The New York slice is a wide triangle of thin-crust pizza, foldable in one hand, sold by the count. It is the city's default lunch, snack and 2am closer in New York City since the 1950s.
The slice owes its shape to Gennaro Lombardi's coal-oven pies on Spring Street, sold by the wedge from 1905. Postwar pizzerias adopted gas ovens and a wider 18-inch pie that produced eight large slices, ideal for counter service and walk-in eating. Patsy's in East Harlem and Joe's on Carmine codified the form between the 1930s and the 1970s. By the 1980s a dollar slice circuit, anchored by 2 Bros, had set the floor price; the upper end, Lucali in Carroll Gardens and Una Pizza Napoletana on Orchard, came later. Today every borough still measures itself against the foldable plain cheese on a paper plate.
5 editor picks for New York slice in New York City, ranked by editorial score. All New York City signature dishes · New York slice across every city.
Lucali ★ 4.9
carroll-gardens · 575 Henry Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Mark Iacono's candlelit Carroll Gardens pizzeria in New York City turns out a coal-fired Brooklyn pie and a calzone, cash only, BYOB, no reservations.
Joe's Pizza ★ 4.8
greenwich-village · 7 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014
Pino Pozzuoli's Carmine Street counter has folded the canonical New York slice in New York City since 1975. Foldable plain cheese, sold by the wedge, eaten standing.
Una Pizza Napoletana ★ 4.8
lower-east-side · 175 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002
Anthony Mangieri's Orchard Street pizzeria is the editor's neapolitan pie in New York City: 60-second wood-fired bake, twelve-pizza menu, no slices.
L'Industrie Pizzeria ★ 4.6
williamsburg · 254 South 2nd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
L'Industrie on South 2nd Street has sold $5 slices and a $7 burrata slice in Williamsburg Brooklyn New York City since 2017. Lines run around the block on weekends.
Prince Street Pizza ★ 4.5
nolita · 27 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012
Prince Street Pizza in Nolita has sold the cult $6 spicy spring square slice in New York City since 2012. Sicilian crust, cup-and-char pepperoni, hot honey on the side.