Little Italy Pizza NYC- Grab a Slice of Heaven

Trips to New York City consist of lots and lots of pizza and what better way to indulge than knowing where to grab Little Italy Pizza NYC style!

How do you get to Little Italy NYC?

If you are traveling to New York City and are looking for the best Italian, or pizza for that matter, you need to head to Little Italy. 

Little Italy is a really cool area of NYC. It’s part of the borough of Manhattan situated in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood. It is bordered by Canal Street to the south, Bowery to the east, and SoHo to the west.

The main street running through Little Italy is Mulberry Street, which is known for its Italian culture. While the neighborhood has seen a lot of changes over the years, it still retains a vibrant Italian-American community. Though it exudes Italian tradition, it is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. 

Why travel to Little Italy NYC for the best pizza?

Listen, New York City as a whole is known for its pizza. Different neighborhoods have their own unique styles. Don’t even get a New Yorker started on Chicago-style pizza, or vice versa. Yikes! 

Little Italy has been serving pizza for decades and the restaurants in this area are highly regarded as the best because it is traditional Italian pizza. If you ask the various restaurants in Little Italy about their ingredients or the recipes they will most often tell you that the style of their pizza was handed down for generations, deriving straight from Italy.

Little Italy Pizza NYC-Where is the best slice?

We are superfans of pizza, especially New York Style. Of all of the times we have had a slice all around the city, we prefer the pizza in Little Italy NYC. We’re sharing our favorite places to have pizza in Little Italy, NC. 

Lombardi’s

Lombardi’s is often credited as America’s first pizzeria. If you ask anyone who is from NYC, Lombardi’s makes the list of the best. Fun fact- if you are in the Little Italy area and are on any kind of local tour, ask the tour guide if they have a coupon for Lombardi’s. We have received many coupons for Lombardi’s. We love that they work with local tour groups to get the word out about how delish their pizza is. 

Lombardi’s makes every top pizzeria for Little Italy, Just know that there is a reason for that. The reviews are real! It’s super cozy and will make you feel like a bonafide New Yorker!

Patsy’s Pizzeria

Patsy’s is a notable mention in this list because even though it is not in Little Italy, it was one of the earliest pizzerias along with Lombardi’s in 1933. Founder Pasquale “Patsy” Lanceri learned how to make his pizza at Lombardi’s. There are several locations around NYC, so be sure to stop in one. It is said that Patsy’s was Frank Sinatra’s favorite place to grab a pizza slice in NYC.

Zia Maria

Zia Maria has a contemporary feel, but don’t let that deter you from going. Their homemade pasta and bruschetta are to die for but this is about pizza, right? If you read their reviews you will see that Zia Maria has some of the most mouthwatering pizzas and we think it is because of the dough.

Family-owned and operated, we think this must be some kind of secret because the dough alone is fantastic! Since Zia means “aunt” in Italian, we are pretty sure that Aunt Maria has the secret recipe.

Pep’s on Grand

In the heart of Little Italy, you will find Pep’s on Grand. Of course, it is on Grand Street. Like most restaurants in Little Italy, Pep’s makes everything in-house. Their food derives from the way Italian is made in southern Italy. 

The restaurant is a little fancy. You sit in a round booth almost thinking Tony and Carmello Soprano are going to walk in at any moment. Their pizza is, of course, delicious or it wouldn’t have made our list. If you are looking for a great restaurant for a sit-down meal, Pep’s on Grand should be it. 

By the way, if you are a Soprano’s fan, check out this Soprano’s Filming Location Tour!

Nolita Italian Cuisine and Pizza

Let’s not forget about Nolita. Nolita got its name from being North of Little Italy. Nolita has a vibrant and artistic vibe. It is characterized by its narrow streets and historic buildings, which add to its rustic charm. It offers a mix of old-world charm from its proximity to Little Italy and modern, fashionable energy, due to its closeness to SoHo. 

Pietro Nolita

Our favorite Italian restaurant in Nolita is Pietro Nolita. You may also know it as “that pink restaurant”. We won’t lie, that is what drew us in. It just seemed like a very instagrammable restaurant… and it is, but it surprised us with its delicious Italian fare. 

The menu’s Italian food was all passed down from the owner’s mother, of course, from Italy. 

Rubirosa

This is another favorite located in Nolita. Rubirosa’s specialty is Neopolitan-inspired pizza, their Margherita pizza is their most popular menu item.

You want Italian tradition? It’s here, at Rubirosa. The atmosphere exudes coziness like you are in Giuseppe’s kitchen. Who is Giuseppe? He is the father of founder, AJ Pappalardo. AJ’s father, Giuseppe Pappalardo is behind Staten Island’s Joe and Pat’s. Rubirosa’s pizza derives from the family’s 60+ year recipe.

Restaurant Row – Hell’s Kitchen

We would be remiss if we did not include Restaurant Row in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen in this informational blog post on the best Italian and best pizza in NYC. 

Restaurant Row is just a couple of blocks off Times Square. The block is located on West 46th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues. Our favorite Italian food is Bar Dough and Trattoria Trecolori. 

Bar Dough is an excellent wood-fired pizza restaurant that has a Little Italy feel to the ambiance. The Margherita Pizza is our favorite. They have the most amazing mozzarella cheese we’ve ever tasted. 

Trattoria Trecolori is a bit more upscale. We have dined on some of the best eggplant parmigiana we’ve ever tasted at Trattoria. We highly encourage you to order it. 

Experience Little Italy Pizza NYC

To really take in all that New York City has to offer, be sure to get off of the beaten path a bit. Sure, the touristy things are fun and part of the NYC experience, but tasting the culture of the old world of New York is something you will never regret. 

Be sure to make your way to Little Italy and let us know what your favorite place to grab a slice (or three) of pizza is! Many restaurants have their menus online and have take-out and limited delivery available, but trust us. There is nothing that makes you feel more like a New Yorker than grabbing a slice in the establishment that made it, in Little Italy. 

FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions