Joe's Pizza

Joe's Pizza at 7 Carmine Street, on the corner near Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village, is a small slice shop widely treated as a benchmark for the classic New York slice. The cuisine is straightforward New York-style pizza: a thin, crisp-edged crust that folds in half, a light layer of tomato sauce and low-moisture mozzarella, served hot from the oven by the slice. The plain cheese slice is the emblematic order, and the pepperoni slice and the fresh mozzarella slice are the other regulars on the counter. Visitors can also order whole pies, though the shop is designed around quick service and eating on the go. The dining room is barely a dining room at all: a narrow storefront with a counter, a handful of standing ledges and very limited seating, so most customers eat on the sidewalk, on nearby benches or while walking through Greenwich Village. The atmosphere is fast, informal and noisy, with a steady stream of locals, students and tourists, and the shop keeps late hours that make it a popular stop after evenings out in the West Village. There is no dress code and no formal beverage programme; canned sodas and bottled water are the standard accompaniment. Joe's does not take reservations and works on a walk-in, order-at-the-counter basis, so the only planning involved is choosing a time to avoid the peak crowds. Lines lengthen at lunchtime and after bars close, but they move quickly because slices are prepared in advance and reheated. Prices are among the lowest of any recognised New York restaurant, with a slice costing only a few dollars, which is a major part of the appeal for budget-minded travellers. The location makes it an easy add-on to a walk through the West Village, Washington Square Park and Bleecker Street in New York City, and it pairs naturally with other quick neighbourhood stops such as Mamoun's Falafel on MacDougal Street.