Lucali

"Would Lucali be as iconic without the line? The question feels sacrilegious—this Carroll Gardens spot is one of the city’s top three pizza places—but at the same time, the line is an essential part of the experience. When you arrive at 2:30pm, just to wait outside until the host starts taking names around 4pm, you’re participating in a formative and slightly masochistic rite of passage. Do it already." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah

"Yes, you still have to plan your entire day around going to Lucali, but that’s part of what makes it special. Many New Yorkers agree that this is some of the best pizza in all five boroughs, so find an excuse to take off from work early and line up at 2pm to secure your spot in line. (They usually start taking names around 4pm.) While you’re here, get a calzone along with your pizza. Since there are only two things on the menu, there’s no reason not to go all out." - willa moore, bryan kim, neha talreja, arden shore

"We could tell you about the way the pizzaiolo at this cash-only, BYOB restaurant rolls out the dough with empty wine bottles on a marble countertop in the candlelit dining room. But those details, along with the fact that eating at this Carroll Gardens institution requires lining up at 2pm, don’t matter for this guide. What matters is Lucali's thin New York-style pies, which have crunchy crusts, a serious sprinkle of minced garlic, and tomato sauce that’s a little sweet, a little tangy, and good enough to eat with a spoon. And yet it’s the piles of fresh basil that put the pizza here over the top—and make you feel the type of emotional connection your ex said you weren’t capable of." - bryan kim, willa moore, kenny yang, carlo mantuano, molly fitzpatrick

"Standing in line for pizza is one of the most ridiculous things you can do in this city. It’s like waiting for sand in the middle of the Sahara. But not only will we line up at Lucali before they even open to secure a table, we’ll wait several hours at a bar nearby until that table is ready. Lucali makes us do irrational things, because Lucali serves some of the best pizza in the city. Their crust is thin, crispy, and just a little bit chewy, and it maintains immaculate posture while supporting velvety sweet tomato sauce and three types of cheese. This is simple pizza made exceedingly well, and it’s greater than the sum of its parts. The ricotta-filled calzone might be even better. Show up early, and be grateful for the opportunity to wait for a table at this candlelit Carroll Gardens institution. Bring some wine. This place is BYOB, which is yet another reason why we’ll do foolish things to eat here." - bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah

"Mark Iacono’s thin-crust pizzas, made with a three-cheese blend of fresh and imported mozzarella and Grana Padano, plus fresh basil, consistently draw long lines, and it’s impossible to make a reservation. The move is to show up before 5 p.m., add your name to the list, and grab a drink in the neighborhood while you wait. Cash only, BYOB. And yes, it expanded into Miami." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff