The Golden Slice Awards: 10 More Great NYC Pizzerias

Gloria Pizza — This downtown Forest Hills fixture goes all the way back to 1960, but underwent a hiatus early in this century. Now it’s back and better than ever, offering a well-windowed dining room and the usual rich profusion of slice choices. Our fave is the grandma slice: a crisp, square crust with an impressive slab of mozzarella, a slice of fresh tomato, and strips of roasted red pepper, making for an unusual slice that tastes like an Italian street fair. 108-22 Queens Blvd, Queens, (718) 263-1100

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University Pizza — On the northern verge of Belmont facing Fordham University, this pizzeria has been a longtime favorite of students and working-class neighborhood residents. The topping selection is paltry by modern standards, but the plain cheese slice is truly excellent, with a thin and nicely browned crust, a tomato sauce that whispers rather than shouts, and a painstaking strew of cheese that makes for the perfect cheese-to-sauce ratio. 574 E Fordham Rd, Bronx, (718) 220-1959

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My Little Pizzeria — What pizza parlor boasts outdoor seating in the back? This one in downtown Brooklyn does, and also a large dining room perfect for accommodating lunchtime crowds. The supreme slice is the one to get, with an unusually thin crust for a fresh mozzarella slice, browned more than most and hence crisp. The cheese is cooked a little more, too. This is an atypical take on a classic slice, and six or seven more slices are commonly available at any given time. 114 Court St, Brooklyn, (718) 643-6120

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Rocky’s Pizzeria — This Kensington establishment at the corner of Church and C.I.A. (Coney Island Avenue) has been around since the days of the original Rocky movie, and the interior — ablaze in neon — features boxing memorabilia. The plain cheese slice is great, but why not go for the more spectacular ziti slice. Contrary to type, it also features lots of meat sauce to go with the pasta, making it a real pizza-pasta hybrid. We dare you to eat more than one slice. 474 Coney Island Ave, Brooklyn, (718) 854-9270

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Andre’s Pizza — You only get a couple of choices at this newish, micro-sized place in Long Island City’s warehouse district just north of the Queensboro Bridge, where Simon & Garfunkel were once feelin’ groovy. The patrons are mainly students from a nearby magnet school and the pizzaiolo is scarcely older. Nevertheless, the plain cheese slice is a paragon of its type — thin-crusted, salty, and creamy — and the guy behind the counter is likely to ask you just how hot you want it. 25-19 40th Ave, Queens, (718) 472-1932

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Tomato-N-Basil Pizza — This pocket-size pizzeria right above the R stop at Union Street in Gowanus excels at modern notions of neighborhood pizza. Consistent with its name, the square, compact grandma slice is the one to get, with the cheese on the bottom, sauce on top, and several basil leaves imparting sweet flavor on top. The eggplant and chicken-ricotta pies are also worth sampling. 226 4th Ave, Brooklyn, (718) 596-8855

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Steinway Pizza — Wavy orange seats on the formica booths are classic neighborhood pizzeria décor, and often cue you that a great slice is on the way. And so are the gargantuan stacks of pre-folded pizza boxes at this classic parlor on a busy Astoria shopping strip. Go straight for the plain cheese slice, with a magnificently thin and floppy crust, large bone (the circumferential edge), and unusually large quantity of cheese, which is not a burden but a pleasure. One of the mellowest slices in Queens. 31-51 Steinway St, Queens, (718) 274-4250

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NY Pizza Suprema — Located directly southwest of Penn Station since 1964, NY Pizza Suprema is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated neighborhood pizzerias in Manhattan. The lavish display of pies under glass right inside the front entrance provides a beguiling dilemma, but we generally spring for any of the Sicilian slices, which have a bit of oil in the dough and are thus crunchier than most. The sausage Sicilian is particularly dope, miring shavings of good fennel sausage in a profuse floe of cheese. Open until midnight, seven days. 413 8th Ave, (212) 594-8939

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Tony’s Pizza Spot — This Clinton Hill pizzeria shows its extreme age, via a narrow sagging interior, intriguing clutter, and menu that doesn’t subscribe to the latest pizza fads (no buffalo chicken pizza, for example). This makes it a great place to imagine what neighborhood pizza was like 40 years ago, with a charming plainness in its sturdy crust, slightly sweet sauce, and liberal hand with the cheese. Want variety? Pile on the anchovies. 431 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn, (718) 622-6395

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Village Pizza — We have a particular affection for pizzerias squished into tiny spaces, where the ovens dominated the visual landscape and a single employee serves as pie wrangler and clerk. Just down the block from an important subway stop, Village Pizza is just such a place, with a surprisingly large collection of slices for its cramped premises. The buffalo chicken is one the best, featuring a cut-up chicken cutlet and tart sauce that delivers a spicy and vinegary tang. Some say this slice was invented by pizzerias trying to get in on the football-party delivery action without actually doing wings. 65 8th Ave, (212) 243-4367.

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Check out Eater NY’s other neighborhood pizzeria recommendations:

The Neighborhood Pizzeria Hall of Fame Presents: The Golden Slice Awards [ENY]

The New York City Neighborhood Pizzeria Hall of Fame [ENY]

10 Great Old-Fashioned Neighborhood Brooklyn Pizzerias [ENY]