What are the Best Pizzas in NYC -- 2015 Updates

Wood-fired Oven imported from Italy -- Restaurant PizzaArte -- (left). Because of the high heat in these ovens, a classic Pizza Margherita cooks in under 90 seconds -pizza from Fratelli La Buffala (right).

What is a Neapolitan Pizza -- During the past few years we have seen a surge of Neapolitan style pizza restaurants. These restaurants serve individual pizzas as opposed to pizza. If they are following traditional Neapolitan style they will contain fresh mozzarella cheese and tomatoes from the San Marzano. The pizzas must all be cooked in a wood oven stove. These wood (oak) fired pizzas add a unique taste that is not found with gas or coal cooked pizza. Note: Neapolitan style pizzas generally have less cheese toppings than American style pizza and have a noticeable soupy center in the pie which means be prepared to eat them with a knife and fork.

MANHATTAN NORTH OF 59TH STREET

Fratelli La Buffula --2161 Broadway New York, NY 10023 --(212) 496-5303
Newly opened pizzeria that has 100 restaurants around the world. Imports their own brand of buffalo mozzarella. The crust in this wood oven pizza is excellent and very light and airy with the right amount of salt. Fratelli La Buffala Website -- Opened April 2012

Celeste -- 502 Amsterdam Ave (between 84th St & 85th St) New York, NY 10024
chef Giancarlo Quadalti changed style away from Neapolitan by draining tomatoes to give a less soup consistency... read review in . Slice review --Yelp (4stars) -- Zagat 24

Osteria Cotta--513 Columbus Ave (between 84th St & 85th St) Manhattan, NY 10024 --(212) 873-8500
Giuseppe Cangialosi, formerly of Emporio, heads up the wood oven pizza program at Osteria Cotta.
Yelp (4 stars) --website and menu --

MANHATTAN MIDTOWN

PizzArte -- 69 West 55th Street (between Avenue of Americas and 5th Ave) -- 212 247-3936
PizzArte owner Bruno Cilio is from Naples and so is his wood burning oven. The restaurant serves a duel role, doubling as an art gallery featuring a rotating collection of Italian art. New York Magazine writes : "Pizzarte:More of an all-around restaurant, PizzArte excels with its fritti and pastas, and its pizza might be midtown's best. Three stars from NYMagazine." -. yelp (3 1/2 stars) --PizzArte website

Capizzi -- Hells Kitchen 547 9th Ave (at 40th St) New York, NY 10018 --212) 695-6900 -- yelp 4 stars --Hours: Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 12 am Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 1 am Sun 12 pm - 11 PM -Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West, Theater District --Website and Menu

MANHATTAN 14ST -34TH STREET

La Pizza Fresca Ristorante - 31 E 20th St (between Broadway & S Park Ave) New York, NY 10003 --(212) 598-0141 This restaurant has a very nice feel to it that makes it pleasant to hang out in. While the pizza dough may have been a bit heavy for my taste and there was a bit more tomato sauce than other places, the cheese was as good as it gets, soft and fresh. But, what separates this place from the rest is the wine list. Even if I am just eating pizza I like having nice wine. La Pizza Fresca Ristorante has one of the best wines lists in the country for Italian restaurants (Award from Wine Spectator). With a pizza Margharita I had a half-bottle of Ca' Di Pian Barbera d'Asti 2008 for $25. .Yelp 4 stars--- Zagat 24. La Pizzaa Fresca Website --NY Magazine Review

Co.--230 9th Ave (between 24th St & 25th St) New York, NY 10001 -- (212) 243-1105
Co. (Company) opened in January of 2009 under the direction of Sullivan Street Bakery owner, Jim Lahey. His "no-knead" technique gives a more airy chewy taste to his wood oven fired pizza. See New York Times article --Restaurant website with Menus -- yelp (3 1/2 stars) -- Zagat 23 --Gayot's top 10 Pizza's in New York.

Rossopomodoro at Eataly -- 200 5th Ave New York, NY 10010 --(646) 398-5100
Rossopomodoro is a pizza chain from Italy that has branches all over the world. It is located in a back corner of the Eataly store.
Review by Slice

MANHATTAN SOUTH OF 14TH STREET

Keste Pizza e Vino 271 Bleecker Roberto Caporuscio the owner/pizzaiolo of Keste St (between Jones St & Morton St) New York, NY 10014 - (212) 243-1500
Roberto Caporuscio (read interview) the owner/pizzaiolo of Keste makes genuine Neapolitan style pizza. Keste is also the official location in the USA for APN (Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani whose mission is to protect and preserve the Neapolitan pizza tradition and promote the art of pizza making. Note:..Robert recently opened Don Antonio with his maestro, Antonio Starita, third generation owner of one Naples’ oldest and most revered pizzerias, Pizzeria Starita a Materdei, have joined forces to bring authentic Neapolitan pizza to Midtown Manhattan at Don Antonio by Starita. --309 W 50th St (between 9th Ave & 8th Ave) New York, NY 10019 Keste website. -- Yelp (4 1/2stars) --Zagat 25 .--Gayot's top 10 Pizza's in New York.

Motorino 349 E 12th St (between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave) New York, NY 10003 --212-777-2644
When Anthony Mangieri left this spot and moved to SF, Motorino's Mathieu Palombino took over the spot including the wood burning oven. Now you can get toppings on your pizza and if you want them cooked more, it's OK to ask for it. There is an excellent lunch prix fixe for $12 that includes a pizza and a fresh salad with mesclun. Pizza has an airy (puffy) charred crust. Yelp (3 1/2 stars) --Motorino website and Menu -- Zagat 24 -- Gayot's top 10 Pizza's in New York --

Numero 28 --176 2nd Ave (between 11th St & 12th St) New York, NY 10003 -- (212) 777-1555 -- Original location at 28 Carmine St (between Bleecker St & Avenue Of The Americas)
This Neapolitan Pizza Restaurant was voted the “Best Pizza in New York” by Citysearch.com. It has a very large Italian following. Try the Margherita Reginella -The wood burning oven in the Carmine branch is clearly visible as you walk past the restaurant -- Yelp (4 stars) -- Zagat 25 -Slice Review --- Website and menu

Tre Sorelle -- 61 Reade St (between Broadway & Church St) 212) 619-1080-Hours: Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 PM (credit cards (yes) - reade st good wood-fired pizza in tribecca Yelp (4stars) -- 3 sisters Website and menu

Emporio-- 231 Mott St (between Spring St & Prince St) New York, NY 10012 --(212) 966-1234
This restaurant is part of the Aurora Group. -- -Zagat 23-- Website Menu -- NY Magazine Review

BEST PIZZA IN BROOKLYN

Lucali - 575 Henry St (between Carroll St & Summit St) Brooklyn, NY 11231 --(718) 858-4086
Lucali is a small restaurant with an open kitchen where you can easily see how the pizza is made. This is a BYO place.- Yelp Reviews (4 1/2stars) --- Zagat 26.--Gayot's top 10 Pizza's in New York.

Roberta's Pizza --261 Moore St (between White St & Bogart St) -718-417-1118-Mon–Fri noon–midnight; Sat, Sun 11am–midnight--Yelp Review 4 stars --Website and Menu --cbs 10 best list -

Paulie Gee's -- 60 Greenpoint Ave (between West St & Franklin St) Brooklyn, NY 11222 -- Closed on Mondays -- Open only for Dinner
Paul Gianonne opened in 2009. They make an excellent white pie: Fior DI Latte, Chopped Fresh Garlic, Pecorino Romano, Olive Oil, Fresh Basil -- Yelp (4 1/2 stars) --Website and Menu -

Barboncino -- 781 Franklin Ave (between St Johns Pl & Lincoln PL) Crown Heights Brooklyn, NY 11238 --(718) 483-8834
Barboncino is only open for dinner and brunch. Near the 2,3,4 or 5 train this place is worth a ride from Manhattan. The restaurant is run by Ron Brown and Jon Greenberg, who worked at Paulie Gee's. Barboncino website and menu -- yelp (4 1/2 stars) -- See Review in Slice

Forcella -- 485 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn NY 11211 --(718)-388-8820, 2nd location 334 Bowery St (between Bond St & Great Jones St)
Forcella pizzamaker-owner is Naples born Giulio Adriani. -- new** williamsburg and now at the also has Bowery -- 3 stars nymagazine -- Note: Forcella translates to "fried pizza" --Adriani's Montanara pizza ($10), is a margherita made with a crust shaped and flash-fried before being topped and finished in the wood-burning oven.
Slice Review -- Yelp Reviews (4 stars)- Website and Menu --Gayot's top 10 Pizza's in New York.

Franny's -- 295 Flatbush Ave (between Prospect PL & St Marks Ave) Brooklyn, NY 11217 --718) 230-0221
--Yelp (3 1/2 stars) Website for Franny's -- Zagat 25 --Gayot's top 10 Pizza's in New York.

Scottocasa -298 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11201 -718-852-8758-- --
Luca Arrigoni, who previously worked at Greenwich Village's Kesté Pizza & Vino. opened this new establishment in brooklyn. --4 1/2 stars yelp-- Website and Menu --

BRONX

Trattoria Zero Otto Nove -- 2357 Arthur Ave Bronx, NY 10458 --(718) 220-1027 --15 West 21st Street New York, NY 10010 (212) 242-0899
Chef Roberto Paciullo serves a Salerno-style pizza, which is slightly different than Neapolitan-style pizza. While both are cooked in a wood-oven, but where Neapolitan pizza is often "wet" in the center, with a puffy rim, Salerno's are crisper, less puffy, less wet, and have a lower crust. -- Website and Menus ---- Yelp (4 1/2 stars)

QUEENS

Basil Brick Oven Pizza-- Astoria 28-17 Astoria Blvd Astoria, NY 11102 --(718) 204-1205 --
Chef Daniele came to the US from the Piemonte/Liguria region of Italy. This northern style Italian pizza resembles Neapolitan-style versions, but Northern Italian pizzas are thinner since less dough is used, and cook for longer (three to four minutes versus a quick 60-second turn in the oven), making for a crispier dough. -- Website and menu--

What are the Best Coal-Fired Pizzas in NYC

Coal fired ovens (left) can only to had by inheriting in NYC restaurants. They produce a thinner crispier pizza than when cooked in a wood oven. Both oven and pizza from Luzzo's on 1st Avenue.

What is a Coal Fired Oven -- .Coal-burning ovens are hot commodities for pizza makers since the only way to get one in New York City is to inherit it. Coal fired ovens have a long history to pizza making in the US. New York City was the birth place of New York style pizza. Lombardi's which opened in 1905 was the first pizzeria in the United States, and it happened to use a coal-fired oven.

One of the main differences between coal and wood comes not from the coal smoke but by the intense heat a coal fire generates. Coal provides about 13,000 BTUs of heat per pound, while wood provides about 6,500 BTUs per pound. Oven temperatures in a coal fired oven exceed 900 degrees imparting a characteristic char to the crust. In addition the higher heat lets the crust get crispier.

Totonno's Pizzeria Napolitano -- 1524 Neptune Ave (between 15th St & 16th St) Brooklyn, NY 11224 --(718) 372-8606
For 2012 Totonno's was rated the best pizza in New York City by Zagat's receiving a rating of 26. Located in Coney Island, Brooklyn since around 1926. Zagat Rating 26 -- See Zagat Reviews -- "...Every self-respecting pizza-loving New Yorker should visit the Coney Island original at least once in his lifetime..." read more from New York Magazine.

Luzzo's -- 211 1st Ave (between 12th St & 13th St) New York, NY 10003 -- (212) 473-7447
Luzzo’s Bufala Quadratti is a paper thin 1/16? flat pizza that takes you straight back to Italy circa 1898. Fitting for a pizza cooked in a 120 year old oven.....Michele Luliano has long had a name for himself on the New York City restaurant scene. As the owner of Luzzo’s, he developed a cult following for the traditional pizzas he serves at the East Village mainstay. In 2010, he opened Ovest, a sister restaurant to Luzzo’s in Chelsea.
Luzzo's website and menu -- yelp reviews (4 stars) -Zagat 25-- - See-- Zagat Reviews

Grimaldi's --1 Front St (between Dock St & York St) Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 858-4300
Grimaldi’s offers over 100 years of pizza-making traditions.."Weighing in at 25 tons and heated by 100 pounds of coal per day (cleanest burning fuel available and environmentally tested), the oven heats up to 1200 degrees. We also purchase special coal from Pennsylvania called anthracite. It actually burns cleaner and more Eco-friendly than gas or wood-fired methods..." Grimaldi's website -- Zagat 24--- see Zagat Reviews --Gayot's top 10 Pizza's in New York

John's Pizzeria -- 278 Bleecker St (between Jones St & Morton St) New York, NY 10014 --(212) 243-1680
John's of Bleecker Street was founded in 1929 by John Sasso, and the restaurant is still in its original location. John's Pizzeria serve coal-fired, brick oven pizza, cooked in 850-degree ovens. John Sasso was one of the original bakers at Lombardi's. The walls are all carved out, and while the pizza is Ok, the place seems more about who you are with than about the pizza.
John's website and menu -- Zagat 23 --see Zagat Reviews

Patsy's 2287 1st Ave (between 117th St & 118th St) New York, NY 10035 ---(212) 534-9783 -- Numerous locations around NYC (Yelp 4 stars) Excellent thin crust pizza at numerous locations. Latest location is at 69th and First Avenue. Website -- Zagat's 20

Lombardi's -- 32 Spring St (between Mott St & Mulberry St) New York, NY 10012 -- (212) 941-7994
Lombardi's which opened in 1905 was the first pizzeria in the United States. Expect long lines and lots of tourists.
Lombardi's home page and menu, Zagat 25-- Yelp 4 stars.

Arturo's --106 W. Houston St., New York, NY10012 at Thompson St. --212-677-3820
This is more of a neighborhood place with few tourists. Among toppings are sausage, pepperoni, calamari, lobster, spinach, and fresh basil. A large pie will feed two people, or as many as four --Live jazz.---Zagat 23 -- Read review in Slice

Verde Coal Oven Pizza -- 254 Irving Ave (between Greene Ave & Menahan St) Brooklyn, NY 11237 -- (718) 381-8800.
Charlie Verde born in Sambuca, Sicily, took possession of the 104 year coal oven and turned it into a pizzeria in 2011.
Verde Coal Oven Pizza Website and Menu -- Yelp 4 stars --