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NYC pizza is a sacred thing, and we New Yorkers take this food group veryyyy seriously. So while pickle pizza did certainly catch us off guard (though we’d be lying if we said we weren’t slightly intrigued) what doesn’t catch us off guard is the fact that America’s first pizzeria, Lombardi’s, stands right here in NYC. Honestly, where else would it stand?! Even more, it’s celebrating its 120th birthday this year!
Founded in 1905, America’s first pizzeria has been serving slices in the same section of Manhattan’s Little Italy since Gennaro Lombardi first crafted it using his bakers trade he learned from Naples. The shop actually began as a grocery store, selling pizza strictly as a way to use up leftover dough and cheese. However, Lombardi’s pies were so sought after that he eventually switched gears over to owning a pizza shop.
If we’re really going to get into it, Lombardi’s is America’s oldest pizzeria in the sense that it was the first in NYC before closing in 1987 following an economic downturn. Seven years later, though, Lombardi’s grandson opened another restaurant with the same name a block away, and the rest is history. Over a hundred years later, they’ve certainly still got it, serving up top notch pies every day. And, well, it’s pretty much the same as it was when it began!
If you stay loyal to the tried and true plain slice, you’ll certainly find it at Lombardi’s, who promises “smoky-crusted coal oven baked pizza, topped with purist tomato sauce, fresh whole milk mozzarella, and basil.” Though we have to suggest trying their legendary clam pie as well, which is loaded with three dozen fresh-shucked clams. It’s actually been photographed and submitted to Yelp over 5,000 times, making Lombardi’s one of America’s most photographed pizzerias in the U.S.!
All the pies are served in a red-and-white checkerboard and brick space that acts as a time capsule to the early 1900s. Old wooden booths and a bar in the back look like they’ve been around forever (probably because they have), while the walls are covered in photographs of important people throughout the restaurant’s history.
Overall, the space oozes old-school charm, making for a very classic New York pizzeria experience.
One thing that has changed though, which we certainly wish hadn’t, is the price of Lombardi’s pies. According to The Guardian, an entire pie used to cost 5¢. Imagine that!
You can find Lombardi’s in Manhattan’s Little Italy at 32 Spring Street. Its operating hours are 12 pm to 10 pm from Sunday through Thursday, and 12 pm to 11:45 pm Friday and Saturday. Keep in mind that they’re cash only (they have an ATM if needed) and don’t let the lines sway you–it’s certainly worth the wait!
📍 32 Spring Street
🚇 Closest subway stops: Spring St (6) & Bowery (J, Z)