Celebrate National Pizza Day With These Top Brooklyn Slices

BROOKLYN, NY — What better day than National Pizza Day to heat up New Yorkers' favorite debate — where is the city's best slice?

In honor of Tuesday's designation as National Pizza Day, Patch has put together a list of the best spots in Brooklyn to celebrate according to national food critics, New York City experts and our very own Patch readers.

New York City Winners

Four slices from Brooklyn pizza joints, including two in North Brooklyn, were recently named one of the "Top 12 Neighborhood Pizza Slices" in New York City by Eater New York's Robert Sietsema.

In Brooklyn, the top slices hailed from Espresso Pizzeria in Bay Ridge, King's Pizza in Midwood, Rogelio's Pizza in Bushwick and East Williamsburg's Danny's Pizza.

Here's a look at all 12 slices on the list:

• White slice at Louie & Ernie's Pizza: Bronx
• Plain cheese slice at Golden Pizza: Bronx
• Plain cheese slice at Sal and Carmine: Manhattan
• Plain cheese slice at Marinara Pizza: Manhattan
• Plain cheese slice at Amore Pizzeria: Queens
• Italian sausage Sicilian at NY Pizza Suprema: Manhattan
• White spinach slice at Stella's Pizza: Manhattan
• Ziti slice at Danny's Pizza: Brooklyn
• Plain cheese slice at Rogelio's Pizza: Brooklyn
• Plain cheese slice at Espresso Pizzeria: Brooklyn
• Bacon slice at King's Pizza: Brooklyn
• Lasagna slice at Pizza D'Oro: Staten Island

Patch Picks

In honor of National Pizza Week in January — apparently a different celebration than National Pizza Day — Patch asked readers in Bed-Stuy, Park Slope, Prospect Heights and Crown Heights to tell us their favorites.

Here's what they had to say, including a controversial nomination from outside the city:

• GANNIS, CORNER OF MYRTLE AVE AND FRANKLIN AVE
• I like Broadway Pizza at the corner of Broadway and Koskosciusko. The slice is casual but really solid. And all the food there is good.
• Pizza town on 5th ave and Warren Street! The best!
• Antonio's on Flatbush. I love it so much, I got a tee shirt!
• Unfortunately I need to say, Frank pepe's IN CONNECTICUT is the best pizza I have ever had in my life. I think they use NY tap water

The National Rankings

Ten pizza joints in Brooklyn made the most recent The Daily Meal's most recent list of America's 101 Best Pizzas.

John's of Bleecker Street came in as the city's top entry at No. 3 on annual list, Lucali in Brooklyn was not far behind, placing No. 8 in the final rankings. Other favorites include Roberta's, Emmy Squared and the classic Di Fara. Here's the full list of Brooklyn ranks:

81. Cuts and Slices, 93 Howard —The Daily Eater characterized the pizza here as "far from ordinary" and says Cuts and Slices goes beyond pepperoni and cheese and offers unique slices like the chicken and waffles pie that includes a drizzle of maple syrup.

66. Emmy Squared, 364 Grand St. — It may be a bit odd-sounding for a Detroit-style pizza joint to have Brooklyn roots, but with locations around the country, Emmy Squared indeed calls Brooklyn home. In addition to more traditional toppings, come of Emmy Square's pies go a trendier route, The Daily Eater says, including the Angel Pie, which boasts ricotta, mushrooms and a truffle-mushroom cream.

44. Julianna's Pizza, 19 Old Fulton St. — Named after the mother of Patsy Grimaldi, this stop offers coal-fired thin crust slices topped with ingredients that are made in-house and that are sourced both locally and internationally, The Daily Eater says. The favorites here, the site says, include the can't-miss Margherita pizza and white pie.

38.L&B Spumoni Gardens, 2725 86th St. — Started as a food truck in 1918, this Brooklyn tradition includes both round pies, but is known more for its Sicilian squares, the Daily Eater reports. The stop sells by the slice, but according to the Daily Eater, allows customers to "unlock" toppings if they buy the entire pie.

32. L'industrie Pizzeria, 254 S. Second Ave. — Sure, diners will find traditional New York style pizza here boasting the usual suspects of toppings, but where this stop separates itself is creating a hit for what the Daily Eater calls "cheese connoisseurs", which the reviewers will find a friend in the shop's signature burrata pizza.

30. Di Fara, 1424 Avenue J — Owner Domenico De Marco is still the star of the show here, The Daily Eater says, and still is making the pie after 53 years in the pizza business. Much of the ingredients are imported directly from Italy and customers are given the freedom to create their own pizzas, including squares, regular or white pies. According to reviewers, the Chaos Pie ranks highly with sausage, meatballs, cherry peppers and onions and garlic.

26. Roberta's, 261 Moore St. — Pizza is the wave here, according to Daily Eater reviewers, who raved over the Bee Sting pie with mozzarella, tomato, soppressata, chili, basil and honey and the Lil' Stinker with tomato, mozzarella, parmigiana, pecorino, double garlic, onion and pepperoncini.

24. ZuirLee, 755 Flatbush Ave. — There are plenty of traditional offerings here, but where ZuriLee creates its own space is in its Caribbean-inspired pies that include the jerk chicken pizza with fresh corn and The Oxtail that the Daily Meal says finds its rhythm with a blend of mozzarella, grana padano and oxtail ragu.

15. Paulie Gee's, 60 Greenpoint Ave. — If wood-fired pizza is your thing, this may be the spot for you. With 30 wood-fired pizzas (including eight vegan options), The Daily Meal says diners can't go wrong with the Hellboy, which cranks up the heat with fresh mozzarella, Italian tomatoes, Berkshire soppressata piccante, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Mike's Hot Honey. Paulie Gee's also has a slice shop two blocks away.

8. Lucali —This popular Brooklyn spot has become a haven for celebrities, The Daily Eater reports with sightings including John Legend, Kylie Jenner and Ed Sheeran who have found their way to Lucali, where, according to reviewers, the Margherita pizza reigns supreme.