Why is New York City known for "good pizza" if their pizzas are <insert bad word here>? (Bedford: appointed, shop)

[SewerCrawler]

Sir, this is a New York style pizza, it's slices are triangular in shape. The slices have the right amount of sauce and cheese along with crust. You can eat it open or fold it as I like to do. You dash a little bit of seasonings on it and its good to go!

The thing with pizza in NY is that there are way too many places making them, many restaurants have had to cut costs in order to remain competitive with these dollar slice spots and that's where the flavor goes out the window...but you'll be fine once you find that great spot.

[urbanlife78]

people tend to think the pizza they grew up with is the best pizza because it is what we know. I grew up on the east coast and more familiar with NY style pizza and enjoy it, though I think Chicago deep dish is the best overall, I personally hate California thin crust cause it falls apart when you are trying to eat it.

[bg7]

"Pie" is mis-used. Many English words were awkwardly used by early immigrants learning the language as a result of keeping to a minimal practical set of common vocabulary. Pie, tart, flan (English usage, not hispanic), patty, pasty etc. all different. The closest a pizza pie ever comes to a pie, is when its a calzone. So although pizza pie has become accepted terminology, I wouldn't base a theory of NY pizza being invalid just on clumsy use of the word pie.

[SewerCrawler]

@bg7 , but then there are pies like pumpkin pie that are not covered atop sort of like a NY pizza 'pie' heh'

[jad2k]

Originally Posted by YoungTraveler2011

Funny.


Looks like a pizza is supposed to be a pie. Hence, Chicago wins.

You do know that one of the general definitions of pie is a pastry or bread that's baked into a crust and TOPPED (or filled) with meat or fruit By definition, pies need not be stuffed.

[nyctc7]

A note about the proliferation of pizza places named Ray's.

The first Ray's opened in 1959 at 27 Prince Street. It had a run of over 50 years, closing in 2011. I'm not familiar with it, as I never happened to eat there.

Perhaps the best known Ray's was the "Famous Ray's" ("The One & And Only Famous Ray's Of Greenwich Village") on the corner of 6th Avenue and 11th Street. It was one of the best pizzas I ever had. However, around 15 to 20 years ago the place was sold and while they retained the name, the pizza changed and no longer resembles the fantastic pizza you can read about in the newspaper clippings on the wall. It's a shame as it was probably my very favorite pizza, it was awesome.

I remember back in the 1960s and up to perhaps the early to mid 1970s the local pizza places were run by Italian immigrants, twirling the dough over their heads. But that started to change, and pretty much anybody would open a pizza place, and that's when I think things started to go a little downhill (generally speaking).

So there is still some great pizza out there, but chances are the typical NYC pizza place is just ok, nothing special.

[bg7]

Originally Posted by SewerCrawler

@bg7 , but then there are pies like pumpkin pie that are not covered atop sort of like a NY pizza 'pie' heh'

yes, sweet pies need not have a covering crust, but they have the raised edge. (I'm not aware of sweet pizzas, though I suppose they might be out there)

[YoungTraveler2011]

Originally Posted by SewerCrawler

Sir, this is a New York style pizza, it's slices are triangular in shape. The slices have the right amount of sauce and cheese along with crust. You can eat it open or fold it as I like to do. You dash a little bit of seasonings on it and its good to go!

The thing with pizza in NY is that there are way too many places making them, many restaurants have had to cut costs in order to remain competitive with these dollar slice spots and that's where the flavor goes out the window...but you'll be fine once you find that great spot.

That looks like an awful pizza.

Here's something more like it:

[Coney]

Originally Posted by nyctc7

A note about the proliferation of pizza places named Ray's.

The first Ray's opened in 1959 at 27 Prince Street. It had a run of over 50 years, closing in 2011. I'm not familiar with it, as I never happened to eat there.

Perhaps the best known Ray's was the "Famous Ray's" ("The One & And Only Famous Ray's Of Greenwich Village") on the corner of 6th Avenue and 11th Street. It was one of the best pizzas I ever had. However, around 15 to 20 years ago the place was sold and while they retained the name, the pizza changed and no longer resembles the fantastic pizza you can read about in the newspaper clippings on the wall. It's a shame as it was probably my very favorite pizza, it was awesome.

I remember back in the 1960s and up to perhaps the early to mid 1970s the local pizza places were run by Italian immigrants, twirling the dough over their heads. But that started to change, and pretty much anybody would open a pizza place, and that's when I think things started to go a little downhill (generally speaking).

So there is still some great pizza out there, but chances are the typical NYC pizza place is just ok, nothing special.

These places still do exist run by the children and grandchildren of Italian immigrants, but they are in the burbs and Staten Island, not Manhattan.

[SewerCrawler]

Gosh, this thread is making me crave pizza...thanks yall.

Originally Posted by YoungTraveler2011

That looks like an awful pizza.

Here's something more like it: