As with all of our trips, we do quite a bit of research beforehand. This trip, Jake and I both wanted to test out the pizza places that continuously make the top ten lists of "Best Pizza in New York City." We tried six pizzas that were on every top ten list we found, and then I tried a random one that was a total fail. (so lesson learned, do your research)
We made sure to order the same pizza at every place for the best comparison. That means we ordered the basic, "a pizza," off each menu which comes with the classic New York City thin crust, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil. I took notes on my phone after all of these places so they wouldn't blend together!
Here they are.... beginning with the least favorite.
7. Coppola's -- this was the random stop
After our trip to the American Museum of Natural History (phenomenal btw) I thought it would be fun to try out this place tucked away in a basement. It was fine by the standards of normal dining out food, but it was the worst food we had on vacation. Meh.
6. Lombardi's
This place is highly recommended by people and is "the oldest pizzaria in New York." It's full of tourists, and you can skip this place. The others on this list are a little harder to get to but so much more delicious and are a better place to spend your cash. The crust was good, but the sauce is bland (compared to the others) and the cheese was tasteless (compared to the others). You can get pitchers of beer though and we did enjoy our time here :) .
5. Patsy's
Patsy's pies had a delicious garden fresh taste to it. That's what I remember the most. Even the cheese tasted very fresh. The crust wasn't perfect, it was juicy in the middle and almost too tastless on the outside. Don't get me wrong, still one of the best pizzas I've had. You need to add this to your list!
4. Roberta's
Talk about a trendy and hipster hangout, I'm convinced those words originated here. The door is camoflauged, hidden with all the graffiti of the Brooklyn area it's in. The crust wasn't perfect, but we thoroughly enjoyed. Overall similar to Dante's in Omaha as far as taste of the sauces and meats. Ranking it above the others because it was truly much better, but it was not top 3 material.
3. Di Fara
We both were most excited to try this classic pizzeria in the heart of Brooklyn. I wouldn't call it "easy" to get too. People will line up for over an hour for a slice here, we went super early on a Monday and had no problems. Many rank this place the best, and others warn not to judge based on one day or one slice. Apparently, there is no "standard" Di Fara pie and over the years the ingredients (not the recipe) have changed day to day. There's an elderly man who makes the pizzas here since 1965 when they opened and the ingredients come straight from Italy (which the prices reflect). I thought Di Fara had the best overall flavors of basil and garlic with good cheese and spots of tomato shining through. A very crisp cracker crust. Again, cash only and bring plenty because a cheese pizza isn't cheap here $30! Easily one of the best pizzas I've ever had.
The outside wasn't quite what Jake was expecting (haha!)
2. Joe's Pizza (the original in Greenwich)
Now that I'm home I have cravings for these huge delicious slices! Cash only, cheap, and a NYC staple. The cheese wasn't super flavorful, but the overall pizza was perfection. The crust was crisp, thin, and not soggy in the center. The sauce tasted like tomatoes and not like chef boyardee (some pizza places struggle with that). I'm getting so hungry just thinking about this one!
1. Lucali's
Incredible. I mean, whether you are us or JayZ and Beyonce, Lucali's will not disappoint. Rode four trains. We waited for about 3 hours (you can call ahead and put your name in -- do that!! No reservations though). Cash only. BYOB - we went to a bar ahead of time so didn't BYOB . Know your order before you enter.
Is this worth the hassle? YES . Overall everything blended together perfectly, the texture of the pizza, the flavors of the sauce (omg the sauce!! !), the fresh ingredients, the cheese pulls, everything was incredible!! Plus the most awesome atmosphere! The chefs are rolling the dough out in front of you and it's all candlelit and romantic!
If you are going to NYC, definitely head to our top four!
Since the best ones are kind of far away from where most people stay, to make the most of our time we ate Lucali's and Di Fara the same evening (lucali's at 9pm and Di Fara at 5pm).