Top 10 New York Style Pizza Restaurants in Manhattan

A New York original, New York style pizza is easily identifiable by having thin slices that only feature a light coating of tomato sauce topped with mozzarella cheese. A crispy hand-tossed crust tells the aficionado that she or he is truly buying a slice or pie of the original while a chewier crust is an immediate ground for suspicion!

Even as Manhattan is a most populous borough of New York City, it is Midtown Manhattan - the commercial heart and soul of the borough - and its famously infamous Hell's Kitchen that are the driving force behind some of the most amazing pizza restaurants you will find!

Consider John's Pizzeria (260 West 44^th Street) where the Citysearch Editorial Review has pointed out that this two story laid back eatery is truly serving the original New York style pie. Naming it the Margherita and charging $12 for a small and $14 for a large pie, you find cheap eats in a great slightly upscale locale that is open daily from 11:30 AM to 11:30 PM.

Open Sunday and Monday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 AM, Tuesday until 4:00 AM, and Wednesday through Saturday until 5:00 AM, Famous Amadeus Pizzaat 408 8^th Avenue offers a large number of different men options, but of course the real draw is the New York style pizza at $2.00 a slice. With the long hours, the clientele changes from time to time and you can see those going to work while those coming off the night shift are eating side by side - the one group enjoying breakfast, the other a late dinner.

A comfortable dining experience may be had at Figaro Restaurant and Bar at 26 West 44^th Street, where a personal plain pie (nine inches) runs $6.95 while a large 18" pie will cost only $14.95. In the past the restaurant had gotten a bit of a bad reputation when it came to customer service, but after a lengthy closing brought on by an even lengthier renovation, it seem that the restaurant is back and better than ever. Stop by after work and enjoy a drink, dinner, and major sporting evens on the big screens. Call 212-840-1010 for hours of operation and daily specials.

For the hopeless romantic who knows that combining the classic New York style pie with an out of this world dining experience that features ambiance and class, as well as live jazz, the only name to know is Mario's Trattoria as the destination of choice. Located at 493 9^th Avenue and open for business daily from 11:30 AM to 11:00 PM, the food is reasonably priced and the slices big and generous. This is an intimate venue and perhaps not the best place for a huge group.

One of the most talked about eateries is the Tuscan original - or so it feels - that is Cascina Ristorante where the Wine Spectator has made its Award of Excellence in 2007 for the vintages being poured. Termed the Margherita for $13.50, the New York style purist might recoil in horror at the thought of having basil included in the mix, but aficionados will attest to the fact that it does not detract from the food experience. Located at 647 9^th Avenue, Hell's Kitchen has never tasted better! Closed on Mondays, you may find your eats there Tuesday through Sunday from 12:00 PM to 2:00 AM.

Granted, the Krunch Pizza Bar looks like it has been furnished exclusively by Ikea, but when you look past the Swedish looking design, the New York style pizza is tasty and cheap! Located at 980 2^nd Avenue and open for business Monday through Wednesday from 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM, Thursday until 3:00 AM, and Friday and Saturday until 5:00 AM - but closed on Sundays - a square runs $2.50 while an entire pie costs $17.50.

Mangia e Bevi at 800 9^th Avenue is a bit of a mixed bag. Open Sunday and Monday from 11:00 AM until 11:00 PM and the rest of the week until 12:00 AM, the New York style pizza is known as the Margherita and costs $9.95. Red checkered table cloths give this restaurant a family friendly appearance but the heavy marketing to those in need of a party venue makes this a somewhat iffy proposition if you are bringing the kiddies. Call ahead to 212-956-3976 to find out if a bachelorette party is planned before you are taking the young ones, or show up without them enjoy an impromptu party!

If you are looking for a great lunch spot (Monday through Friday from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM) where $9.95 will buy you a side dish and the classic Margherita, then Arte Café at 106 west 73^rd Street is a must. In nice weather you may choose the outdoor dining option.

Heralding their oven as being the tool that puts them heads, shoulders, and torso above the rest is Waldy's Wood Fired Pizza & Penne (800 6^th Avenue) which is open daily from 11:30 AM to 11:00 PM. The classic Margherita runs $5.50 for a small, $11 for a medium and $15 for a large pie. The fire in the restaurant's oven is said to have burned since the day of its first opening and since only kiln dried ash wood is used, there is supposed to be a very nice fragrance that infuses the pie. During lunch this place is hopping and thus you will be wise to plan for a rather lengthy wait.

Of course, if you want the best, why not go straight to the source and visit Patsy's Pizza at 509 3^rd Avenue where the New York style pizza recipe was said to have been perfected. A small pie runs $14 while a large one is $2 more. Open Sunday through Thursday from 12:00 PM until 11:00 PM and Friday and Saturday until 12:00 AM, this is where the pizza purist will go for a slice of authentic pie without added greenery or oil.