While there’s a specific joy in walking down the street with a folded slice of pizza, these are the spots for when you want to linger over your pie.
LessAmong pizza aficionados in New York, Scarr’s is legendary, which is saying a lot considering the restaurant only opened in 2016. Head here for an unconventional New York slice with a sturdy yet airy crust and a bright sauce all created by owner Scarr Pimentel. He grew up in Hamilton Heights and came up in the kitchens of local favorites like Emilio’s Ballato, Artichoke Basille’s, and Lombardi’s, so you know his pies are next-level.
The airy, springy dough that’s the bedrock of Emmy Squared’s pies takes more than 24 hours to come together—and it’s that level of detail that’s helped this pizzeria founded by Emily Hyland and Matt Hyland in 2016 remain an NYC staple. Detroit-style pies are known for their pillowy dough, frico topping, and square shape, a nod to the steel pans—made from leftover metal scraps from the city’s automotive industry—they’re baked in.
Eataly teamed up with Naples legend Rosso Pomodoro, so these Neapolitan-style pizzas are really as good as it gets in the city. Think housemade dough topped with San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella cheese and served fresh out of the wood-fired oven—all hallmarks of the simple and light pies that are said to have originated in Naples in the 1600s.
Roman-style pizza takes a left turn from Neapolitan pies; rather than round, these thin-crust pies are typically rectangular, the size of a sheet pan, and often sold by weight in the Campo de’ Fiori and other piazzas in the city. Here in New York, you can find these hand-stretched pies called pinsa (that date back to ancient Rome) at the Roman-inspired Montesacro in Williamsburg, which makes a dozen varieties in an oval shape.
This Clinton Hill staple has long been a family favorite (even Gordon Ramsay is a fan) for its wood-fired pizzas and live jazz on weekends. But locals also know that Il Porto has a small section of its menu dedicated to fluffy Sicilian-style pies. These almost focaccia-like creations—which originated in Palermo, where they’re called sfincione—are topped in Italy with tomato sauce, bread crumbs, and a grating of hard cheese.