New York City and pizza are inseparable. With nearly 2,000 pizzerias scattered across its five boroughs, the Big Apple is arguably the pizza capital of the world. Whether you’re a lifelong New Yorker or a first-time visitor, navigating the city’s pizza scene can feel overwhelming. To help you cut through the noise, we’ve rounded up the definitive top 5 pizzerias in NYC — places that have earned their spots through world-class ingredients, time-honored technique, and lines that wrap around the block.
1. Una Pizza Napoletana – Lower East Side, Manhattan
If there is one pizzeria in New York City that has achieved true global legend status, it is Una Pizza Napoletana. The 50 Top Pizza USA rankings place Una Pizza Napoletana in New York at No. 1 nationally, and its reputation doesn’t stop there. Many consider Una Pizza Napoletana to be the best pizza in the world, with pies made from naturally leavened dough crafted by owner Anthony Mangieri before being wood-fired in a three-pizza oven.
This is the sixth iteration of Una Pizza Napoletana, and it now operates out of a remodeled, candlelit room on the Lower East Side. The menu is deliberately minimal — Mangieri believes in letting the dough and ingredients speak for themselves. The go-to order is the margherita, but for something without sauce, the bianca with anchovies is outstanding, best enjoyed by dipping torn-off pieces of crust into the pool of olive oil that forms in the middle of the pie. Anthony Mangieri was spotlighted at the 2025 Best Pizza Awards in Milan, where a global voting panel of 512 experts from 60 countries evaluated the world’s finest pizza makers.
Expect a wait, a small and intimate dining room, and an experience that redefines what pizza can be.
📍 95 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002 | Open Thursday–Sunday
2. Lucali – Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Lucali is a pizzeria founded by Mark Iacono in 2006, located in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. It serves brick-oven pizza and calzones, and is frequently named as one of the best pizzerias in Brooklyn or New York City. Prior to opening Lucali, Iacono had never dreamt of being a cook. A former construction worker, he transformed into one of New York City’s most respected pizza chefs, studying at the altar of Di Fara’s Dom DeMarco before going on to serve A-list celebrities. The Hollywood and music world certainly took notice; the restaurant received wide coverage when Jay-Z and Beyoncé opted for dinner at Lucali over attending the 54th Grammy Awards ceremony, and it was later mentioned by Kendrick Lamar in a diss track.
The most popular pizza is the plain pie, made with tomato sauce, three kinds of cheese, and a lot of fresh basil on a thin, light, chewy crust. Unlike many other pizzerias in New York, Lucali does not take phone or internet reservations, does not deliver, and does not serve slices. You show up, you get in line, and you wait — happily. It’s BYOB, cash only, and worth every minute.
📍 575 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11231 | Open daily except Tuesday, 5pm–11pm
3. Rubirosa – NoLita, Manhattan
Rubirosa is one of Manhattan’s most celebrated Italian restaurants, and it has earned that title almost entirely on the strength of its pizza. In addition to serving perfect Staten Island-style, crackery crust pies, Rubirosa also offers gluten-free pizza that is somehow just as good. The standout orders are the vodka-sauce and the Tie Dye varieties. The Tie Dye Pizza is made with homemade vodka, marinara, and pesto sauces. The crust is thin and crispy, the cheese fresh, and the sauces flavorful — and it even delivers well, if you can tolerate the 90-minute wait. Rubirosa takes a limited number of reservations each evening and holds spots for walk-ins, so the best strategy is to put your name on the list right when they open.
The ambiance is warm and lively, making it a great spot for both date nights and group dinners. If you’re looking for a Manhattan pizza experience that combines old-school technique with polished presentation, Rubirosa is your answer.
📍 235 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012
4. L’Industrie Pizzeria – Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L’Industrie has become one of Brooklyn’s most beloved slice shops, and for good reason. This Williamsburg gem is known for producing slices with a perfectly charred, airy crust that blisters just right in the oven. The burrata slice topped with creamy fresh burrata and a drizzle of olive oil has taken on near-mythical status among New York pizza devotees.
After recent visits to L’Industrie along with Lucali, Ops, and Roberta’s, Time Out’s reviewer confirmed L’Industrie remains firmly among the city’s finest pizza destinations. What sets it apart from the competition is the quality of its ingredients: imported Italian flour, house-stretched mozzarella, and a dough that ferments to develop deep, complex flavor. Lines form quickly, but slices turn over fast this is one of those rare NYC spots where the wait is short and the payoff is enormous.
📍 254 S 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
5. Roberta’s – Bushwick, Brooklyn
No list of NYC’s greatest pizzerias would be complete without Roberta’s. Roberta’s is a beloved Bushwick trattoria with a knack for wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizzas. Since opening in 2008 in what was then a quiet industrial corner of Brooklyn, it has grown into a global brand with a devoted following — yet the original Bushwick location remains the soul of the operation.
The menu is creative and ever-changing, but the standout is the “Famous Original” a white pie topped with caciocavallo, smoked mozzarella, sopressata, and hot peppers. Ops, a similar Brooklyn pizzeria, sources from Mid-Atlantic and New England farmers, and Roberta’s shares this farm-to-oven ethos, celebrating regional ingredients with each pie. The outdoor garden, the rotating DJ sets on weekends, and the open kitchen all add up to an atmosphere that is unmistakably New York.
Roberta’s also runs a rooftop farm on-site and has a radio station. It is not just a pizzeria — it is a cultural institution.
📍 261 Moore St, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Tips Before You Go
Planning a pizza crawl across New York City? Here are a few things to keep in mind. Lucali and Una Pizza Napoletana both require patience — neither takes traditional online reservations, so arriving early is essential. Rubirosa and L’Industrie are more accessible for walk-ins, especially on weekday evenings. Roberta’s can get loud and crowded on weekends, but the weekday lunch experience is far more relaxed.
New York’s pizza culture is fiercely loyal and deeply personal. Every New Yorker has their favorite slice, and every neighborhood has its own legendary spot. But these five pizzerias represent the very best the city has to offer — places where craft, history, and flavor come together in every bite.
Whether you’re chasing a perfect Neapolitan pie on the Lower East Side or a buttery, char-kissed slice in Williamsburg, NYC’s pizza scene will never let you down.