The key to the best New York-style pizza is in the dough. You need to use high-gluten bread flour to achieve a chewy and foldable crust. Some chefs may cold ferment the dough overnight in a fridge for extra flavor, if time allows. When working with the dough, avoid over-kneading. It needs just enough time to come together and develop the gluten to create an elastic, smooth texture that’s not tough.
A classic New York-style pizza dough should be stretched and shaped by hand, and not flattened with a rolling pin. Rolling the dough presses out the air and makes it dense. The sauce should also be light and spread in a very thin layer over the dough, so it doesn’t turn soggy when cooking.
For tips on how to reheat leftover pizza, take a look at our detailed guide featuring five key methods.
Once you’ve perfected your New York-style pizza, try making a classic Neopolitan margarita pizza at home, for a traditional pizza recipe.
What is New York-Style Pizza?
New York-style pizza is famous for its large, thin, foldable slices with simple high-quality toppings. It’s thin in the center but thicker at the edges, creating a chewy yet crispy base. It has a thin layer of mozzarella and sauce with toppings such as pepperoni, mushrooms, bell peppers, or onions. It’s served slice-style and intended to be folded in half and eaten on the go and is one of the most iconic styles of pizza found around the world.
Best Toppings for New York-Style Pizza
New York-style pizza toppings should be light and minimal to allow the slice to be easily folded. Less is more for this style of pizza, so choose one or two types of toppings and avoid using heavy ingredients. Meat, such as sausage, weighs down the slice and wet toppings, such as spinach, can make the crust soggy.
Best New York-Style Pizza in NYC
Classic spots to enjoy a New York-style pizza in its home city include Joe’s Pizza, known for foldable slices in the heart of Manhattan, along with John’s of Bleecker Street, a historic pizzeria established in 1915.
For New York-style pizza in Chicago head to Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe, a well-known restaurant in Chicago noted for its New York-style pizza pies with a chewy and thin crust.
