New York is definitely known for its pizzas. Many New York pizzerias try to preserve a sense of tradition. Some of these inexpensive, family-owned restaurants are usually small, serving not much more than thin-crusted slices, smothered with bold sauces and the usual toppings—mushrooms, sausages, pepperoni, mozzarella. The ambience at these traditional restaurants is usually low-key, often with patrons opting to eat their pizzas while standing.

Of course, there is no shortage of traditional New York pizzerias that serve more than the usual enormous, thin-crust pizzas. These restaurants offer diverse menus that include savory pasta dishes, meatball subs and a choice of crusts, cooked in brick ovens, coal ovens, wood-burning ovens or whatever special ovens they proclaim cook the best pizzas.

Some New York pizzerias have evolved from the well-known Brooklyn pizza joints and grown into fine dining establishments, or what some call boutique pizzerias. These restaurants present their patrons with gourmet pizza toppings, coupled with red Chianti and sometimes, even soothing jazz music to optimize their dining experience. While the ingredients and cooking styles used to create these restaurants’ pizza pies have strayed from the traditional New York pizzas, the end products are quite delicious and highly recommended to both tourists and New York natives.