"If you live in New York, you don't know how good you have it. I used to get so annoyed with guys from New York and New Jersey throwing their weight around and telling me that there's no good pizza anywhere else but there. They're not exactly right (the best pizza in the country is still in Phoenix), but they're very, very close. New York pizza is on another level than L.A., Detroit—even Chicago. The ingredients are superior, the wood and coal ovens are a pipeline to greatness, and the history and tradition put the experience over the top. But in the end I think the real key is the man in front of the oven. At Mozza, line cooks are making the pies. The guys at UPN, Di Fara, Lucali, and some other joints in New York aren't on the clock. They're people who have their whole lives invested in their pizza. Believe me, you can taste it in the food."
- edythe
from Bookmarklet
John's is better than Lombardis imho - and I believe the pie on the left is from John's Bleeker. They also left out my secret spot in E. Village. Yay - more for me.
- Mona Nomura
I don't think I've found the "it" pizza joints in NYC because I have never been blown away by the pizza. :-/
- Anna Haro
Omg Haro - you need to roll with me fool.
- Mona Nomura
"Famous Original Ray's?" "Just Ray's Jerry!"
- Mark Trapp
Yeah, same here, Jandy! And the pizza in Raleigh sucks (in comparison to Chicago or NY). That's one thing I really miss about living in Chicago. :-(
- Herb Hernandez
btw, i finally tried Abbot's Pizza in Venice yesterday...what a disappointment.
- edythe
I've had nothing but Chicago Style (and unfortunately St Louis Style) pizza. I really want to try NY pizza to see if it holds it's own against Chicago.
- David Cook
The pizza in Italy is better than New York. There's a great place in Cortona, for example.
- AC Delco
pizza in rome, italy--all i can speak about--is, like chicago's pizza, different but not better.
- edythe
Having pizza tonight. But this is making me hungry now.
- Diego Barros
I'm responding to the quote about guys throwing their weight around in NYC and Jersey about how great their pizza is. 1) the reason they're throwing their weight around is their pizza has too much bread and cheese, 2) most of these guys have never been to Italy, where pizza was invented, 3) pizza in NYC and Chicago, is different (as in not really pizza), but not better than in Italy. 4) Americans who don't like anchovies on their pizza are wimpy.
- AC Delco
If you are ever in Vegas, check out New York Pizza & Pasta out on West Sahara. The pizza is so good you have to order two, one to eat and one to hug. It's really that good.
- Kevin D. White
Can anyone recommend a really good pizza recipe?
- Diego Barros
You should go to that one Ray's. :)
- rob friedman
@edythe - yeah, Abbot's is ungreat. Closest I've found around here (so far) to legit east coast pizza are the pies (not the slices) at Bravo in Santa Monica.
- Anthony Citrano
john's on bleeker, john's on 44th and ben's on macdougal...will take out most of the joints listed above...edit: i also want to include lucali and patsy's too.
- Carlos Ayala
bravo in santa monica -- but pies, not slices. ok, will have to try that, anthony.
- edythe