🍕 Geeky Global Treks Presents: The Ten Best Pizza Places in New York City
Dedicated to the Late Dom DeMarco — The Eternal NYC Pizza King
New York City isn’t just a pizza capital—it’s the pizza capital. Every borough has its legends, but a sacred handful rise above the rest, shaping the city’s identity one slice at a time. This list honors ten of the greatest pizzerias in NYC history, each with its own mythology, signature pie, and fiercely loyal following. And above all, this post is dedicated to Dom DeMarco, the master behind Di Fara Pizza, whose devotion to craft made him a culinary folk hero.
1. Di Fara Pizza (Midwood, Brooklyn)
Opened: 1965
Signature Pizza: The Classic Round Pie—fresh basil snipped by Dom himself, imported Italian cheeses, olive oil drizzle.
Why It Matters: Dom DeMarco made every single pie for decades, turning pizza-making into performance art. Lines wrapped around the block for a reason: this was pizza touched by a master.
2. Lucali (Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn)
Opened: 2006
Signature Pizza: The Plain Pie—thin, blistered crust, fresh mozzarella, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Why It Matters: Mark Iacono built Lucali with his own hands, literally. The candlelit, BYOB atmosphere and impossibly balanced pies make it one of NYC’s most romantic pizza experiences.
3. Joe’s Pizza (Greenwich Village & Multiple Locations)
Opened: 1975
Signature Pizza: The Classic New York Slice—foldable, crisp, and perfectly balanced.
Why It Matters: Joe’s is the quintessential NYC slice shop. If you’ve ever seen a movie set in Manhattan, odds are someone is holding a Joe’s slice.
4. Luigi’s Pizza (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
Opened: 1973
Signature Pizza: The Fresh Mozzarella Slice—simple, clean, and deeply satisfying.
Why It Matters: A neighborhood institution with no gimmicks—just honest, old‑school Brooklyn pizza.
5. John’s of Bleecker Street (Greenwich Village)
Opened: 1929
Signature Pizza: Coal‑Fired Whole Pie—no slices, ever.
Why It Matters: One of NYC’s oldest coal‑oven pizzerias, still using the same blackened brick oven that gives each pie its signature char.
6. Scarr’s Pizza (Lower East Side)
Opened: 2016
Signature Pizza: The OG Slice—made with house‑milled flour for a uniquely nutty, flavorful crust.
Why It Matters: Scarr’s blends nostalgia with innovation, proving that the NYC slice can evolve without losing its soul.
7. Prince Street Pizza (Nolita)
Opened: 2012
Signature Pizza: The Spicy Square—thick, crunchy Sicilian crust topped with spicy pepperoni cups.
Why It Matters: The line outside is constant, and the pepperoni cups have become an NYC icon in their own right.
8. L’Industrie (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Opened: 2017
Signature Pizza: The Burrata Slice—creamy burrata piled onto a crisp, airy crust.
Why It Matters: A modern sensation blending Italian technique with Brooklyn swagger. Instagram helped make it famous, but the flavor keeps people coming back.
9. Lombardi’s (Little Italy)
Opened: 1905 — America’s first licensed pizzeria
Signature Pizza: The Original Coal‑Oven Pie—tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil, and that unmistakable coal‑oven char.
Why It Matters: This is where American pizza history began. Walking into Lombardi’s is like stepping into a culinary time machine.
10. Best Pizza (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Opened: 2010
Signature Pizza: The White Slice—with caramelized onions, sesame‑seed crust, and ricotta.
Why It Matters: Founded by a Roberta’s alum, Best Pizza lives up to its name with bold flavors and a neighborhood vibe.
A Tribute to Dom DeMarco
Dom DeMarco wasn’t just a pizzaiolo—he was a guardian of tradition, a craftsman who believed that great pizza required patience, precision, and love. Watching him work was like watching an artist paint: slow, deliberate, and deeply personal. His legacy lives on in every slice served at Di Fara and in every NYC pizzeria that strives for excellence.
Dom, the Pizza King, thank you for shaping the soul of New York City—one perfect pie at a time.
My uncle and cousins got to go to scarr’s when they visited NY!!!
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