Pricing: Not Cheap
Venue: Sit Down
Cuisine: American, Pizza
Favorite Dish(es): The Beast Master ($17)

For our anniversary we wanted to go somewhere low-key and unpretentious, instead of doing a fancy reservation-only spot. Upon recommendation from my friend (and new daddy) David, a true man about the town, we trekked over to the far industrial reaches of Bushwick for Roberta’s Pizza. This is no ordinary New York brick-oven pizza joint by any means (go to Lombardi’s, John’s or Grimaldi’s for that). Their ingredients are unconventional, super fresh, and many are grown right on the premises in their cool little DIY greenhouse out back. The service is better than top notch – you’re bound to learn a thing or two. Roberta’s is a really special place – almost magical if you will. You should make sure to add to your must-go list.

Let’s get right down to the pizza. The crust is simply amazing. It’s super light and crispy on the outside with big bubbles (for those who love them), and chewy and tender on the inside. It almost has the consistency of a super light naan (the Indian tandoori-oven baked bread). The ingredients are right on par with the crust in their quality, using really fresh mozzarella and just the right amount of ripe tomato sauce. Their toppings are the real star. The “Specken Wolf”, one of their trademark pizzas, features Speck, a salty, smoky ham originating from Austria and Italy, sliced super thin and accompanied by mushrooms, oregano, onions, and mozzarella. The “Beastmaster”, our favorite, is a monster of a pizza combining seven toppings: tomato, mozzarella, gorgonzola, capers, onions, Berkshire pork sausage, and jalapenos. It’s a flavor rollercoaster ride of salty, savory, sour, and sweet that puts any “Supreme” pizza to shame. The other pizzas also have a good combination of toppings, and we’re definitely aiming to try each and every one.

Shpecken ze Wolfen?

You can't Master this Beast at the Hut.

It’s also worth mentioning that we started off with a homemade pasta dish that we shared as an appetizer. “Orechiette (little ear-shaped pasta) with braised oxtail and parmagiano”. It had good flavor and was seasoned well, but the portion was a bit on the tiny size, even for one person, so it’s definitely only fit as an appetizer. In retrospect we could have done without the pasta and just ordered more pizza – which we ended up doing in the middle of the meal. We split 3 pizzas between the two of us, with 2 slices left over for a midnight snack.

Roberta’s is more than just a pizza spot, with a warm inviting ambiance, and plenty of areas to lounge. The interior is super low-brow, decorated in a homey way with a hodge-podge of random trinkets and little bits of artwork. There’s a decent size bar area for people waiting for takeout orders. The backyard is a special spot, with a cozy fireplace with another bar that serves warm mulled (spiced wine) during cold weather. There’s even a small local internet radio station that shares part of the patio, and the greenhouse is built directly on top of their room, that you can walk up to and check out. Roberta’s is like a Romper Room for big kids to hang out at for hours on end. Brooklynites in the area should consider themselves truly lucky.

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Pricing: Cheap
Venue: Take-Out
Cuisine: American, Italian (Pizza)
Favorite Dish(es): Margarita Slice ($3.50)

Artichoke Pizza is a fairly recent newcomer to the NY gourmet pizza scene.  They offer two signature pizzas that you won’t find anywhere else – Artichoke (of course) and, of all things, Crab.  But for our first visit, we opted for the traditional Margarita slice: mozzarella, fresh basil, and fresh tomato sauce. One word describes this pizza that makes it stand out from the rest of NYC’s many gourmet slices – “CRISPY.” This crust is super crispy, almost cracker-like and crunchy like melba toast, with very little bending or doughiness. It’s not the kind of pizza you can just fold in half and walk around with. It deserves your full attention, from tip to crust. They use quality ingredients, and don’t skimp on the cheese. We’re anxiously waiting to try the Artichoke and Crab slices next time. The Artichoke slice is a white pizza without tomato sauce, with a bit thicker, softer crust embedded with bits of artichoke and spinach.  Can’t wait to go back and test them out.

The famed Artichoke slice.

Margarita slice, as they call it. I think it's actually spelled "Margherita".

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Lombardi’s
32 Spring St at Mott St
(212) 941-7994

Pricing: Not Cheap
Venue: Sit Down
Cuisine: Pizza
Favorite Dish(es): Large Pie with Sausage and Mushrooms ($24.50)

Over 100 years old, Lombardi’s has held the title as NYC’s first pizzeria since 1905. Whether that makes it the best pizza or not (we still prefer Grimaldi’s), it’s still a NYC tradition to sit down for a pie at Lombardi’s. The menu is pretty much just pizza by the pie, a few salads, and breadsticks. The dough is a traditional thin crust, with lots of chewy bubbles to pick at, and a bit on the saltier side than Grimaldi’s or John’s. They have a wide variety of toppings (although no spicy sausage), and the waitresses are a bit on the pushy side trying to get you to order as many as possible. It makes the pie soggy in the middle, so I’d stick to 2 max, even though a 3rd topping is only 50 cents more. Just my preference. The interior is pretty spacious for downtown Soho and there are large round tables for parties of 6, but in typical NY fashion they won’t seat you until your entire party is present. However, it’s pretty easy to get a table on weekdays and there’s a full bar waiting area with good beers on tap if it’s busy. Overall, Lombardi’s makes a good slice of pie in the way only NYC pizzerias can, and it’s never an unsatisfying trip.

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Grimaldi’s
19 Old Fulton St, between Front and Water Sts (under the Brooklyn Bridge)
(718) 858-4300

Pricing: Not Cheap
Venue: Sit Down
Cuisine: Pizza (Italian)
Favorite Dish(es): Large 18″ Pizza ($14) with any toppings ($2 each: i.e. sausage, mushrooms, olives)

The title of “Best Pizza in New York” is one that holds a lot of weight.  While many people may dispute between the two John’s, our pick goes to Grimaldi’s in DUMBO, Brooklyn.  Even though it may be a trek out to no-man’s land in DUMBO, and you may have to wait up to an hour in line outside on a busy day, and they don’t do slices, and they only take cash, it’s definitely worth checking out to decide for yourself whether this truly is the best pizza in New York in our opinion. Once you get inside, you’ll find inside a typical-looking pizza place with cramped quarters which makes it hardly seem worth the wait.  Fortunately, the pizza actually comes out very quickly and the waiters are very speedy.  Take note that Grimaldi’s pizza is cooked in a coal brick oven, not your regular gas oven, giving it a super thin but chewy crust.  It tastes a bit smoky, sometimes with a little light charring, and is less sweet than John’s crust, which serves as an excellent platform for the base toppings: fresh mozzarella, fresh tomato sauce, fresh basil, and a little olive oil drizzled somewhere in between.  Any topping combination you pick will make for a great pizza.  This is not a place for big groups, unlike John’s in Times Square, and the line may dissuade the more impatient and hungrier guests, but Grimaldi’s is a true New York experience that is worth trying at least once.  Save some space for a scoop of homemade ice cream on the pier down the block at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory.

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278 Bleecker St, between 6th and 7th Ave
(212) 243-1680

Pricing: Not Cheap
Venue: Sit Down
Cuisine: Pizza
Favorite Dish(es): Whole pies range from $12-$23 depending on the size of the pie and toppings you choose. John’s has more than 50 combinations of the traditional sausage, peppers, mushrooms, ricotta, etc type of toppings- however you want on your pie, it’s yours. Try the fresh garden salad with house vinaigrette.
The Bleecker location is rustic, roomy, and casual. If you want a more formal, spacious ambiance- try the West 44th St location (it’s a great date place).

Online Menu- Bleecker
Online Menu- West 44th St