Exploring Central Park, enjoying a Broadway musical, strolling through the crowded streets of Manhattan, or shopping on Fifth Avenue: New York always offers plenty of opportunities for fun. But when it’s time to eat, pizza remains a favorite choice. Since 1905, when Gennaro Lombardi opened his pizzeria in Little Italy, Italian pizza has become an integral part of the city's culinary culture.

Today, in the Big Apple, pizza has reached incredibly high levels of quality, thanks to pizzaiolos—both Italian and others—who have perfected the art of making a pizza that rivals the best you can find in Italy. Below is our selection of the best Italian pizzerias in New York that won’t disappoint.