The Classic New York Pizzeria That Andrew Zimmern Loves

If there's one food that's synonymous with New York City, it's pizza. There are over 2,000 pizzerias in New York City alone, meaning every N.Y.C. local is bound to have a favorite spot. This includes food TV show host and celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern, who was born and raised in the Big Apple. When asked by the BBC about some of his favorite restaurants across the country, New York and the famous New York pizza featured heavily in the discussion. 

For a great pie, Zimmern has a few particular favorites. Representing the Sicilian-style slice, which is a New York staple and quite different from Detroit-style pizza, Zimmern loves to frequent L&B Spumoni Gardens. This restaurant opened in 1939 and is arguably an institution, serving traditional Sicilian pies as well as round pizzas. They also have a stellar pasta menu — if you don't know the difference between spaghetti carbonara and amatriciana, this is a great place to start your education. However, despite the selection of other Italian delicacies, the restaurant is mainly known for its simple rectangular pizza with the sauce spread on top of the cheese, resulting in a humble yet flavorful slice. Sometimes, that's all you need to become a crowd favorite.

Andrew Zimmern's other favorite pizza restaurant, Una Pizza Napoletana, is well-known for serving Neapolitan-style pizza made in a wood fire oven. The restaurant has gone through several location changes over the years, moving from New Jersey to New York to San Francisco and then back to New York again, and has been lauded by critics and diners alike for its supple pizza crust and airy cornicione. As a former professional pizzamaker, I can attest to the fact that Neapolitan-style pizza requires plenty of care throughout every step of the process, so I admire Una Pizza Napoletana for the unique reputation it's garnered in this competitive industry.

As well as pizza, Zimmern is also a fan of other American casual dining classics. His favorite fast food burger is Culver's fresh and crunchy take on the meaty feast, with plenty of crisp lettuce and tomato on top. He also loves farm-to-table style cooking and traditional New England cuisine.