizza.com Ed Levine of Serious Eats said it best: Pie-man Nino Coniglio’s pizza is “born out of NYC slice tradition at its finest.” Coniglio cooks his pies in a Vera Forno oven until the crust is crisp but tender. The margherita slice here can't be beat—it is topped simply, with nothing but housemade or Grande mozzarella, and canned San Marzano tomatoes strained as the sauce. But don’t shy away from Nino’s more adventurous topping combinations, including a square pie dotted with smoked mozzarella, bacon, creamy gorgonzola, and apples. Williamsburg Pizza may be a newcomer, but it feels like it’s been around forever.

Best Square Slice: Prince Street Pizza

Address and phone: 27 Prince St (212-966-4100) Website: princestpizza.com "No other square can compare," claims Prince Street Pizza, and who are we to argue? The Sicilian slice here—deemed the "Prince Perfection"—is crunchy, chewy, and surprisingly light and airy. It's topped with milky housemade mozzarella and marinara made from (what else?) imported San Marzano tomatoes. Ask Prince Street owner and pizza maestro Frank "Frankie" Morano for the "Spicy Spring" (pictured), and he will slide a Sicilian topped with spicy fra diavolo sauce and curled-up pepperoni along the counter. If you've got some room left, order a grandma square slice—it's thin, crisp, and topped with more of that milky white mozz. Fun fact: Prince Street Pizza is located on the site of the original Ray’s Pizza, first operated by Luchese crime family member Ralph Cuomo.

Best Fried Pizza: Don Antonio

Address and phone: 309 W 50th St (646-719-1043) Website: donantoniopizza.com Fried pizza may sound like some monstrosity from the Texas state fair, but it's actually a little-known Naples speciality—known as montanara—that has spawned a number of New York pizzerias in recent years. The most successful practitioner is Don Antonio, a sit-down restaurant in Hell's Kitchen run by Kesté’s Roberto Caporuscio and his famed Naples-born mentor, Antonio Starita. The dough is flash-fried in oil before being finished in the oven, creating a crust that's puffy and golden, not saturated with grease as you might expect. Tomato sauce, basil, and super-smoky buffalo mozzarella are all it needs to shine. Word to the wise: The other Neapolitan pies here are excellent as well, but the montanara is the one to beat.