The Crust is Real. The Rivalries Are Personal.

New York City is built on competition. From Wall Street to Broadway, everyone’s trying to be the best—and pizza is no exception. In a city with thousands of pizzerias, claiming the title of “Best Slice” is like saying you’re the King of New York.

And if there’s one thing New Yorkers love to argue about, it’s pizza.

Welcome to the NYC Pizza Wars, where loyalty runs deep, crusts get political, the sauce is sacred, and the city’s most iconic food fight never cools off.

Let’s start with a truth that’s non-negotiable in New York: if your bagel isn’t hand-rolled and kettle-boiled, it’s not a real bagel—it’s a roll with a hole. The classic New York bagel technique involves rolling dough by hand (no machines, no shortcuts), allowing it to proof, and then boiling it in a kettle before baking. This process creates the signature crusty exterior with that shiny finish, and a dense, chewy interior that has real bite. That’s the magic.