Menu
A typical West Side pizza joint knows that the pizza is the star. The setting is simple yet welcoming, and the pizzas on display will make you drool as soon as you walk through the door. New York is known for its pizza – there are probably more pizza restaurants here than Starbucks – but we think the West Side has that extra something special. There’s so much variety when it comes to pizza in the Upper West Side, the West Village, or Midtown West.
Wherever you find yourself, you’ve got to know where to find the best pizza in the West! Some of New York’s most famous pizzerias call this area home, rubbing shoulders with small hidden gems. At our three Made in New York Pizza locations, our pizzaiolos (specialized pizza chefs) are passionate about making every bite authentic and delicious.
There are a few key factors behind the creation of a truly outstanding slice of pizza. Each element has to work in harmony to get the perfect bite in every bite. We don’t mean to brag (okay, maybe a little), but we’ve mastered these elements to create some of the best pizza in the Upper West Side and beyond.
Especially for New York-style pizza, the crust is king. The crust can’t be too soft or thin to support the weight of the toppings when held with one hand, but it must still be crisp and light. The outside of your crust should be cooked to crusty perfection, preferably in a wood-fired oven. The inside, on the other hand, should be fluffy, an almost melt-in-your-mouth experience.
A lot of your pizza’s flavor comes from the sauce. Despite the deceptive simplicity of most pizza sauce recipes, it’s all too easy to create one that’s bland or overwhelming. The amount of sauce is important, too. You need full, even coverage, but nobody likes a soggy pizza.
The final basic but essential element is, of course, the cheese. The quality, type, and quantity of cheese can make or break a pizza. We prefer high-quality mozzarella for that perfect melt and mouth-watering cheese pull. Naturally, cheese should be added generously but not overdone – too little cheese is no fun, but you also don’t want your pizza to drown in it.
Once you’ve mastered a great crust, there’s room to experiment! West Side pizza restaurants are no strangers to this – you can find a wide variety of crust types in the area, one for every mood!
While thin-crust is the gold standard in New York, you can also find other styles to enjoy. Most people know about thick and thin crusts, which is a useful way to group some of the different crust types waiting to be sampled.
The New York-style pizza is based on the Neapolitan pizza, the original thin crust. A good NY slice needs to be able to be folded, so the crust is more pliable. A key part of this type of crust is actually the New York water – restaurants outside of the state sometimes even import the water for added authenticity!
It’s said that Detroit-style pizza has its roots in the Sicilian pizza tradition. This pan-baked thicker, chewy crust is closer to focaccia in texture, thick but airy. Chicago is where you’ll find the original deep-dish pizza, up to two inches thick! The Chicago-style crust gets its yellowish tone from the addition of cornmeal or semolina. Grandma pizza comes straight from the tradition of Silician nonnas baking pizzas in their home ovens. Its crust falls somewhere between New York and Chicago in thickness, giving it a good, dense bite.
Now that you know what to look for when it comes to finding the best pizza on the West Side, it’s time to explore what our menu has to offer. We take the perfect pizza base and give it a flavor twist with inventive topping combinations. Our vegan and gluten-free options make sure that everyone can get in on the pizza party.
Pizza on the Upper West Side doesn’t get much better than the turned-up-to-eleven Italian flavor of our Eggplant Grandma, sprinkled with authentic Sicilian oregano and Parmigiano cheese. Once you’ve sampled our more classic options, get your hands on our Vodka Pie. Our vodka sauce puts a whole new spin on your favorite pizza flavors.
Take a look at even more delicious pizza options on our menus.
We pride ourselves on delivering the best of authentic Italian tradition right here in New York. All of our recipes bring time-honored traditions to life, so every mouthful is a delight. Like the Italians who invented our favorite dish, we focus on excellence through simplicity. We prepare every pie from scratch, by hand, and always use top-quality fresh ingredients.
Like any good Italian hosts, we’re always happy when you stop by for a meal. Pull up a chair at our table and choose your favorite pie – or try a slice of something different. All our locations are ready to serve up the best West Side pizza.
