New York, New York, it’s a helluva town! I recently attended a conference for the hospitality industry, and one of the questions I heard was, “What is New York cuisine?” Of course, there were a multitude of answers that included every culture that ultimately pinned New York cuisine as a melting pot.

All of this is true. But if you were to ask anyone on the street, “What’s the first food you think of when you think of New York?” I’m betting the answer would most likely be PIZZA – and a slice at that. How do you define New York pizza? This question for the ages is continuously evolving.

Pizza in New York is so varied. Just like New York cuisine is a blend of different cultures, New York is a city where you can find almost every type of pizza from thin and crispy to soft and pillowy to every pan style you can think of and everything in between.

But the New York slice is one that defines the New York pizza scene.

Even the slice is extremely varied. For the “old-school” slice that is cheap and quick, you’ll find recipes that contain lower hydrations in the mid- to high-50 percentiles and flours that range in protein contents but hover around 13.5-14.5 percent. When talking about New York style pizza, the flour I most commonly hear about is always the bromated variety. It is a high-protein, high-gluten flour; bromate is an additive that helps soften the dough, which makes it easy to stretch. Bromate is outlawed in some states because it has been found to cause cancer in certain quantities. If you are looking for it, be advised to check the bags.

If you talk to some of the old-school pizza shops, they might mention using eggs or milk in their pizza dough, but it is not a common practice these days – especially since the cost of dairy and eggs has risen so much recently. Since classic New York pizza is cooked in a gas deck oven, we are looking at lower cook temperatures. Some doughs may have a small amount of sugar added, but not all pizzerias use it. Flour naturally has some sugar present, so it isn’t always needed as an additional ingredient. Oil is another ingredient you may or may not hear about being used, as it is an additional cost that isn’t always needed. Remember, a lot of OG pizzerias started in New York came from bread backgrounds, so original recipes are going to carry certain similarities to bread, which normally do not contain fats, aside from focaccia.

For the toppings, ingredients normally are simple and to the point. A slice of plain (aka plain cheese) is probably ordered most frequently, and it hits the spot every time.

For the “new-school” slice, I’m seeing blended flours

– small percentages of fresh milled flour – various kinds of mozzarella and cheeses, and ingredients that would be considered a little more outside the box, showing the influence of different cultures. Dough recipes are evolving with higher hydrations, inclusion of preferments and the blending of techniques that come from bread but also blending different pizza styles to create new hybrids.

With the advancement of oven technology, electric ovens have really taken off in the pizza scene. Nowadays, it is common to find an electric oven in a slice shop, whether alongside a gas oven or by itself. Electric ovens can reach higher temperatures and even have steam capability, which has really changed the game for pizza. Ultimately, whether “old school” or “new school,” the quintessential triangular slice should be folded when eaten and crack but not break.

Today’s New York slice is not solely triangular. Although this is the slice most associated with New York pizza, let us not forget about the square. Squares always have been found in New York, and you can find them at places like Prince Street for the old school and Mama’s Too for the new-school Sicilian square slice. You also may find it named sfincione, but this is specific to the toppings, which include tomato, breadcrumbs, anchovies and pecorino cheese. Delicious!

At the end of the day, I am a proud Bay Area Californian who’s been making pizza for almost 20 years. I am not a New Yorker, nor would I ever claim to be. If you want to know the nitty gritty, I recommend reaching out to someone like Scott Wiener, owner of Scott’s Pizza Tours, who can literally school you on the history and evolution of pizza in New York. Bring a notebook!

Here is an Old-school New York Pizza Dough Formula:

100% high-protein, high-gluten flour

55%-58% water

0.25% instant yeast

2% salt

1%-2% olive oil

Here is a New School New York Pizza Dough Formula:

100% flour

10%-20% Biga or Poolish starter

65%-68% water

0.05% instant yeast

2% oil

2%-2.5% salt

Laura Meyer is the owner of Pizzeria da Laura in Berkeley, California.

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 NEW YORK (April 22, 2025) – A beloved New York City tradition came to a halt two years ago, when the iconic $1 cheese slice vanished – leaving a pizza-shaped hole in the city’s heart. But today, Seamless – the homegrown delivery service known for its unbeatable NYC restaurant selection and deals – is bringing it back.* From April 22 to May 20, New Yorkers can snag a legendary $1 cheese slice for pick-up by ordering on Seamless. To find a participating restaurant nearby, visit SeamlessDollarSlice.com.

A Staple of NYC Culture Returns

For generations, the $1 slice has been a thrifty indulgence, a lunchtime savior and a late-night snacking tradition. Whether scarfed down on a subway platform or enjoyed standing curbside, it was always there: hot, fast and satisfying. No frills, no forks, just you and a perfectly foldable slice.

“The $1 cheese slice is more than just pizza – it’s part of the city’s DNA,” said Howard Migdal, CEO at Grubhub, which owns Seamless. “As a company born in NYC, we know what this slice means to people. It’s about culture, convenience and that authentic NYC flavor. Simply put, it’s how New York eats. We’re proud to bring it back and celebrate the food culture that makes this city unlike anywhere else.”

How to Get a Slice of the Pie

Craving a classic? Head to SeamlessDollarSlice.com to explore more than 40 participating pizzerias across all five boroughs, including neighborhood favorites like Luigi’s Pizza, Rocco Pizza, 2 Bros. Pizza, Marinara Pizza, Krave Pizza, La Bellezza, Best Pizza, Ledo Pizza, Beverly Pizza & Cafe, Da Bianca Pizza, Rizzo’s Pizza and Patrizia’s Taverna. Just place a pickup order through Seamless. Limit one order per day during the campaign, with up to five $1 slices per order.

“I’ve watched this city change over the years, but nothing beats that look on someone’s face when they fold a hot $1 cheese slice and take that first bite, it never changes,” said the 2 Bros. Pizza Management Team, proudly serving New Yorkers for over 20 years. “Teaming up with Seamless gives us a chance to celebrate the $1cheese slice tradition with our loyal customers – and introduce a whole new generation to what makes New York pizza so special.”

Seamless Is Better Than Ever, Offering a Wealth of Unbeatable Deals

To reinforce its commitment to where it was founded, Seamless isn’t just bringing back the $1 cheese slice. The food delivery service is also bringing New York City diners unbeatable value on the best restaurants in the city. This includes zero delivery and service fees at participating restaurants and weekly doorbuster deals, up to 50% off orders of $30+, at legendary spots like Di Fara Pizza, Han Dynasty, Thai Villa, Adel’s Famous Halal Food and Katz’s Delicatessen.

For more information about Seamless and to check out the full list of must-try restaurants and current deals, visit Seamless.com or download the Seamless app.

*Pickup orders only. Subject to merchant and menu item availability. Discount applies to up to five plain cheese slices in one order. Promotion may be redeemed once per day. Available for a limited time only. Promotion applies automatically at checkout. To redeem, select the promotional item from the menu on a pickup order from a participating merchant. May not be combined with cash or certain other discounts. Offer and participation are subject to the Grubhub Terms of Use (including the Perks Terms of Use), available at https://www.grubhub.com/legal/terms-of-use Grubhub reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify any aspect of or the entirety of this offer, for any reason at any time, with or without notice, including, without limitation, if any fraud or technical failure impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the offer.

SOURCE: Seamless

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Concept:

Unregular Pizza is a fast casual Roman-style pizzeria by the slice located in the heart of NYC in Union Square. The pizzeria offers a wide range of creative and delicious pizzas, sandwiches and salads available in gluten free and vegan options.   

Pizza Style:

Our Roman-style pizza dough is made with imported Italian flour and it’s fermented for 72 hours, making the dough airy, light and digestible. 

What is the story behind your pizzeria’s name?

Our pizza project was born, in fact, in an Unregular way. I started making pizza at home during the pandemic in 2020, experimenting with different combinations of toppings in a creative and unusual way. After posting pictures and videos of my creations on Instagram, I grabbed the attention of my friends who wanted to purchase my pizza. However, instead of selling, I would give it out for free, so that I could get as MUCH feedback as possible. When I delivered a potato pie (a staple of the Roman pizza tradition) to my friend Federica, she gave me homemade cocktails in return. 

This brought me back memories of my grandma, who back in the 1950’s used bake goods that she exchanged for other goods.

So I began bartering pizza from home — which immediately created a community of barters — while my pizza was being constantly fine tuned and shared over and over with future potential customers. We then decided with my business partner and master pizzaiolo, Salvatore Gagliardo, to open up a shop.

We found the perfect location in Union Square, in the heart of Manhattan. 

“Unregular” is an intended grammatical mistake (should be “irregular”), and was chosen to distance ourselves from the low-quality $1 “regular” NY slice. This was done to convey the originality of our product. 

What is this barter program and how does it work?

Since we opened our brick and mortar store, we have bartered pizza from it with anyone who has something to share that he/she is passionate about. People may go on our website, unregularpizza.com, and sign up to barter. Our team will get in touch to organize it. 

Unregular Pizza has a unique design in the pizzeria and its branding elements. Tell us a little more about how the design was created?

Our pizza project was born out of the pandemic, which was a very sad moment for everyone, including the city and its restaurant scene. We wanted to create a pizzeria that was different from the traditional ones, and at the same time was colorful and happy. We chose a throwback 90s design for our store in order to convey that feeling. The final product is a combination of three main artists. Italian street artist Federico Massa (a.k.a. Lena Cruz) is known for his spray-painted stencils and precise brush work. Melding imagery of iguanas, landscapes, cultural artifacts, and local graffiti gathered from trips to Mexico and across the world, Massa has developed a unique visual style. Indian born, New York-based multidisciplinary designer Sourabh Gupta works at the intersection of art, design and architecture. And last, but not least, Italian store designer Federica Teso, founder of Lessthan3studio, which blends perspectives and fabrication techniques with European and American design sensibilities in order to provide unmatched elegance and quality at any scale. 

ONLINE BONUS QUESTION: NYC has a very competitive pizza scene. How are you able to grab a piece of the NYC market?

In the radius of one street block from our store there are 4 other pizzerias! NYC is literally the most crowded pizza scene in the world. The only way to succeed is preserving quality, convenience and originality. Our bestseller is called the BURRAPIZZA CAFONATA which is a crazy creation which came up through deed bartering research, if so we may call it. Obviously this pizza a 72h leavened dough (like all our pizzas), rigorously Italian Mutti tomato sauce, a whole Lioni Latticini burrata on each slice (hence the name Burrapizza), spicy n’duja sauce and finally spicy hot honey. Each slice is a bite of sin which has captured the hearts and taste buds of thousands who travel all the way to us to grab a bite of it. 

We also continuously produce new products with the aim of keeping creativity alive while respecting the high quality of Roman-style pizza. Worthy of note is the golden burrapizza (24K burrata on each slice) which we launched on National Pizza Day with the objective of raising money for charity, the Welcome to Times Square burrapizza which was made for our World’s Biggest barter event where bartered 162 times from a pizza truck in Times Square back in November, the best barters were displayed on a billboard in Times Square offered by our partners at Welcome to Times Square, our Trojan Horse pizza which featured gyro and souvlaki on a pizza with a maxi burrata on top filled with mini mozzarellas (hence the name Trojan Horse…), a sweet Bronte Pistachio and nutella multilayered burrapizza which we made customized for a birthday… everyday there’s a new idea. Something that spikes our creativity and that might make people say “I wanna try this” because it’s all about the quality and inventiveness of the pizza!

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