My friend is bringing her two children to NY City this weekend and plans to go to a Mets game, get in a Museum, shop, and of course eat. She says her kids love pizza and are on a quest for the best NY pizza. They will also go into Brooklyn if the "best" pizza is there. Can anyone help?

Ask 25 NYers about pizza and get 50+ opinions. Some places only sell whole pies so there are also lists for best slices and best whole pies. Neopolitan pizza is having a moment according to NY Magazine. Lombardi's, Patsy's in Harlem and John's are considered some of the best (whole pie, thin crust) in Manhattan. Grimaldi's near the Brooklyn bridge in Brooklyn is also famous and people line up to get in. Totonno's is a famous Brooklyn place that's now opened an outlet in Manhattan. Di Farro's & Franny's (Brooklyn) are also famous. There are now 2 different cos. that do pizza tours which is another way to handle this quest.
http://www.scottspizzatours.com/p/tourdescriptions/

http://www.zerve.com/BKNYpizza/BKNYtour

Here's one of many lists you'll find online.
http://gonyc.about.com/od/restaurants/tp/best_pizza.htm

In my book the main reason to go to Grimaldi's for pizza is that you can stop about a block away right at Fulton Landing for some fantastic strawberry ice cream at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory.

Lombardi'sssssssssssssss

If they happen to be scouting out old books at The Strand - Pialo Pizza near by is actually good Italian Pizza.

go to nymag.com and search pizza. You'll be flooded with good information.

The good news is, in NYC, compared to more than a few hundred miles away, it's hard to get bad pizza. Whenever I visit family in PA near NYC, I find there's good pizza all over the place, compared to Oregon. The locals surely have preferences but if your friend is coming from somewhere far away, I'll bet pretty much any pizza joint in New York will have good slices.

Andrew and mclaurie are right. It's hard to screw up your choice of pizza in NYC.

As for bonking on a choice of which baseball team to watch . . . that's another story. Evidently your friends prefer minor league baseball.

Lombardi's
Pizza Fresca

Totonno's
Luzzo's

There a lot of bad slice places who use cheap cheese and tasteless tomato sauce.

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Or if it's winter, the hot chocolate at Jacques Torres!

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I absolutely agree with this -- and I've had more than my share!!

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By the way the Totonno's in Coney Island had a fire when I spoke to the owner last month, they were unsure as to when it will re-open.

I also agree with Neo and SF, we have eaten at Grimaldi's many times. Most of the time it was unimpressive as compared to the other whole pie places.

And although I like Jacques Torres, there are chocolate places that are better.

As for hot chocolate, try Australia. They take their excellent chocolate ice cream add a bit of milk and use the steam extension from the cappucino maker to melt it all. It is silky and addictive.

My faves are Grimaldi's and John's. Lombardi's wasn't bad, but I liked it a bit less.

DiFara's, Totonno's, and Patsy's are other places that supposedly do excellent pizza, but I haven't tried them.

Big Russ; Couldn't agree more, how do we let friends make such bad choices? I have given her the book Teammates to share with her elementary age children. It is a beautiful story of Jackie Robinson, I figured as long as they are set on seeing the Mets, might as well learn something. The book is great for anyone with kids ages 4-12 plus.

Thanks everyone for your replies, we will decipher them all and then make a plan for the " Best Pizza in Town" quest.

Past the Australia on St Marks tonight, closed. There was another in the city but I do not know its fate.

For pizza, I goto the website Slice.

Here's a pizza map:

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archive...pizza-map.html

Interesting NYT article on artisanal pizza:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/di...pagewanted=all

Article in today's Times reports that Di Fara is now charging $5 per slice. Your call.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/ny...izza.html?_r=1

$5.00 a slice? Who besides me remembers when $0.25 bought you a slice of pizza and glass of Tab?

I guess that Di Fara can charge $5 because his customers will pay it. He personally makes every pie by hand using top ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes et al. And they wait on line. It is the best pizza I have had in this town. BTW - it is not exactly accurate to say tht just about any pizza joint in NY produces a good pizza. Too many have some gummy stuff that sits around all day with a blah crust.

Go to Chowhound.com and ask the same question.