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NFT: Best Pizza- Brooklyn only

MyNameIsMyName : 9/11/2024 6:08 pm
I know these threads pop up every now and then, I’m sorry.

For my 40th bday in a few weeks me and some buddies are doing a beer and pizza tour. We’ll be in Brooklyn one of the days. What are the best places for pizza? Please no NYC recommendations, we’ll only be in Brooklyn.

Thank you!
Two of the classic ones  
Mike from SI : 9/11/2024 6:11 pm : link
are Di Fara's and L&B Spumoni Garden (get Sicilian).

In Williamsburg, I like Rosa's and Williamsburg Pizza. And there's a Joe's, which is, I guess, the "standard" NY slice.

And for the record, Brooklyn is part of NYC!
I haven't lived in the City in a very long time, but when I was there  
Ira : 9/11/2024 6:12 pm : link
Di Fara was hard to beat. Avenue J and East 15th St.
Lucali is really good...  
bw in dc : 9/11/2024 6:15 pm : link
but it requires some planning ahead.

I agree with Di Fara for sure. Easy to walk in and out.
Love Di Fara sauce.  
larryflower37 : 9/11/2024 6:15 pm : link
I stop everytime I am in that part of Brooklyn.
Is it the best overall pizza I have had but something about the sauce brings me back.
If you're in the Williamsburg/Greenpoint area  
Giantology : 9/11/2024 6:18 pm : link
Paulie Gee's Slice Shop was always on point for me
Red Hook area  
kcgiants : 9/11/2024 6:35 pm : link
House of Pizza on Union St - Brooklyn
Haven't been there for a while but one of the best pizza in NYC area.
I tried Di Fara's for the first time a couple of weeks ago  
BestFeature : 9/11/2024 6:52 pm : link
Great crunch, but I'm not quite sure why it's viewed so highly. I didn't think the taste was amazing. Is it because the owner past? Maybe it was just my own taste.
Di Fara,  
Silver Spoon : 9/11/2024 8:01 pm : link
Juliana’s.
Table 87  
Walnuts : 9/11/2024 8:11 pm : link
Don't hear it mentioned much, but it’s one of my favorites
Best  
DanMetroMan : 9/11/2024 8:32 pm : link
Pizza in the city to me right now is Mano’s. I also really like Scarr’s and I think Williamsburg Pizza is underrated.
RE: Red Hook area  
Matt M. : 9/11/2024 8:43 pm : link
In comment 16606156 kcgiants said:
Quote:
House of Pizza on Union St - Brooklyn
Haven't been there for a while but one of the best pizza in NYC area.
I live up the block. It is decent, but nowhere close to best pizza and hasn't been for the 17 years we've lived on this block.
RE: I tried Di Fara's for the first time a couple of weeks ago  
Big Rick in FL : 9/11/2024 8:48 pm : link
In comment 16606162 BestFeature said:
Quote:
Great crunch, but I'm not quite sure why it's viewed so highly. I didn't think the taste was amazing. Is it because the owner past? Maybe it was just my own taste.


Di Fara has been considered the best pizza in NY long before Dom passed away.

Di Fara, Lucali & Best Pizza are probably 3 of my top 5 favorite pizza places I've ever been to. Di Fara & Lucali are probably 1 & 2.
A few thoughts  
Matt M. : 9/11/2024 8:49 pm : link
Lucali is about as good as it gets, but it does require a commitment. You need to wait on line beginning about 3/3:30 to get a reservation for the night. And they will tell you what time. It is well worth it. Menu is only pizza and calzones. BYOB. The chef patterned his pizza after Dom from DiFara's, also mentioned in this thread.

DiFara's is one of the best in the city. But, Dom passed away. I haven't been since his kids took over, but it is supposed to be just as popular and people still swear by it. But, you really have to go to the original location on Ave. J. Any others are not anywhere near the quality. You will most likely have to wait to place an order and then wait a while for it to be ready. You could be there upwards of 2 hours.

L&B Spumoni Gardens is mentioned here, but it isn't amazing. It is a Brooklyn instituion and it is pretty good. But, I'd hit up one of the first 2.

Baby Luc's is a slice only shop from Lucali a few blocks away. Very good, but not quite as good as the original.

L'Industrie in Williamsburgh is supposed to be amazing, but I have yet to try it.

Grimaldi's is another famous and very old shop in DUMBO, but it is not what it once was. Former owners opened Juliana's up the block with better pizza.

Sadly, Totonno's in Coney Island has closed. They were in the top 5 in NYC.
Also  
Matt M. : 9/11/2024 8:50 pm : link
Table 87 was mentioned here. It is so-so. Definitely not the best you can do.
Thanks  
MyNameIsMyName : 9/11/2024 9:01 pm : link
All!
As for Best Pizza  
Mike from SI : 9/11/2024 9:03 pm : link
People swear by it but I wasn't that impressed. However I've only been once and it's very close, so I guess I should give it another shot.
RE: Two of the classic ones  
MyNameIsMyName : 9/11/2024 9:03 pm : link
In comment 16606140 Mike from SI said:
Quote:
are Di Fara's and L&B Spumoni Garden (get Sicilian).

In Williamsburg, I like Rosa's and Williamsburg Pizza. And there's a Joe's, which is, I guess, the "standard" NY slice.

And for the record, Brooklyn is part of NYC!


Haha yes, I know. I meant Manhattan
Lenny's on Nostrand Ave and Ave D. The best!  
Jack Stroud : 9/11/2024 10:57 pm : link
.
Delmar Pizzeria  
Trainmaster : 9/12/2024 2:17 am : link
Sheepshead Bay Road


Delmar - ( New Window )
RE: A few thoughts  
BestFeature : 9/12/2024 4:37 am : link
In comment 16606252 Matt M. said:
Quote:
Lucali is about as good as it gets, but it does require a commitment. You need to wait on line beginning about 3/3:30 to get a reservation for the night. And they will tell you what time. It is well worth it. Menu is only pizza and calzones. BYOB. The chef patterned his pizza after Dom from DiFara's, also mentioned in this thread.

DiFara's is one of the best in the city. But, Dom passed away. I haven't been since his kids took over, but it is supposed to be just as popular and people still swear by it. But, you really have to go to the original location on Ave. J. Any others are not anywhere near the quality. You will most likely have to wait to place an order and then wait a while for it to be ready. You could be there upwards of 2 hours.

L&B Spumoni Gardens is mentioned here, but it isn't amazing. It is a Brooklyn instituion and it is pretty good. But, I'd hit up one of the first 2.

Baby Luc's is a slice only shop from Lucali a few blocks away. Very good, but not quite as good as the original.

L'Industrie in Williamsburgh is supposed to be amazing, but I have yet to try it.

Grimaldi's is another famous and very old shop in DUMBO, but it is not what it once was. Former owners opened Juliana's up the block with better pizza.

Sadly, Totonno's in Coney Island has closed. They were in the top 5 in NYC.


I'm unemployed now and went on weekday to Di Fara in the middle of the day and didn't have to wait at all. I think it's all about when you get there.
RE: Delmar Pizzeria  
Matt M. : 9/12/2024 6:04 am : link
In comment 16606362 Trainmaster said:
Quote:
Sheepshead Bay Road
Delmar - ( New Window )
One of the very best unknown slice shops.
I've had good pies  
Southern Man : 9/12/2024 9:05 am : link
at Roberta's in Bushwick. Pretty good vibe there too.
RE: A few thoughts  
Beezer : 9/12/2024 9:11 am : link
In comment 16606252 Matt M. said:
Quote:
Lucali is about as good as it gets, but it does require a commitment. You need to wait on line beginning about 3/3:30 to get a reservation for the night. And they will tell you what time. It is well worth it. Menu is only pizza and calzones. BYOB. The chef patterned his pizza after Dom from DiFara's, also mentioned in this thread.

DiFara's is one of the best in the city. But, Dom passed away. I haven't been since his kids took over, but it is supposed to be just as popular and people still swear by it. But, you really have to go to the original location on Ave. J. Any others are not anywhere near the quality. You will most likely have to wait to place an order and then wait a while for it to be ready. You could be there upwards of 2 hours.

L&B Spumoni Gardens is mentioned here, but it isn't amazing. It is a Brooklyn instituion and it is pretty good. But, I'd hit up one of the first 2.

Baby Luc's is a slice only shop from Lucali a few blocks away. Very good, but not quite as good as the original.

L'Industrie in Williamsburgh is supposed to be amazing, but I have yet to try it.

Grimaldi's is another famous and very old shop in DUMBO, but it is not what it once was. Former owners opened Juliana's up the block with better pizza.

Sadly, Totonno's in Coney Island has closed. They were in the top 5 in NYC.


L'Industrie in Williamsburgh is supposed to be amazing, but I have yet to try it.

BeezKid and I have had it ... tiny place so either takeout or in the good weather they have covered seating (and other) on the walk along the building. Highly recommend it. One of the very best pizzas I've had in the city. Would stack it up near John's of Bleecker in Manhattan and Philomena's on Queens Blvd. in Sunnyside.
I live in park slope but I think Williamsburg has to be part of  
Essex : 9/12/2024 9:12 am : link
The discussion. Williamsburg Pizza, L’Indistrie, and Best Pizza are all top NY pizza.

Also if you don’t want to plan ahead or wait for Lucali’s he has a slice shop called Baby Luc’s, it’s not as good but it’s close enough and there is usually no wait. Plus F and F is a couple of blocks away and that is also excellent.

As other have said, you can’t go wrong at L and B and DiFara’s
RE: RE: Delmar Pizzeria  
Matt123 : 9/12/2024 9:27 am : link
In comment 16606368 Matt M. said:
Quote:
In comment 16606362 Trainmaster said:


Quote:


Sheepshead Bay Road
Delmar - ( New Window )

One of the very best unknown slice shops.


That's my kind of place. Slices look good.

RE: RE: RE: Delmar Pizzeria  
Essex : 9/12/2024 9:32 am : link
In comment 16606464 Matt123 said:
Quote:
In comment 16606368 Matt M. said:


Quote:


In comment 16606362 Trainmaster said:


Quote:


Sheepshead Bay Road
Delmar - ( New Window )

One of the very best unknown slice shops.



That's my kind of place. Slices look good.


If you are going to go to Sheepshead Bay, Lucia is a good spot, too.
RE: I live in park slope but I think Williamsburg has to be part of  
Matt M. : 9/12/2024 11:20 am : link
In comment 16606452 Essex said:
Quote:
The discussion. Williamsburg Pizza, L’Indistrie, and Best Pizza are all top NY pizza.

Also if you don’t want to plan ahead or wait for Lucali’s he has a slice shop called Baby Luc’s, it’s not as good but it’s close enough and there is usually no wait. Plus F and F is a couple of blocks away and that is also excellent.

As other have said, you can’t go wrong at L and B and DiFara’s
Hello, neighbor. Carroll Gardens here.
RE: RE: I live in park slope but I think Williamsburg has to be part of  
Essex : 9/12/2024 11:26 am : link
In comment 16606541 Matt M. said:
Quote:
In comment 16606452 Essex said:


Quote:


The discussion. Williamsburg Pizza, L’Indistrie, and Best Pizza are all top NY pizza.

Also if you don’t want to plan ahead or wait for Lucali’s he has a slice shop called Baby Luc’s, it’s not as good but it’s close enough and there is usually no wait. Plus F and F is a couple of blocks away and that is also excellent.

As other have said, you can’t go wrong at L and B and DiFara’s

Hello, neighbor. Carroll Gardens here.


You got much better pizza spots than me! In park slope, DOP is good and Norm’s as well but not top notch. Then it’s old pizza joints like Pino’s and Smiling. Coincidentally, for an old school NY slice I do like My Little Pizzeria on Atlantic and Court.
RE: RE: RE: I live in park slope but I think Williamsburg has to be part of  
Matt M. : 9/12/2024 12:44 pm : link
In comment 16606544 Essex said:
Quote:
In comment 16606541 Matt M. said:


Quote:


In comment 16606452 Essex said:


Quote:


The discussion. Williamsburg Pizza, L’Indistrie, and Best Pizza are all top NY pizza.

Also if you don’t want to plan ahead or wait for Lucali’s he has a slice shop called Baby Luc’s, it’s not as good but it’s close enough and there is usually no wait. Plus F and F is a couple of blocks away and that is also excellent.

As other have said, you can’t go wrong at L and B and DiFara’s

Hello, neighbor. Carroll Gardens here.



You got much better pizza spots than me! In park slope, DOP is good and Norm’s as well but not top notch. Then it’s old pizza joints like Pino’s and Smiling. Coincidentally, for an old school NY slice I do like My Little Pizzeria on Atlantic and Court.
I also like My Little Pizzeria. Pio's and Smiling might be the best of the so-so slice shop by you.

I just read recently the owner of Smiling is associated with a couple of other Brooklyn places. One is Papa Leone in Manhattan Beach, which is no longer around. The other is Lucia, which I don't know.
Luigi's on 5th Avenue  
PSIMMS 22-25-268 : 9/12/2024 1:06 pm : link
is as authentic and as good as it gets. Talk with Gio while he gets your slices. Such passion for his craft.
RE: Luigi's on 5th Avenue  
BestFeature : 9/12/2024 2:46 pm : link
In comment 16606665 PSIMMS 22-25-268 said:
Quote:
is as authentic and as good as it gets. Talk with Gio while he gets your slices. Such passion for his craft.


Dave Portnoy gave it a 9.3.
RE: RE: Luigi's on 5th Avenue  
Essex : 9/12/2024 3:11 pm : link
In comment 16606796 BestFeature said:
Quote:
In comment 16606665 PSIMMS 22-25-268 said:


Quote:


is as authentic and as good as it gets. Talk with Gio while he gets your slices. Such passion for his craft.



Dave Portnoy gave it a 9.3.


It is a great slice really subtly doughy and really good as Portnoy would say "undercarriage" but it is a mob scene over there, kind of like DiFara's and he is really slow. Although the slice line is a bit quicker then the pie line. I am not sure I would wait for it like I would would at DiFara's when Dom was around.
I just tried a pizzaria that's maybe a 10 minute walk from me  
BestFeature : 9/12/2024 4:00 pm : link
that I never tried before. It's a random place no one has heard of. Vesuvius on East 19th and Kings Highway in Midwood. Amazing, exactly how I like it. I liked it a lot more than the Di Fara slice. I feel like you can get a great slice in most places in Brooklyn, no need to wait in line.
RE: I just tried a pizzaria that's maybe a 10 minute walk from me  
Matt M. : 9/12/2024 6:05 pm : link
In comment 16606926 BestFeature said:
Quote:
that I never tried before. It's a random place no one has heard of. Vesuvius on East 19th and Kings Highway in Midwood. Amazing, exactly how I like it. I liked it a lot more than the Di Fara slice. I feel like you can get a great slice in most places in Brooklyn, no need to wait in line.
That's E. 18th Street, not 19th. I grew up on Ocean Ave. a few blocks away. That place has changed names a few times, but I didn't like it as a kid. I went to J&R bet. Ocean and 19th Street. I thinks it's still there, but no clue if it's any good. Their regular pies were decent, but I really liked their Sicilian.
I'll have to check out Luigi's  
Matt M. : 9/12/2024 6:07 pm : link
I've only heard good things, but never tried it.

Lately, for the go to order for the kids we started getting from Mark's of Red Hook. Not bad. I think a little better than House of Pizza.
RE: RE: I just tried a pizzaria that's maybe a 10 minute walk from me  
Matt M. : 9/12/2024 6:10 pm : link
In comment 16607082 Matt M. said:
Quote:
In comment 16606926 BestFeature said:


Quote:


that I never tried before. It's a random place no one has heard of. Vesuvius on East 19th and Kings Highway in Midwood. Amazing, exactly how I like it. I liked it a lot more than the Di Fara slice. I feel like you can get a great slice in most places in Brooklyn, no need to wait in line.

That's E. 18th Street, not 19th. I grew up on Ocean Ave. a few blocks away. That place has changed names a few times, but I didn't like it as a kid. I went to J&R bet. Ocean and 19th Street. I thinks it's still there, but no clue if it's any good. Their regular pies were decent, but I really liked their Sicilian.
Maybe I'm wrong about the name; I didn't remember it being Vesuvio, but people are saying they've been going for years.
I've always hear it's Di Fara's  
Grey Pilgrim : 9/12/2024 6:17 pm : link
Tho I've never been myself.

HTH
There are newer players not getting mentioned here  
GiantSteps : 9/13/2024 11:49 am : link
and some that have lost a little shine. I won't name them so as to avoid vitriol, seeing as how this is such a sensitive and personal topic.

Lucali is still top of the heap in Brooklyn, but as everyone has already said, it takes a time commitment.

My favorite new player in Brooklyn is a relatively unassuming spot on Church Ave. (close to the corner it shares with Ocean Parkway) called WHEATED. It is a f*cking gem.

Wheated's owner is a pizza-obsessive pizzaiolo who constantly posts on IG about moisture levels, oven quality, and everything else that goes into the pizza making process.

I think the crusts are sourdough-based, but what is for sure is that when you go there, you're going to get a top-tier, well crafted pie that you won't forget at a really cool little spot that's kind of hidden in an otherwise unassuming area in Brooklyn.

If it matters at all, Dave Portnoy gave it an 8-plus rating, and I'd have rated it higher than he did.
PS  
GiantSteps : 9/13/2024 11:50 am : link
I'd also add that if you're going to go on a pizza crawl, Williamsburg probably will give you the best bang for your buck both in pizza quality and other stuff to check out while you're walking around.
RE: RE: I just tried a pizzaria that's maybe a 10 minute walk from me  
BestFeature : 9/13/2024 2:19 pm : link
In comment 16607082 Matt M. said:
Quote:
In comment 16606926 BestFeature said:


Quote:


that I never tried before. It's a random place no one has heard of. Vesuvius on East 19th and Kings Highway in Midwood. Amazing, exactly how I like it. I liked it a lot more than the Di Fara slice. I feel like you can get a great slice in most places in Brooklyn, no need to wait in line.

That's E. 18th Street, not 19th. I grew up on Ocean Ave. a few blocks away. That place has changed names a few times, but I didn't like it as a kid. I went to J&R bet. Ocean and 19th Street. I thinks it's still there, but no clue if it's any good. Their regular pies were decent, but I really liked their Sicilian.


You may be right. I just remember it's on the other side of the Q train, lol. E 18th is better since it's closer. I'm not arrogant enough to say that it's the best pizza all I'll say it's MY type of pizza. I've had that type of pizza since I was a kid and it's my favorite taste. Also, it's possible they changed the pizza since you were there. Luna pizza about a block from me was a spot I went to as a kid a lot because it was on my way home from school. But while it's good Vesuvius is literally exactly the way I like it. I also don't like Sicilian pizza myself, too much sauce. I prefer to taste more cheese than sauce.
RE: PS  
Mike from SI : 9/13/2024 2:39 pm : link
In comment 16607739 GiantSteps said:
Quote:
I'd also add that if you're going to go on a pizza crawl, Williamsburg probably will give you the best bang for your buck both in pizza quality and other stuff to check out while you're walking around.


If you're just going to walk around, this is a good bet.

Btw hopefully gonna re-try Best Pizza tonight and will see if my mind is changed.
Best Pizza  
Mike from SI : 9/13/2024 10:09 pm : link
Ok I just went to Best Pizza, which is like a 7 minute walk from me. On the one hand, I really thought the plain slice was nothing special. Good, yes, but nothing to write home about. The pepperoni slice was awesome, the pepperoni really added to the flavor. I saw someone eating a white slice that also looked great, which I will go back for.

So if the OP is doing a whole tour and winds up there, I'd say don't go traditional plain slice. However, I'm in the minority on this opinion, as many people I know swear by it, from native Brooklynites to the girl I brought with me from Cali who doesn't know any better lol.
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