By Aaron Arizpe

New York City has always been characterized by strong opinions and steep competition, especially when it comes to pizza.

 
Over the latter half of the 20th century, the classic slice shop reigned supreme. In these iconic pizzerias, thin large-diameter pies were cut into sizable wedges that were endearingly droopy near the tip, pliable, and often folded in half with the aid of a floppy paper plate. It was an economical and portable snack well-suited for just about any occasion, and with any luck, will always be part of the city’s culinary DNA. In recent years, though, the pizza-making styles available in New York have grown considerably, with recipes and inspiration hailing from places as far-flung as Naples, Rome, Chicago, and Detroit.

 
A few early movers in the Neapolitan space, like Motorino and Kesté, continue to flourish by staying true to Italian tradition, but New Yorkers have also embraced a slightly more Americanized interpretation of the genre. At Nolita’s Pasquale Jones, one can have a garlicky clam pizza while drinking grand cru Burgundy out of paper-thin Zalto glasses. At Una Pizza Napoletana on the Lower East Side, classic Neapolitan pies like margherita and marinara are underlined with the unmistakable tang of San Francisco sourdough, in the naturally fermented crust created by pizzaiolo Anthony Mangieri.

 
Roman-style pizza al taglio has also proliferated recently, with PQR (Pizza Quadrata Romana) as a recent front-runner, offering a variety of toppings ranging from potatoes to fresh figs.  Detroit-style pies popped up first at Emmy Squared in Brooklyn and later at the cheekily named Lions & Tigers & Squares in Chelsea. This kind is characterized by a slightly spongy, ultra-crispy thick dough, and a correspondingly heavier hand with the toppings. Chicago and New York may never see eye to eye on what constitutes pizza, but a handful of places like Emmett’s in Greenwich Village continue to thrive.

 
The definition of “New York Pizza” is perhaps broader than it’s ever been, and as a whole, the scene here has becomes arguably one of the best in the world. It will be exciting to see what new pizza possibilities tomorrow holds.