A Tasty Quest to Find the Best New York Style Pizza in Brisbane

No matter where life takes me, New York City seems to follow. There’s always someone wearing a New York Yankees hat. Or a billboard for the Real Housewives of New York. Or a New York-inspired restaurant. Brisbane alone is home to The Brooklyn Burger Depot, Red Hook, NYC Bagel Deli, 51st Street and 5 Boroughs.

There is also a plethora of spots serving up New York style pizza in Brisbane.

First things first, what is New York style pizza? Click HERE for the full history, but here’s a quick recap of how to spot authentic New York pizza:

• The Water: rumor has it that New York’s mineral-dense water is what gives the crust that special texture and flavor. (obviously this won’t be possible in Brisbane)
• The Dough: the dough is made from high-gluten bread flour, yeast, and water with an extra sprinkle of sugar and splash of olive oil.
• The Sauce: the sauce is usually made from canned tomatoes mixed with heavy seasonings, and there isn’t too much spread on each slice.
• The Cheese: shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• The Size: A New York pie is usually a  whopping 18 inches in diameter.
• The Crust: the crust is thin, and you can fold it perfectly in half for optimum eating conditions.
• The Oven: a gas oven is essential.

How does the New York style pizza in Brisbane stack up to the real deal?

We went to every pizza by the slice spot that had a reference to New York in the name, and here’s our ranking.

5: New York Slice Pizzeria

New York Slice Pizzeria is right off of Brunswick Street in Fortitude Valley right next to an epic cookie shop, Mr. Treat. From the minute I laid eyes on the cold pizza behind the glass, I knew my taste buds wouldn’t be pleased. Sure enough, they weren’t. While the crust was thin and could easily be folded in half, it tasted like salty cardboard. The sauce, cheese, and pepperoni were equally flavorless, and most of the slice ended up in the trash can. It should be illegal to even call this pizza.

The Pros: There was a trash can near by.

The Cons: Terrible crust, gross cheese, hardly any pepperoni.

Authenticity: 2

Overall enjoyment: 1

4: New Yorker Pizza

New Yorker Pizza in South Bank serves up pies that almost look like York style pizza. The one visual flaw is that the whole pizzas are just a few inches too small. The crust beneath the toppings had a decent texture and thickness, and the triangle could be easily folded in half. The outer crust, however, needed to be just a bit thicker. There wasn’t too much sauce, a generous amount of cheese, and plenty of glistening pepperonis that really remind me of a being on the streets of New York. However, the slice tasted too salty with that disappointing processed taste.

The Pros: Solid cheese to sauce ratio.

The Cons: The outer crust was too thin and crispy. Didn’t taste too great.

Authenticity: 4

Overall Enjoyment: 2

3: Brooklyn Slice

Brooklyn Slice in South Bank serves up massive, thick pizza slices for 3.89USD a pop. These slices are far too thick and bready to even come close to resembling New York-style pizza. But hey, I guess it’s called “Brooklyn” slice… whatever that means. Despite the thick crust, the sauce, cheese, and pepperoni were spot on in both ratios and flavor. It’s exactly what you want in a slice of pizza: melty cheese, just enough sauce but not too much, a taste of pepperoni in every bite.

(Note: There is another Brooklyn Slice that just opened in Fortitude Valley!)

The Pros: Melty cheese, just enough sauce, a taste of pepperoni in every bite.

The Cons: The crust was too thick to be considered New York-style

Authenticity: 1

Overall Enjoyment: 5

2: Boroughs of New York Woodfired Pizza

Note: The photo above is one slice. It’s just cut in two!

Boroughs of New York Woodfired Pizza is in Fortitude Valley, and while the slices might not be authentic New York style, OH MAN are they delicious! The sauce, cheese, and pepperoni taste beautifully fresh, and the ratios of ingredients are spot on. The crust is slightly chewy, slightly crunchy, and the cheese is delectably bubbly.

Alas, this is not the best authentic New York style pizza in Brisbane. The pizza isn’t pre-cooked and sliced up. Rather, each “slice” is made on the spot just as you would make a whole pizza. And while I love woodfired pizza, a true NY slice needs to come from a gas oven.

The Pros: Freaking delicious!

The Cons: A touch pricy, ringing in at around $10AUD per slice.

Authenticity: 2

Overall Enjoyment: 5

1: Manhattan Pizza

Manhattan Pizza is located in Kangaroo Point. A man waiting informed us that it was the best New York style pizza in Brisbane, so we sprung for the gold and got a massive pie. Let me tell you…. it felt like being back in NYC. The crust had that ever so slight sweetness and could perfectly fold in half. There wasn’t too much sauce, plenty of pepperoni, and melting oozey cheese. There were even chili flakes to sprinkle on!

The Pros: Tasted like authentic New York style pizza.

The Cons: Jeremy and I demolished the whole pizza… didn’t bode well for our stomachs the following day….

Authenticity: 5

Overall Enjoyment: 5

Wrapping Up Our Pizza Journey Through Brisbane

There are 5 pizza joints in Brisbane with references to New York in their name that serve up pizza by the slice. There is the good, the bad, and the horrible.

Here are 3 awards I’d like to hand out to my top Brisbane pizza picks:

Most Authentic: Manhattan Pizza

Best Tasting: Boroughs of New York Woodfired Pizza

Best Value: Brooklyn Slice

Go forth, be frugal, and eat pizza!