Quick answer
NYC's cheap pizza scene ranges from $1-$6, with 2 Bros Pizza on St. Marks Place being a Reddit favorite for dollar slices. This guide highlights the best budget-friendly pizza spots in New York City, balancing price and quality based on local recommendations.
- Best overall
- Joe's Pizza
- Top pick
- Joe's Pizza
Top verdicts
- Joe's Pizza: Open until 4 a.m.
- 2 Bros Pizza: Slices come hottest right before peak rush as ovens cycle through trays.
- Prince Street Pizza: Weekend lines run 30+ minutes; weekday late afternoons are the only time without a queue.
The New York dollar slice is one of the city's great equalizers — billionaires, broke students, and 2 AM bar-crawlers all standing at the same counter, folding the same greasy triangle. In 2026, the true $1 slice is nearly extinct (inflation came for us all), but the spirit lives on at $1.50.
Area map
All 12 spots at a glance
| # | Name | Style | Price | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe's Pizza | slice | budget | New York |
| 2 | 2 Bros Pizza | slice | mid | New York |
| 3 | Prince Street Pizza | slice | budget | New York |
| 4 | NY Pizza Suprema | slice | budget | New York |
| 5 | Percy's Pizza | slice | mid | New York |
| 6 | Scarr's Pizza | slice | budget | New York |
| 7 | $1.50 Fresh Pizza | slice | budget | New York |
| 8 | East Village Pizza | slice | mid | New York |
| 9 | Best Pizza | slice | budget | Brooklyn |
| 10 | 99 Cent Fresh Pizza | slice | mid | New York |
| 11 | 1 Dollar Pizza | slice | mid | New York |
| 12 | Amore Pizza | slice | budget | Flushing |
1Joe's Pizza
New York SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- Reference NY plain slice
- Strengths
- Known for New York Slice · New York
- Price / value
- $1.50–$4
- Why it made the list
- The Greenwich Village by-the-slice institution since 1975 — Spider-Man-cameo famous and the platonic NY plain slice for two-plus generations.
- What to order
- Plain slice, fresh out of the oven; the Sicilian and fresh-mozzarella are the bonus rounds.
22 Bros Pizza
Dollar SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- Cheapest baseline NYC slice
- Strengths
- Known for Dollar Slice · New York
- Price / value
- $1–$2
- Why it made the list
- Citywide chain that sustained the $1 slice longer than almost any competitor — fast turnover, no surprises.
- What to order
- Plain slice; you're not coming for toppings.
3Prince Street Pizza
Sicilian SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- Pepperoni-cup square slice
- Strengths
- Known for Sicilian Slice · New York
- Price / value
- $3–$6
- Why it made the list
- Nolita storefront whose pepperoni-cup square slice started a national copycat trend — small, deeply-pepperoni-ed Sicilian on a thick base.
- What to order
- Soho Square (pepperoni cups, vodka sauce). One slice is denser than two regular slices.
4NY Pizza Suprema
New York SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- Classic Penn Station-area slice
- Strengths
- Known for New York Slice · New York
- Price / value
- $3–$5
- Why it made the list
- Penn Station-area institution since 1964 — one of the most consistent classic-slice operations in Manhattan and a frequent NYC pizza-rankings top-10er.
- What to order
- Plain slice and the Sicilian; the upside-down (Margherita with sauce on top) is a legitimate sleeper.
5Percy's Pizza
Dollar SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- Bleecker Street dollar slice
- Strengths
- Known for Dollar Slice · New York
- Price / value
- $1–$2
- Why it made the list
- Greenwich Village dollar-slice survivor on Bleecker — small storefront, classic plain slice, and a price point that's mostly disappeared from the city.
- What to order
- Plain slice; that's the proposition.
6Scarr's Pizza
Old-School SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- Old-school slice with new-school flour
- Strengths
- Known for Old-School Slice · New York
- Price / value
- $3.50–$6
- Why it made the list
- Lower East Side shop that revived the wood-paneled '70s pizza-shop aesthetic with house-milled flour and a deeply chewy slice.
- What to order
- Plain slice or the white slice; the whole pies are reservation-worthy on weekends.
7$1.50 Fresh Pizza
Budget SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- Theater District cheap slice
- Strengths
- Known for Budget Slice · New York
- Price / value
- $1.50–$3
- Why it made the list
- Theater District cheap-slice operator that pushed the price up only slightly when the dollar slice fell — still one of the best price-to-quality plain slices in Midtown.
- What to order
- Plain slice fresh from the oven.
8East Village Pizza
Budget SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- East Village late-night slice
- Strengths
- Known for Budget Slice · New York
- Price / value
- $1–$2
- Why it made the list
- Avenue A late-night pizza counter that's been a cornerstone of the East Village post-bar scene for decades — open into the early-morning hours.
- What to order
- Plain or pepperoni; the fresh-mozzarella slice is a small upgrade.
9Best Pizza
Artisan SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- Williamsburg artisan white slice
- Strengths
- Known for Artisan Slice · Brooklyn
- Price / value
- $3–$6
- Why it made the list
- Williamsburg shop in a former bagel store — wood-fired oven, white slice with a basil-mozzarella-pecorino topping that locals consider the best in Brooklyn.
- What to order
- The white slice (the whole reason); a plain for comparison.
1099 Cent Fresh Pizza
Dollar SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- True dollar-slice survivor
- Strengths
- Known for Dollar Slice · New York
- Price / value
- $1–$1.50
- Why it made the list
- The dollar-slice chain that genuinely held the dollar line the longest — a useful budget reference even if the slice is what you'd expect.
- What to order
- Plain slice; toppings rarely worth the upcharge.
111 Dollar Pizza
Dollar SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- True dollar-slice price floor
- Strengths
- Known for Dollar Slice · New York
- Price / value
- $1–$2
- Why it made the list
- Small chain that's pushed back against pricing pressure to maintain the original dollar slice — quality varies by location, but the price holds.
- What to order
- Plain slice — anything more is missing the point.
12Amore Pizza
Budget SliceQuick comparison
- Best for
- Flushing local slice
- Strengths
- Known for Budget Slice · Flushing
- Price / value
- $1.50–$3
- Why it made the list
- Flushing local slice shop that's served the neighborhood for decades with a classic plain slice and a price point that's barely nudged in years.
- What to order
- Plain slice; the Sicilian if it's just out of the oven.
Frequently asked questions
Does dollar pizza still exist in NYC in 2026?
Technically, true $1 pizza is nearly extinct. Most 'dollar slice' shops now charge $1.50 per cheese slice. A few holdouts in the East Village and Hell's Kitchen still occasionally sell at $1, but $1.50 is the new standard for the cheapest pizza in NYC.
Where is the best dollar slice in New York?
According to local consensus, the 2 Bros Pizza location on St. Marks Place is widely considered the best of the dollar-slice chains. Percy's Pizza on Bleecker Street is another favorite — less crowded than 2 Bros, with a crispier crust. For quality-per-dollar, East Village Pizza on 1st Ave is also frequently recommended.
What is the difference between dollar pizza and regular pizza in NYC?
Dollar slice shops use cheaper ingredients, simpler recipes, and high-volume production to keep prices low. The cheese is lower quality, the sauce is simpler, and slices are thinner. But the best dollar spots (2 Bros St. Marks, Percy's) achieve a surprisingly satisfying result. Regular slice shops like Joe's Pizza or NY Pizza Suprema use better ingredients and typically charge $3.50–$5 per slice — still cheap by any standard outside NYC.
Is Joe's Pizza worth the wait?
Yes, with a caveat. Joe's on Carmine Street is genuinely excellent — thin, crispy, perfectly charred. The line usually moves fast (10–15 minutes). local consensus: it's not just hype. However, some locals argue NY Pizza Suprema near Penn Station is equally good with shorter waits. Both are worth eating at.
What should I order at a NYC pizza shop?
Start with a plain cheese slice — it's the true test of any NYC pizza shop. If it's good, try their specialty: the pepperoni square at Prince Street Pizza, the white slice at Best Pizza in Williamsburg, or the Sicilian at NY Pizza Suprema. Fold the slice in half lengthwise (the 'New York fold'), eat standing on the sidewalk, and don't use a fork.
Where can tourists get cheap pizza near Times Square?
$1.50 Fresh Pizza on Broadway (near 57th St) is your best bet in the Midtown area — 4.5★ with over 4,500 Google reviews. NY Pizza Suprema on 8th Ave near Penn Station is also walkable and widely considered one of the best slices in the city. Avoid the generic tourist-trap pizza places on 7th Ave.
Is pizza in NYC really that much better than everywhere else?
According to localsyes, but it's partly about the culture. NYC water (yes, it matters), coal/gas deck ovens, high volume (fresh slices constantly), and 100+ years of pizza tradition all contribute. A $3.50 slice from Joe's Pizza rivals $20 pies in most other cities. As one Redditor put it: 'You don't go to NYC for dollar pizza because it's gourmet. You go because a $1.50 slice at 2 AM after the bars is a spiritual experience.'