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April/May 2006 | Volume 57, Issue 2
Want To Have The Best?
Text Complexity Grade Level
9
I know of no Supreme Court decisions on what constitutes a pizza in America, but if the Justices ever need guidance, they might well turn to the rubrics drawn up by the august Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana that stipulates exactly what does and does not constitute a true Neapolitan pizza, including ingredients, size, cooking method, oven temperature, and the height of the crust’s edges. Here are some in the United States that I think would handily pass the test; they have certainly passed my own personal taste test.
32 Spring Street, New York, N.Y., 212-941-7994.
You gotta hand it to them: Lombardi’s was apparently the first to sell pizza in America, and it was clearly the standard the pizzerias that followed had to meet or beat. It is still a great pizza— misshapen, steaming, slightly puffy, with a yeasty crust and wonderful gooeyness to the creamy, full-flavored cheese. The pizza bianca (white pizza), with three cheeses, garlic, and olive oil, is pretty terrific too.
278 Bleecker Street, New York, N.Y., 212-243-1680.
There’s almost always a line out the door for John’s impeccable pies, which have a good chewy crust and nice balance of sauce to mozzarella. Practice makes perfect, and they go through thousands of pies each week here, at the original Greenwich Village location and at two others uptown that are just as good, if not so evocative.
2342 Arthur Avenue, Bronx, N.Y., 718-584-1188.
If a business has been around since 1919 and is into its fourth generation of family members keeping things the old way (in this case the Miglucci family), and if every “New Yawk” sports figure and plenty of politicians wanting the Bronx vote come here, you know something good is cooking. The pizza at Mario’s, prepared by Joe Miglucci, is paramount for its flavors, the bubbly crust, and the good vibes of this cordial family eatery.
200 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y., 212-972-7001.
To look at this sprawling, sleek trattoria adjacent to Grand Central Terminal, you’d think it is just too slick to be good. But Restaurant Associates put its clout, money, and resources into every aspect of creating a great pizza, including locating water with the same mineral content as in Naples and special-ordering the flour. The result is a superb pizza, and the wood-burning ovens turn them out every two or three minutes, with a good layering of cheese in counterpoint to the tomatoes.
1524 Neptune Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y., 718-372-8606.
Certainly the best of the Brooklyn pizzerias, Totonno’s (now with branches in Manhattan and Yonkers, New York) is as much a part of going to Coney Island as grabbing a hot dog at Nathan’s Famous. Once known for its screaming, eccentric owner (now retired), Totonno’s is