A heated culinary debate has erupted regarding the long-standing claim that New York City holds the crown for the best pizza in the U.S. With ever-expanding city-specific pizza varieties (Detroit’s pan style, Chicago’s deep dish and tavern styles, etc.), the discussion over which slice reigns supreme has renewed urgency. In a thread on r/UnpopularOpinion, titled “There’s nothing special about the pizza in New York,” one pizza fan posted their polarizing take:
I feel like any time the topic of pizza comes up that one person from New York just HAS to mention that “it’s nothing compared to the pizza in NYC.” I’ve been to NYC and had the pizza. Yeah, it was good, but it’s basically the same as the pizza I had back home two blocks from my house. There’s nothing special about it.
In the comments, redditors argue whether the famed New York slice is actually worth the hype.
The high floor of New York pizza
The consensus among food lovers is that the Big Apple doesn’t necessarily have a higher ceiling for culinary excellence, but rather a much higher floor. In other words, diners can walk into almost any cheap, random spot on a street corner and get a surprisingly delicious slice, whereas average pizza places in other cities can be truly abysmal.
The Northeastern U.S. argument
For many pizza lovers dwelling in the Northeast, New York’s claim to the best slice wouldn’t even be possible without influence from surrounding states like New Hampshire and New Jersey.
Finding good pizza beyond New York
With different styles and Italian-American subcultures spreading across the U.S., securing a world-class pie doesn’t strictly require a plane ticket to New York anymore. Some diners believe people can be blind to the fantastic offerings available in their own backyards.
Some New Yorkers will defend their classic $1 slice until the end of time, even as gourmet copycats pop up across the country. Whether you’re grabbing a late-night street slice in Manhattan or enjoying deep dish in Chicago, however, the perfect pizza might just come down to personal preference.
Do you think New York is home to America’s best slice? Defend your hometown pizza in the full thread on r/unpopularopinion and find similar conversations on r/Food, r/Pizza, and r/FoodQuestions.
This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.