Not only does it serve up some of the best pizzas in the city,
but this indoor-outdoor space is one of New York’s most enjoyable
environments in which to enjoy said pizza. Order a stack of pies to
fill up before a night out and make the most of the extensive list
to cater to any and all dietary needs: meat lovers should opt for
the “Beastmaster”, which overflows with sausage, cheese and
jalapeños, while veggies will love the “Eats, Peas and Leaves”,
which has unique toppings such as pickled onions, fried shallots,
pea leaves, mints and (of course) three cheeses.

In a city renowned for its fiercely competitive pizza scene and
devoted pizza lovers, Di Fara might just come in first place
(especially if you ask anyone who’s lived in Brooklyn their whole
life). There’s nothing fancy about this old-school corner
restaurant; the team’s energies are focused solely on producing the
tastiest pies around. Most regulars opt for a cheese slice
sprinkled with tons of fresh basil, but you can also order a full
pizza with specialty toppings including soppressata and porcini
mushrooms. Word to the wise: while the Williamsburg location might
be convenient in some cases, the OG space in Midwood is where you
want to be.

With small spaces in Greenpoint and Crown Heights, Screamer’s
somehow makes vegan pizzas taste better than most regular slices.
The margherita’s plant-based mozzarella tastes just as delicious as
real cheese, even to the most ardent dairy lovers, and the white
pie drizzled with garlic-and-oregano oil is topped with an
incredible almond ricotta. For alternatives to your classic
pepperoni pizza, the buffalo cauliflower pie with ranch sauce and
the reuben overflowing with spiced seitan, sauerkraut and
thousand-island dressing are just as (if not more) satisfying.

True to its name, Emmy Squared does Detroit-style square slices,
which the populations of Williamsburg and the East Village (and
soon the Upper East Side) never tire of snapping up. All variations
can be done on a red or white base, as well as on gluten-free
crust, and flavours range from hot chicken with Alabama white sauce
to margherita topped with dollops of burrata and basil. Sit at the
bar for an impromptu dinner with friends or order in for a lazy
Sunday meal.

Any pizzeria list would be remiss to not include Rubirosa, one
of the city’s most popular pizza joints. Wait times can be long
(unless you’re ordering to your apartment or hotel room), so get
here early or plan to hit up one of the nearby bars in Nolita while
you wait for your table to be ready, as reservations aren’t an
option here. Once you’ve finally settled into your seat, you’re in
for a serious treat. In our opinion, you can’t miss the tie-dye
pizza, which is a blend of vodka, tomato and mozzarella decorated
with a spiral of pesto, while the pie topped with a mountain of
arugula and shaved parmigiano is a close runner-up. For something
that’s slightly more out of the ordinary, test out the old-school
littleneck clam pie.

A new East-Village restaurant dedicated to flatbread pizzas,
Violet dishes out thin-crust pies smeared with pistachio pesto or
nduja, jalapeño and honey. The spaceship-y interior provides an
altogether different experience from most of the nearby pizza
joints with counters and no seating, making it an ideal sit-down
spot for dinner with friends or a casual date night. On top of
being more than just a window from which to order, Violet also has
original takes on pizza that will take you away from your usual
pepperoni and cheese order – get the pistachio, truffle sottocenere
and honey flatbread or olive and caramelised onion pie to switch
things up.

Known as “the Greenwich Village institution,” Joe’s Pizza is
beloved by townhouse owners and NYU students alike. There are a few
locations, but the Carmine Street and Union Square outlets are the
best, with walls decked out with photos of celeb fans including
Jessica Alba and Owen Wilson. Everything about the pizza here is
classic, so expect a regular cheese slice or square Sicilian pie
done beautifully. It’s an eat-at-the-counter kind of place, and is
just as à propos at lunchtime as it is at 4am.

A necessary destination on the Lower-East-Side dining track,
Scarr’s pulls in a major crowd thanks to more than its Orchard
Street location; the team here mills the grains for its bases every
day. The resulting fresh dough makes the packed space completely
worth your while – pair that with Scarr’s collection of natural
wines and you’ve got yourself a perfect pre-party to an evening of
dancing at Nublu – you’ll probably meet people who are on the way
to the same place as you are afterwards.

If the queue at Prince Street doesn’t speak for itself, we don’t
know what will – stop by on a weekday lunchtime to avoid the
Saturday and Sunday crowds, and you’ll be in for a treat. The
grab-and-go spicy pepperoni square, which can be cooked extra
crispy (and is what pretty much everybody orders) along with the
margherita slice, are top picks for feeling satisfied yet also
eager to order an entire pie.