Joe's Pizza

In my previous post, I talked to you about a famous burger bar in New York, however, today, I am going to tell you all about one of the best pizzerias in Manhattan.

Joe's Pizza is quite famous - it's considered to be one of the top 25 places in the United States to eat pizza. The pizzeria has been featured in magazines, newspapers and even in the movie, Spiderman!

No sooner than having walked through the door, you will see a bright sign that confirms that it was, in fact, this pizzeria that was featured in the movie, and just in front of it, there is a wall containing loads of photos of some of Hollywood's most famous stars who have dined here: from Bradley Cooper to Jessica Alba to Matthew McConaughey, amongst many others.

However, despite many celebrities having dined here, it's not at all a "luxury" pizzeria, not even close. Joe's Pizza is a typical pizza place that sells pizza by the slice at very reasonable prices (they are cheap for it being New York), and is actually very small inside. In fact, there were quite a few people dining there, the majority of which were young people, although the person who recommended that I come here told me that the place was 40 years old, so people of all ages often frequent the joint.

The pizzas are like a little slice of heaven, they really are! I tried slices of both the cheese and the pepperoni, which were just incredible. Although, I must admit that the pepperoni was my favourite, and is probably the best one I've tried up to now (and let me assure you, I've tried lots).

The portions are big, but I wouldn't necessarily say that they are excessive, so I would recommend ordering two slices of pizza. I'm sure you would have no problem with two; that way, you get to savour the great taste for even longer.

Besides, the prices are great. When I was recommended this place, I thought that it was going to be somewhat expensive, and then when I saw that it was famous, I freaked out a little bit. However, a slice of pizza costs just $3, and a whole pizza costs between $20 and $24.

The service is pretty standard: you have to queue, order your pizza, pay for it, and then wait for them to give you it at the very same counter. If they already have it hot and ready to serve, you will get your pizza quickly and, if not, you won't necessarily have to wait long for it. And, like in many places throughout the United States, the waiter spoke Spanish, so it was very easy for us to communicate.

You can order the pizza to either dine in at the pizzeria or to take away. There are a few tables and three bars that you can sit at. My favourite was the one in the window looking out onto the street, as I entertained myself by people watching.

They have recently opened another pizzeria in Manhattan on 150 East 14th Street, and it honestly wouldn't surprise me if they continued expanding, even internationally.

Joe's Pizza's opening hours vary depending on what time of year it is, and whether it is a weekday or the weekend. So, if you go during the week, the best thing to do would be to check that it's actually open. That way, you would save yourself a wasted journey if not, as well as being left with the disappointment of being unable to try the pizzas.

To get to Joe's Pizza, the best thing to do is to take the subway and alight at W 4th Street, served by both the orange and blue lines, before walking a further two minutes to the eatery. If, however, you are in and around the Ground Zero area, you can get there on foot; it's also close to the Little Italy and Chinatown neighbourhoods.