There’s no arguing that Joe’s pizza is one of the most iconic New York City pizzas you can get. It’s basically on every single “best pizza in New York City” list we came across. It’s not fancy but it’s always fresh, hot and delicious.
Joe’s Pizza, also called Famous Joe’s Pizza, is a pizzeria located in Greenwich Village, Manhattan on Carmine Street near Bleecker Street. The restaurant is known for serving a classic New York street styled pizza and has been called a “Greenwich Village institution.” The pizzeria serves by the slice or by full pie.
Joe’s was founded in 1975 by Pino “Joe” Pozzuoli, an Italian immigrant originally from Naples, Italy. Joe’s Pizza is considered a classic by the slice pizza and a favorite among tourists. The restaurant briefly closed in 2005, but has since reopened.
In addition to its original location in Greenwich Village, Joe’s Pizza has other locations in Manhattan at 150 East 14th Street, 1435 Broadway, and 124 Fulton Street; in Brooklyn, at 216 Bedford Avenue; and in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at 1107 S University Ave.
When Pino Pozzuoli immigrated to the United States from Naples, people knew that the realm of pizza in New York was about to change for the better. Pino, who decided to go by Joe when he came to America (apparently Pino is a form of the name Joseph in Italy), began by working in different pizza places across America and trained his future apprentices.
In 1975, Joe opened his own pizza store on the corner of Carmine and Bleecker, and immediately started cranking out the best slices this side of the Atlantic. He wanted to open it in Greenwich Village because he liked the idea of a diverse community where customers came from all different walks of life. After years of growth, Joe’s became a staple of Greenwich Village and was named “New York’s Best Pizza” by New York Magazine. After Joe’s had gotten this recognition, the store began to be frequented by celebrities, such as Conan O’Brien, Leonardo Decaprio, Jessica Alba, and hundreds more.
Joe’s pizza in popular culture
Joe’s Pizza appears in the 2001 video game Grand Theft Auto III as it is located in two different areas of the game. However, both of the pizza parlors are inaccessible to the player. The pizza parlor appears once again in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and it remains inaccessible to the player but you can start a side mission in-game titled “Pizza Boy.”
In the 2004 film, Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker is working at Joe’s Pizza as a delivery boy, but is fired due to insubordination and excessive delivery mishaps. The pizzeria has gained notability since its appearance in the movie.
In 2022, Joe’s Pizza made its first Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in a commercial for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in the form of a food truck. Like Spider-Man 2, Sam Raimi also directed the film.
And what’s the secret?
Pino “Joe” Pozzuoli is still a major part of the Joe’s Pizza team. The founder of the iconic Greenwich Village pizzeria comes into the restaurant almost every day, and he always samples a slice for quality control. Joe has always prided himself on choosing the best ingredients and has been known to say that he makes every pie as if he would eat it himself. The world of pizza, as well as everyone in the city, owes a great deal of gratitude towards Joe and the people behind Joe’s Pizza.
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