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New Yorkers: Pizza--Slice versus pie?


markeb
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I almost hijacked a thread on this, but my experience with pizza in NYC is pretty much like barbecue in Texas (or Kansas City, or Memphis, or North Carolina...), so I'll just ask here. If nothing else, it might be fun. If there's a good dialog, it might even be useful!

 

My wife and I visit NYC frequently. If we're going out for pizza, we ALWAYS go to a place that creates a pie to order. That's most frequently John's, who actually advertises on their shirts and merchandise "No Slices". We'll grab a slice of pizza on occasion, usually as a quick lunch bite while we're out and about, but I've never found either the pizza or the experience comparable to a pizzeria that makes a pie to order.

 

New Yorkers on this board FREQUENTLY talk about pizza by the slice places, even extolling the virtues of those places for getting different kinds of pizza for different members of the family (today was Got2Cruise). I clearly don't frequent the places you do, or just don't get it. The by the slice places I've grabbed a slice at have usually slapped a slice of pizza back in the oven, resulting in an imperfectly heated slice, then put it on a paper plate which immediately became a pile of grease.

 

So help me out, and maybe some other travelers out here. How many of you mostly order a whole pie? How many mostly buy by the slice? Where for each? Especially, where are the good places to grab a slice on the go and be comparable to a made to order pizzeria?

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Markeb reheated pizza is the best. You just have to heat it enough. lol.

 

There’s no correct answer to your question. Personally I like neighborhood street pizza better than Johns Times Square. My preference is a cheese Napolitano style. If we order at home for the family we’d order that. But those have 8 large slices. Much too much for just 2 people.

 

 

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I have friends who absolutely swear by Totonno's in Brooklyn, which is totally different from a place like John's, but it's a whole pie Napolitana place. The original John's on Bleecker is presumably more like Totonno's (understand there was a messy divorce and "John's" on SOHO is no longer connected to "John's of Times Square"). And I'll circle back on the barbecue analogy: everyone knows the best barbecue is in places you don't feel like you want to to go, and usually involves meet wrapped in butcher paper for carry out (only). That's the definition of a barbecue "joint". I think you're looking at pizza "joints", which I'm sure I'd enjoy as well, but you almost have to be local to find either that barbecue place or that pizza joint.

 

We got hooked on John's years ago visiting Manhattan, and go back because we enjoy it and it's convenient to where we're staying.One of these days we'll either take the subway or walk over the bridge to Grimaldi's, and we're open to recommendations for fun places for pizza when we're in town. But I refuse to go to Sbarro, and any place called "Ray's" or "Original Ray's" is out on principle...

 

And my all time favorites are little dives in Europe, not necessarily Italy, with a super hot wood burning oven and pizza that comes out charred on the edges!

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I have friends who absolutely swear by Totonno's in Brooklyn, which is totally different from a place like John's, but it's a whole pie Napolitana place. The original John's on Bleecker is presumably more like Totonno's (understand there was a messy divorce and "John's" on SOHO is no longer connected to "John's of Times Square"). And I'll circle back on the barbecue analogy: everyone knows the best barbecue is in places you don't feel like you want to to go, and usually involves meet wrapped in butcher paper for carry out (only). That's the definition of a barbecue "joint". I think you're looking at pizza "joints", which I'm sure I'd enjoy as well, but you almost have to be local to find either that barbecue place or that pizza joint.

 

We got hooked on John's years ago visiting Manhattan, and go back because we enjoy it and it's convenient to where we're staying.One of these days we'll either take the subway or walk over the bridge to Grimaldi's, and we're open to recommendations for fun places for pizza when we're in town. But I refuse to go to Sbarro, and any place called "Ray's" or "Original Ray's" is out on principle...

 

And my all time favorites are little dives in Europe, not necessarily Italy, with a super hot wood burning oven and pizza that comes out charred on the edges!

 

My Manhattan preference is Ray's on E.60 St . However the best pizza for me personally is Gigante's on Long Island .Next would be Lenny and John's in Brooklyn .

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I wonder if any of the pizzarias in NYC have personal pan pizzas? I tend to order them, made to order, when I am in the mood for pizza (cheese, sausage, mushrooms, onions, and anchovies). If you're ever in Niagara Falls, NY, Jacos on 72nd and Buffalo Ave have the best personal pan pizzas.

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I wonder if any of the pizzarias in NYC have personal pan pizzas? I tend to order them, made to order, when I am in the mood for pizza (cheese, sausage, mushrooms, onions, and anchovies). If you're ever in Niagara Falls, NY, Jacos on 72nd and Buffalo Ave have the best personal pan pizzas.

 

 

 

I have never seen that. Another thing to remember is that New Yorkers are always in a rush. Pizza is the perfect grab a go. Everyone remembers the scene from Saturday Night Fever. John Travolta recently went back to the same pizzeria to present them an award. Pizza exactly the same after 40 years. John Travolta not so much. Haha. Look on YouTube

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I’ve found slice pies are usually bigger that the whole pies. The oldest pizzeria in my town is 62 years old, and I remember people calling and ordering a slice pie, I had no idea what that meant (I prefer regular because it’s thinner).

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Slice pies are usually different then pies made to order in most local pizza shops and not the tourist locations or $1 slice places.

A slice pie is made ahead of time and can be put to the side, reheat the individual slices as they are ordered. Of course, you could walk in and get a fresh slice pie just out of the oven.

I find them to have slightly less amounts of cheese and sauce

 

Just yesterday I missed the Staten Island Ferry so had time to kill (30 minutes) on Water street I saw a Pizzeria but when I walked in he had one slice left on display. I asked if he had another slice pie and he said he had to make it. Didn't want to wait for him to make it and cook it so ended up with a dirty water dog (Hot Dog Vendor) on the corner and made the next ferry.

 

My local Pizzeria I can taste the difference between their slices and the pie I ordered delivered.

 

You don't know how long a slice pie has been sitting around before they reheat your slice, still doesn't stop me from ordering a slice when I'm in a hurry.

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Everyone remembers the scene from Saturday Night Fever. John Travolta recently went back to the same pizzeria to present them an award. Pizza exactly the same after 40 years.

 

You know, I don't know how many people do remember that in 2018. That was 41 years ago...

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Some interesting answers, and I'm definitely guilty of just grabbing a slice when I'm hungry. For me, that's usually been at a bodega, not a pizzeria. But that may be a function of where we are when we're hungry.

 

If I'm actually looking at sitting down for a meal, it's always a made to order pie. We have been staying near Penn Station lately, and I frequently invent a reason to go to B&H, so Rocky's might be worth a visit...

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I remember it like it was yesterday because I lived in Brooklyn and hung out in the area where the movie was filmed.

 

I get that.

 

Twitter reminded me today that it was 34 years since the soundtrack album for Purple Rain was released. And 9 years since Michael Jackson died. But I just wasn't into Saturday Night Fever in 1977 (long discussion about a teenage male album rock guy who has hated that a short term abomination has distracted the world from the great album oriented rock of the 70's...).

 

And, we date ourselves with this discussion...

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I get that.

 

Twitter reminded me today that it was 34 years since the soundtrack album for Purple Rain was released. And 9 years since Michael Jackson died. But I just wasn't into Saturday Night Fever in 1977 (long discussion about a teenage male album rock guy who has hated that a short term abomination has distracted the world from the great album oriented rock of the 70's...).

 

And, we date ourselves with this discussion...

 

A friend of mine who was a young actress auditioned for the lead female role in Purple Rain .However,she refused to appear nude and the role went to Apollonia Kotero .

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Some interesting answers, and I'm definitely guilty of just grabbing a slice when I'm hungry. For me, that's usually been at a bodega, not a pizzeria. But that may be a function of where we are when we're hungry.

 

If I'm actually looking at sitting down for a meal, it's always a made to order pie. We have been staying near Penn Station lately, and I frequently invent a reason to go to B&H, so Rocky's might be worth a visit...

So I know you said you like the whole pie, but NY Pizza Suprema by Penn Station is the bomb. I always stop there after arriving (and before leaving).

 

Now if I could only find a good bagel shop near Penn Station. The hike up to pick a bagel at 53rd and back down to Penn Station for the train gets old, but my H always wants me to bring home good bagels.

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. . .

 

If I'm actually looking at sitting down for a meal, it's always a made to order pie. We have been staying near Penn Station lately, and I frequently invent a reason to go to B&H, so Rocky's might be worth a visit...

 

Sorry to go OT here, but that is some amazing store. Has to be seen to be believed.

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So I know you said you like the whole pie, but NY Pizza Suprema by Penn Station is the bomb. I always stop there after arriving (and before leaving).

 

Now if I could only find a good bagel shop near Penn Station. The hike up to pick a bagel at 53rd and back down to Penn Station for the train gets old, but my H always wants me to bring home good bagels.

 

Since you're in Penn Station, I hope you are bringing back Black & Whites from Zaro's! :D

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So I know you said you like the whole pie, but NY Pizza Suprema by Penn Station is the bomb. I always stop there after arriving (and before leaving).

 

Now if I could only find a good bagel shop near Penn Station. The hike up to pick a bagel at 53rd and back down to Penn Station for the train gets old, but my H always wants me to bring home good bagels.

 

I'll have to check them out, too.

 

We do sometimes just grab a slice and go, but we're more inclined to sit down somewhere, even at a bodega, and that tends to steer us to (reheated) paninis and the like.

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Since you're in Penn Station, I hope you are bringing back Black & Whites from Zaro's! :D

Black & White, yes.

Bagels, NO!!!

 

I made that mistake once. Luckily, just a single when I got into town, so its not like I took a dozen home. My last trip I tried a new place on 35th (Liberty Bagels). My H liked them, but I found them to be too bready. Shoulda stopped by pick a bagel, especially since I was already up at Columbus Circle (for Downton Abbey!)

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