Even though it has its origins in Italy, pizza has since become synonymous with New York City, and while Italians, Connecticutians and Chicagoans may beg to differ, New Yorkers believe that they offer the best pizza in the world. Listed here are 10 great pizza spots from across New York City.

1. NEW YORK’S TOP
10 PIZZAS
BY MARIA HAYMANDOU

2. JOHN’S OF BLEECKER
STREET
WITH SALTY, GREASY CHEESE AND
HEAVILY CHARCOAL-KISSED DOUGH,
JOHN’S IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL NEW
YORK CITY PIZZA, HAVING CAPTURED
THE HEARTS AND TASTEBUDS OF
PATRONS SINCE FIRST OPENING IN
1929. THIS SPOT FAMOUSLY SPURNS
TOPPINGS, AND EXCLUSIVELY SELLS
PIZZA BY THE PIE. WITH ITS FADED
MURALS AND DEEPLY WORN BOOTHS
THAT HAVE HELD THE BUTTS OF AN
UNFATHOMABLE NUMBER OF PATRONS,
IT FEELS MORE LIKE A MUSEUM THAN A
RESTAURANT.

3. DON ANTONIO
THIS LOVE LETTER TO ‘ZA IS THE PRODUCT OF ROBERT CAPORUSCIO AND
MENTOR ANTONIO STARITA COMING TOGETHER. WHILE PEOPLE HAVE TRIED
AND FAILED TO BRING THE MONTANARA PIZZA TO THE PUBLIC, NOBODY DOES
IT LIKE DON ANTONIO, WITH A TOPPING OF SMOKED BUFFALO MOZZARELLA
AND TOMATOES COOKED IN A WOOD BURNING OVEN.

4. MOTORINO
PART OF THE NEAPOLITAN
PIZZA REVIVAL OF THE EARLY
2000S, THIS BROOKLYN SPOT
BRINGS OUT WELL-
RECOGNIZED PIZZAS WITH
PLENTY OF CHEW AND CHAR
TO GO AROUND. THE FLAVOR
OF THE CRUST ALLOWS THE
CHEF TO PLAY AROUND WITH
SUCH OUT-THERE TOPPINGS
AS BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH
PANCETTA AND BROCCOLINI
WITH SPICY SAUSAGE AND
SHREDS OF STRACCIATELLA.

5. PAULIE GEE’S
AT THIS RUSTIC PARLOR NOT TOO FAR FROM TRANSMITTER PARK,
NEAPOLITAN PIZZA GETS A MAJOR REMAKE, WITH MISCHIEVOUS
INGREDIENTS AND A PUN-FILLED MENU. THEY EVEN FEATURE A BRUNCH
PIZZA, WITH GOUDA AND CANADIAN BACON DOUSED IN MAPLE SYRUP.

6. SPEEDY
ROMEO
ON THE SURFACE, SPEEDY ROMEO
FEELS LIKE A CLONE OF THE WELL-
LOVED ROBERTA’S; BOTH SERVE
NEO-NEAPOLITAN PIZZA IN SPACES
THAT USED TO HOUSE CARS. YET
THE PIZZAS HAVE A PARTICULAR
BENT, AS EVIDENCED BY CHEF
JUSTIN BAZDARICH’S USE OF A
PROCESSED CHEESE CALLED
PROVEL THAT MELTS INTO A
VISCOUS CREAM. WHILE
MOZZARELLA IS CONSIDERED
PROPER FOR PIZZA, PROVEL IS
DEFINITELY SHAKING UP THE
GAME.

7. ROBERTA’S
THANKS TO THEIR INDEPENDENT
SPIRIT AND CREATIVE TOPPINGS,
ROBERTA’S HAS ATTRACTED PLENTY
OF HYPE AND LONG WAITS FROM THE
LIKES OF BILL CLINTON AND THE
CREW OF HBO’S GIRLS. PIZZAS GET
FUNKY WITH EVERYTHING; TOPPINGS,
CHEESES, SAUCES AND DOUGH.

8. JOE & PAT’S
THIS STATEN ISLAND INSTITUTION, IN BUSINESS FOR
OVER 50 YEARS, IS KNOWN FOR ITS LEGENDARY THIN
CRUST PIZZA; CHARRED, THIN, STURDY AND
SUPPORTING A SPECIAL TANG. THE CHEESE BROWNS
EVENLY TO CREATE A CHEWY, STRETCHY EXTERIOR.
WHILE THERE ARE PLENTY IMITATORS ACROSS THE FIVE
BOROUGHS, NOTHING CAN QUITE BEAT JOE & PAT’S.

9. BEST PIZZA
CALLING YOURSELF “BEST” PIZZA IS A BOLD
MOVE, YET THIS SHOP CERTAINLY WORKS TO
EARN THAT MONIKER WITH EXPERT
CRAFTSMANSHIP AND DOGGED
INDIVIDUALITY.

10. TOTONNO’S
TWICE IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS,
TOTONNO’S HAS BEEN REBUILT;
FIRST FROM A 2009 FIRE AND
THEN FROM HURRICANE SANDY.
YET THE 91 YEAR-OLD CONEY
ISLAND INSTITUTION IS STILL
OPEN, AND KEEPS MAKING GOOD
PIZZA. WITH ONE OF THE MOST
SEASONED COAL-FIRED OVENS IN
NEW YORK, THE PIZZAS ALL BEAR
PUFFED, CHAR-SPECKLED CRUSTS
THAT SUPPORT GENEROUS LAYERS
OF SWEET, HERBAL TOMATO SAUCE
AND MELTED FRESH MOZZARELLA.

11. DI FARA
SINCE 1964, DOM DEMARCO HAS BEEN HOLDING COURT IN
THIS MIDWOOD INSTITUTION, TURNING OUT GORGEOUS
PIES THAT ARE MADE PERFECT BY THEIR IMPERFECTIONS.
SOME FOLKS WILL TELL YOU TO GET THERE EARLY, SINCE
YOU’LL OTHERWISE END UP WITH A TWO-HOUR WAIT.