4 Little-Known Pizza Spots In NYC To Visit If You Want To Dine Like A Local

Maybe it's that famous New York City tap water that makes the dough so good. Maybe it's the city's long history of Italian-American immigrants establishing themselves as culinary powerhouses. Whatever the reason, New York City pizza is rightly regarded as the finest in the world, and if you're visiting, it's only right that you'll want to taste it for yourself. 

But where should you go? No one wants to pull a Michael Scott and end up eating at some chain restaurant (whether or not chain pizza counts as fast food), nor do they want to end up waiting on a long line for a slice of pizza that, frankly, they could have gotten anywhere else in the city.

I have been living in New York my entire life, and although I live on Long Island (which are the suburbs outside the city), I've been to the city often enough, and eaten enough of the best pizza the city has to offer, that I can speak on the issue with some authority. I have no patience for waiting on long, trend-chasing lines, I don't usually mess around with fancy toppings, and, in general, I like to keep the pizza experience as simple as possible. That's why these four solid, unpretentious pizzerias are so irresistible to me — and why you'll probably love them, too.

A note on the title: when I say "little-known," I mean "little-known outside of New York." If a pizzeria makes enough money to stay open in New York with rent being what it is, it can't be that obscure. Chances are that this list won't be a revelation for anyone who lives in the city; the title is just a way to distinguish these places from the Grimaldi's and Roberta's of the world.

Some pizzerias wow you with a range of eclectic toppings, but Sal & Carmine only offers a handful. By the slice, you can get it plain (which is what us New Yorkers call cheese pizza), margherita, pepperoni, or sausage; by the pie, you can get it plain, margherita, or topped with ricotta (Sal & Carmine also offers veggie toppings that change by the day.) Still, what Sal & Carmine lacks in frills, it makes up for with sheer hearty flavor. 

It sells the kind of comically large slices you always picture when you imagine New York pizza, and every bite is a delight. The cheese is rich, creamy, and stretchy (it manages to be more satisfyingly cheesy than some extra cheese slices I've eaten), and the crust is somehow shatteringly crisp and pleasantly chewy at the same time. If you're on the Upper West Side and you want an authentic New York pizza experience, you won't go wrong here.

Intensely beloved by locals, Mimi's Pizza is an inconspicuous little joint, having recently moved to a smaller location next door to its old one There was no line when I went, which was a good thing, as a line of more than a half-dozen people would be liable to trigger someone's claustrophobia. But once you take a seat at one of the small tables stationed outside and take a bite, you'd risk more than just a long line for another slice. 

Mimi's has a much larger menu than Sal & Carmine, with special toppings like truffle mushroom and Buffalo chicken ranch — although its plain slice, with a crispy crust and tangy tomato sauce, is certainly no slouch. If you can only order one thing, though, make it the pepperoni square: It's densely topped with charred, unbelievably meaty pepperoni cups that put the wan little grease doilies of lesser pizza joints to shame.

Ridgewood, a neighborhood in Queens perhaps best known for being namedropped in Parquet Courts' 2013 song "Stoned and Starving," has two pizzerias, Mano's and Joe & John's, which have earned plaudits from personalities like Dave Portnoy and Joshua Weissman. Rosa's, by comparison, has flown a little bit under the radar. But those who are in the know will go to Rosa's for its array of specialty pizzas, including chicken Caesar, ravioli vodka, and a show-stopping fried eggplant pie. 

Some of its more modest offerings, like the "upside-down" Sicilian slices where the sauce goes on top of the cheese, are also well worth your time, with hearty, flavorful sauce and a delightfully toothsome crust. You can buy individual slices, but if you get one of the heartier specialty toppings you'll probably need to stack a few paper plates on top of each other if you're taking it on the go (ask me — and my dry cleaner — how I know).

Brooklyn is home to two of the hottest pizzerias in New York: L'Industrie in Williamsburg and Lucali in Carroll Gardens. I haven't been to either of them, mostly because I've never had much cause to be in the area but also because I'm generally allergic to waiting on long lines. I have, however, been to Gravesend Pizza, as I was in Sunset Park after a job interview and I thought it was cool how it was right outside a cemetary. I haven't had cause to return to Sunset Park since (I didn't get the job), but if I ever do I'll be sure to visit Gravesend Pizza again.

Whether you get the plain slice, the upside-down slice, or one of Gravesend's specialty pizzas, the highlight is the tomato sauce. It's tart and tangy without tasting raw, and it's precisely balanced to cut through the richness of the gooey cheese and the brawny, doughy crust. It's pure, unfussy deliciousness.