New York City and pizza go hand in hand. Walk down any street in Manhattan, and you will find pizzeria after pizzeria advertising their $1 slices or boasting that they serve the best pizza in the city. Thanks to the abundance of options, it can be challenging to determine which pizza is truly the best so it takes trial and error to find New York City’s perfect pie. Personally, when I moved to NYC last fall, I embarked on a mission to find the city’s best pizza, similar to my goal of finding the best bakery. Since pizza is undoubtedly my favorite food, I had no problem trying countless slices in hopes of finding perfection. Over the past year, I have visited the historic Lombardi’s Pizza, the newer rising star Juliana’s, the classic slice shop Joe’s, and more. I long considered the tourist hotspot John’s of Times Square the best pizza in New York and found myself comparing every slice I tasted to this pizzeria. In my search for the city’s best, though, I also found the restaurant John’s of Bleecker Street. At first glance, I thought this West Village parlor was just an outpost of John’s of Times Square, yet after further research, I discovered that the Bleecker Street location was the original John’s Pizzeria. The Times Square location was originally run by the same family but now is independent after a recent legal battle over ownership. With this new information in hand, I decided to give John’s of Bleecker Street a try and compare it to its Times Square counterpart.
John’s of Times Square Pizza 
Inside of John’s of Times Square
From the moment I arrived at John’s of Bleecker Street, I knew it was going to be a different experience. Just from its location in the Village, the storefront exuded a charming, nostalgic vibe that fit right in amongst the other historic, artsy buildings. I was disappointed to see a line stretching to the end of the block, but thankfully, the weather was nice, so my friends and I didn’t mind waiting. To my surprise, the line moved quickly, and we were soon ushered inside to a deceivingly large space. The pizzeria appears to be just a small room with two rows of benches and a few tables in between but around the corner lies another dining room mirroring the first space. We were seated at a large window-front booth, perfect for people watching and enjoying the always-exciting action of the streets of NYC. The inside of the restaurant matched the charm of the exterior with its old-school, shabby yet charming look. The wooden booths and chairs are covered with etchings of decades of patron’s names, complimented by pictures of former visitors and large, faded wall murals. This “graffiti” reminds you of the pizzeria’s long and storied history, as it celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. The large coal-fired oven sits in the back corner of the dining room, allowing customers to watch their pizza being made from start to finish. The no-frills vibe is matched by the simple menu with just a few options besides the famous pizza. On the menu and throughout the restaurant, John’s reminds its customers they serve “Whole pies only! No slices”, which sets the pizzeria apart from NYC’s numerous slice shops.
John’s of Bleecker Street
After appreciating the museum that is the interior of John’s of Bleecker Street, my friends and I finally placed our order for a half cheese and basil/half sausage pizza. Shortly after we ordered, the steaming hot pizza was brought over to our booth. At first glance, the pie looked somewhat similar to that of John’s of Times Square, yet this one appeared more saucy and featured whole basil leaves instead of stringy chops of the herb. After loading my first slice up with parmesan and hot peppers, I took my first bite. I was delighted by the crispy, yet slightly doughy crust, complemented by the rich, sweet but not overly sugary sauce. The slice offered the perfect balance of sauce and cheese, as the gooey fresh mozzarella added a delicious creamy texture and didn’t overpower the tangy tomato sauce. Understanding moderation is necessary in crafting the perfect pizza, and it is clear that John’s of Bleecker Street has learned this lesson in its 90 year history. The coal-fired oven charred the crust just enough to blacken the edges to enhance the flavor yet not taste burnt. As for the toppings, I only tried the basil half, since I am a vegetarian. I wasn’t expecting much from the basil as it usually lacks powerful flavor at most pizzerias, however, I was pleasantly surprised by the peppery taste it offered.
Just because of the quality of the basil topping itself, John’s of Bleecker Street became one of the best pizzas I have ever tried. The perfection of the rest of the pie secured this West Village institution’s spot on the top of my list of NYC pizzerias and beat out its Times Square counterpart. Although the two pizzerias are similar, the Bleecker street shop took everything I loved about the Times Square shop and somehow managed to make it even better. From its old-school, no-frills attitude, impeccable pizza, and unique atmosphere, John’s of Bleecker Street has now become my favorite pizzeria in New York. Although John’s doesn’t offer single slices, after just one bite, I was glad I had the rest of the whole pie to enjoy. Whether you’re visiting New York for the first time or have lived here for years, your NYC experience is not complete until you’ve sampled the best pizza the city has to offer. A visit to John’s of Bleecker Street will be certainly make your experience complete.
What to Order: Cheese Pizza with Basil
Location: 278 Bleecker St
Transportation: 1, 2 to Christopher St, A, C, E, B, D, F, M to West 4th St
Website: www.johnsbrickovenpizza.com/
Instagram: @johnsofbleeckerstreet
The Fordham Foodie 