Joe's Pizza

Ask ten New Yorkers where to get a slice and at least six will say Joe's. It's been on Carmine Street since 1975, it takes 45 seconds to order, and the slice is so perfect — thin, foldable, oily in the right way, cheese that pulls just right — that you'll find yourself eating it standing on the sidewalk out front because there's nowhere to sit.

Cash or card, plain or pepperoni, $3.75-$4.50 depending on the day. That's it. That's the experience. It is exactly what New York pizza should be.

**Local tip:** There are now a few Joe's locations (Bleecker, Times Square, Williamsburg) — the Carmine original is still the best. Don't order a whole pie; order by the slice. The plain is better than the fancy ones. Eat it within two minutes of getting it. Standing room only; walk back out to the street corner.

**Best for:** A quick cheap perfect meal, midnight cravings, bringing a tourist who needs to understand pizza, everyone.