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
Central Harlem
45 West 132nd Street
$2,550No Fee
1|
1
Central Harlem
217 West 145th Street
$2,500No Fee
2|
1
Central Harlem
217 West 145th Street
$2,300No Fee
1|
1
Central Harlem
1856 Park Avenue
$2,438No Fee
Studio|
1
East Harlem
1698 Lexington Avenue
$2,150No Fee
Studio|
1
Central Harlem
247 West 131st Street
$3,000No Fee
1|
1
South Harlem
2166 Fred Douglas Boulevard
$2,500No Fee
1|
1
East Harlem
2153 Second Avenue
$2,700No Fee
2|
1
Central Harlem
260 West 135th Street
$2,225No Fee
1|
1
East Harlem
1644 Madison Avenue
$3,000No Fee
3|
1
Central Harlem
15 West 139th Street
$2,500No Fee
1|
1
Central Harlem
2367 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
$2,375No Fee
Studio|
1
Best Pizza in NYC: East Harlem in Manhattan, Patsy’s Pizzeria
![Neighborhoods With the Best Pizza in NYC (13) Neighborhoods With the Best Pizza in NYC (13)](https://i0.wp.com/wp-tid.zillowstatic.com/streeteasy/2/Best-Pizzza-in-NYC-Manhattan-neighborhoods-458c91.jpg)
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
Chinatown
122 Hester Street
$2,500No Fee
1|
1
East Village
437 East 12th Street
$2,798No Fee
1|
1
Chinatown
122 Hester Street
$2,500No Fee
1|
1
Chelsea
335 West 19th Street
$2,470No Fee
Studio|
1
Chinatown
4 Orchard Street
$2,650No Fee
1|
1
East Village
139 Second Avenue
$2,850No Fee
1|
1
East Village
94 Third Avenue
$2,995No Fee
1|
1
East Village
324 East 8th Street
$2,200No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
163 Attorney Street
$2,395No Fee
Studio|
1
East Village
219 Avenue A
$2,350No Fee
Studio|
1
Noho
302 Mott Street
$2,900No Fee
Studio|
1
East Village
518 East 6th Street
$2,850No Fee
Studio|
1
Best Pizza in NYC: Nolita in Manhattan, Lombardi’s
![Neighborhoods With the Best Pizza in NYC (26) Neighborhoods With the Best Pizza in NYC (26)](https://i0.wp.com/wp-tid.zillowstatic.com/streeteasy/2/Lombardis-Ben-Gabbe-Getty-6b46d9.jpg)
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 35th Street
$2,000No Fee
1|
1
Astoria
21-32 28th Avenue
$2,700No Fee
2|
1
Astoria
30-21 37th Street
$1,800No Fee
Studio|
1
Astoria
27-05 Astoria Boulevard
$2,400No Fee
1|
1
Astoria
2-24 26th Avenue
$2,982No Fee
1|
1
Astoria
2-24 26th Avenue
$2,900No Fee
1|
1
Ditmars-Steinway
21-50 29th Street
$2,300No Fee
1|
1
Astoria
44-14 Newtown Road
$2,600No Fee
Studio|
1
Astoria
35-21 33rd Street
$2,450No Fee
1|
1
Astoria
44-14 Newtown Road
$1,800No Fee
Studio|
1
Ditmars-Steinway
20-54 26th Street
$2,475No 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
1402 West 4th Street
$2,200No Fee
1|
1
Bensonhurst
2048 66th Street
$2,249No Fee
3|
1
Bensonhurst
2167 68th Street
$2,350No Fee
1|
1
Bensonhurst
1526 West 4th Street
$1,900No Fee
1|
1
Bensonhurst
1513 83rd Street
$1,900No Fee
Studio|
1
Bensonhurst
69 Avenue O
$2,495No Fee
2|
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
West Brighton
869 Forest Avenue
$1,550No Fee
1|
1
Saint George
5 Stuyvesant Place
$2,500No Fee
Studio|
1
Grymes Hill
61 Hillside Avenue
$1,900No Fee
Studio|
1
Grymes Hill
150 Bertha Place
$2,200No Fee
2|
1
West Brighton
16 Dekay Street
$2,500No Fee
2|
1
Saint George
30 Daniel Low Terrace
$2,198No Fee
2|
1
New Springville
106 Shiloh Street
$2,800No 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
Westerleigh
212 Manor Road
$2,600No Fee
3|
1.5
Stapleton
8 Navy Pier Court
$2,255No 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
358 Grove Street
$3,000No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
358 Grove Street
$2,900No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
1639 Broadway
$2,999No Fee
3|
1
Bushwick
108 Cooper Street
$2,696No Fee
2|
1
Bushwick
8 Palmetto Street
$2,875No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
8 Palmetto Street
$2,281No Fee
Studio|
1
Bushwick
453 Irving Avenue
$2,799No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
223 Troutman Street
$2,750No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
1235 Broadway
$2,699No Fee
2|
1
Bushwick
1487 Broadway
$2,850No Fee
2|
1
Bushwick
499 Evergreen Avenue
$2,950No Fee
1|
1
Bushwick
345 Eldert Street
$2,950No Fee
Studio|
1
Bushwick, Brooklyn: Roberta’s
![Neighborhoods With the Best Pizza in NYC (71) Neighborhoods With the Best Pizza in NYC (71)](https://i0.wp.com/wp-tid.zillowstatic.com/streeteasy/2/robertas-erik-mcgregor-getty-f6c9f0.jpg)
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
163 Attorney Street
$2,395No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
165 Ludlow Street
$2,654No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
160 Rivington Street
$3,100No Fee
2|
1
Lower East Side
166 Suffolk Street
$2,350No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
90 Rivington Street
$2,495No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
167 Ludlow Street
$2,929No Fee
1|
1
Lower East Side
101 Clinton Street
$2,900No Fee
1|
1
Two Bridges
74-80 Madison Street
$2,500No Fee
1|
1
Lower East Side
165 Ludlow Street
$2,929No Fee
1|
1
Lower East Side
151 Orchard Street
$2,495No Fee
Studio|
1
Lower East Side
123 Ludlow Street
$2,595No Fee
1|
1
Two Bridges
21 Catherine Street
$3,100No Fee
2|
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
177 Bleecker Street
$3,095No Fee
1|
1
Noho
302 Mott Street
$2,900No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
184 Thompson Street
$3,400No Fee
Studio|
1
Noho
302 Mott Street
$2,995No Fee
1|
1
Noho
416 Lafayette Street
$3,000No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
175 Thompson Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
224 Sullivan Street
$3,195No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
194 Bleecker Street
$3,500No Fee
1|
1
Greenwich Village
224 Sullivan Street
$3,295No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
160 Bleecker Street
$3,495No Fee
Studio|
1
Greenwich Village
124 Mac Dougal Street
$2,990No Fee
1|
1
Greenwich Village
173 Bleecker Street
$3,500No Fee
1|
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
312 West 89th Street
$2,850No Fee
1|
1
Lincoln Square
146 West 70th Street
$2,795No Fee
1|
1
Upper West Side
25 West 87th Street
$2,998No Fee
1|
1
Lincoln Square
254 West 71st Street
$2,700No Fee
1|
1
Upper West Side
483 Amsterdam Avenue
$2,750No Fee
1|
1
Upper West Side
166 West 75th Street
$2,700No Fee
Studio|
1
Manhattan Valley
247 West 109th Street
$2,950No Fee
1|
1
Manhattan Valley
118 West 109th Street
$2,995No Fee
1|
1
Upper West Side
40 West 95th Street
$2,150No Fee
Studio|
1
Upper West Side
147 West 86th Street
$3,000No Fee
1|
1
Upper West Side
161 West 95th Street
$2,850No Fee
1|
1
Upper West Side
564 Amsterdam Avenue
$2,450No 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
2364 Tiebout Avenue
$1,650No Fee
1|
1
Soundview
1762 East 172nd Street
$1,550No Fee
1|
1
Mott Haven
276 Grand Concourse
$2,263No Fee
Studio|
1
Mott Haven
276 Grand Concourse
$2,293No Fee
Studio|
1
Mott Haven
276 Grand Concourse
$2,126No Fee
Studio|
1
Mott Haven
276 Grand Concourse
$2,472No Fee
1|
1
Mott Haven
276 Grand Concourse
$2,266No Fee
1|
1
Spuyten Duyvil
2500 Johnson Avenue
$2,093No Fee
1|
1.5
Riverdale
3671 Hudson Manor Terrace
$2,325No Fee
Studio|
1
Mott Haven
40 Bruckner Boulevard
$2,295No Fee
Studio|
1
Mott Haven
40 Bruckner Boulevard
$2,423No Fee
1|
1
Melrose
655 Courtland Avenue
$1,648No Fee
2|
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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