New York City is a hotbed for some of the best food in the world. That's undeniable. But if you are here for a limited amount of time, where do you go and spend your hard earned cash to stuff your face? You should ask a foodie. Luckily, many people would call me a foodie. This basically means that I travel all over the city to try some of the best, and definitely some of the worst food. Over the course of a year, I've been to about 250 different restaurants. Even though 250 barely scratches the surface for how many restaurants are in this gigantic city, it gives me a good understanding of the NYC cuisine. So for the next few weeks or so, I'm going to break down the restaurants into different categories, or genres, as I like to call them. I'm going to let you know where you should go, and why. And if my words don't persuade you, the pictures will. I promise.
Part 1 is going to be pizza. What pizza should you use to stuff your face?
5. Two Boots Pizza
This is one of the craziest pizza joints you will ever see. The amount of colors on the sign alone is enough to make you have a seizure. Not only is the place itself insane, but they have some of the most inventive and unique pizza's you'll find anywhere as well. Some of the names of their pizza's include "The Bayou Beast", "Cleopatra Jones", and "A gathering of the tribes". Each pizza has a very specific name to coincide with the very specific toppings. They also make pizza's about the local heroes of their neighborhood. Each Two Boots will have different "Local Hero" pizza's depending on which Two Boots you are at.
Prices range from $11-$27 depending on the size you get.
4. Lombardis (Instagram: They don't use it, so don't bother)
Lombardi's is the most historical pizza joint on this list. It is apparently the first pizzeria in the U.S., founded all the way back in 1905, making it whopping 111 years old. These guys obviously know how to run a business. If you are in NYC you must head down to Little Italy to check this off your bucket list. And if you are a fan of classic coal oven pizza, you have to go. Zagat at some point said that it was "The best on the planet," which is definitely an overstatement. The pizza itself is decent in my humble opinion, but the history is unbeatable. Go check them out and tell them Chase says hi. They'll have no idea who you're talking about.
Price ranges from $16-$30 depending on size and what toppings you choose.
3. Juliana's
Oh, Juliana's. This is just good pizza. It' the stereotypical New York Style Pizza. Hand tossed. Light sauce. And mozzarella cheese that will make your heart skip a beat. This joint is the baby of pizza legends Pat and Carol Grimaldi, and named after Pat's mother. They aren't trying to do anything fancy. Simplicity is what has gotten them on this list, and it's what will keep them on this list. Go check them out.
Price ranges from $17-$32 depending on size and toppings.
2. Champion Pizza
Dollar pizza is usually not the best, but hey, it's a dollar. This dollar pizza joint makes you wonder why expensive pizza joints are even in business. The pizza is perfect. And it's proof that more expensive doesn't always mean better. At Champions you can get 4 times the amount of pizza for the same price as you can at the other places on this list. Also, when you walk into a Champion's Pizza, please take a look at their wall. On their wall will be pictures of the owner with every single celebrity of all time. And I mean everyone. There isn't a celebrity or important world figure that has not tasted this delicious slice. So not only are you eating lunch for a buck, you are also increasing your chances of seeing your celebrity crush by ten fold. That's not a bad way to spend a dollar.
Price ranges from $1-$20 depending on how well you can control yourself.
1. Speedy Romeos
It's hard to pick a winner. But I have chosen Speedy Romeos for the best pizza in the city. The first time I took a bite of their white pizza I made the decision that I would eat nothing else for the rest of my life. I then realized that after a few days of that I was running out of money and started to feel very sick. For four years in a row, this incredible pizza joint has been on the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list. And that's no easy feat. For anyone who knows about food, the Michelin guide is like being nominated for the Oscars. There's nothing more to say about this pizza joint other than it is absolutely the best pizza you will ever eat. Please go.
Price Ranges from $15-$24 depending on which pizza you choose.
Follow me on Instagram to see how else I stuff my face!
