Have you ever bitten into a delicious slice of pizza and wondered about its history? New York pizza has been around for several decades and has an interesting birth story. Here’s some information in case you were wondering where thin crust pizza originated and how other scrumptious items evolved.
What Is a New York-Style Pizza?
A New York-style pizza is a unique type of pizza that usually comes on a thin crust. Consumers can top this delicious item with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and toppings of choice. The most popular toppings are pepperoni, meat, extra cheese, and a variety of wholesome vegetables. Some people order their pizzas with only cheese, and they refer to them as "cheese" or "regular" pizzas.
Some establishments sell New York-style pizza in whole pizza pies, while others offer their patrons slices to curb their appetites and save them the cost of purchasing an entire pie. The average pie is about 18 inches in length and can be cut into eight slices to serve to patrons who want a single slice for lunch.
Where Did New York-Style Pizza Come From?
New York-style pizza was an adaptation of the Neapolitan pizza, which Italian immigrants brought to New York back in the 1900s. It grew vastly popular after the very first American pizza shop served it to its patrons.
Who Served the Pizza First in America?
The very first official pizza shop was run by a man named Gennaro Lombardi in a Manhattan, New York, neighborhood. The neighborhood was called Little Italy because mostly Italians populated it and integrated their culture there. Lombardi had a number one cook named Antonio Totonno Pero working at the shop. He was the primary pizza maker, and the establishment sold slices for $.05 each at that time.
Pero decided to branch off on his own in 1924 and open a shop on Coney Island. At the time, he used coal-fired ovens to make his pizzas and give them the rare taste they had. Another store named Patsy’s opened in the Harlem neighborhood in 1933, and the cooks there used the same type of ovens Lombardi used. Amazingly, all three pioneer restaurants still operate to this day.
Di Fari Pizza is another shop that opened in New York City to serve Neapolitan and New York-style pizzas. Di Fari Pizza is rumored by the natives to be the best pizza in the city to date.
Where Can You Get a New York-Style Pizza?
Today, many pizzerias follow the same style as the originals. Stores even opened up outside of New York to sell the famous food. Most pizza makers offer ingredients such as garlic, Parmesan cheese, crushed red peppers, and oregano as additional toppings to make their pizzas even more delightful.
You can grab a little taste of this wonderful invention by visiting one of the restaurants in New York. Alternatively, you can check the listings in your area to see if there’s a place that serves classic New York pizzas. Once you have one slice, you’ll never want to consume any other type.