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.