Johnny's Pizzeria, Brooklyn (Sunset Park)

Many, if not most pizza lovers who are familiar with Brooklyn probably know of such classic joints as Grimaldi's, Totonno's, Di Fara, and Spumoni Gardens. But buried within the streets of this enormous borough are some real neighborhood standouts that remain under the radar. One such place is Johnny's Pizzeria, an old-fashioned pizza joint in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn (between Bay Ridge and Park Slope). Johnny's is truly a local spot, having been in business since the late 1960s and catering to folks who live in the surrounding area.

Johnny's Pizzeria has a number of items on their menu (including heroes and pasta dishes), but it's really all about the pizza here, and folks can order either whole pies or single slices. In addition to the familiar thin-crust pies is something called a grandma pie, which is basically a square-pan pizza with a thin crust. They also have a thick-crust option, as well as white pizza, a lasagna pie, and a baked ziti pizza.

If you have been to Johnny's Pizzeria in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn, please tell us about it by posting a comment here. Thank you!

Here is the address for Johnny's Pizzeria:
Johnny's Pizzeria
5806 5th Avenue
Brooklyn (Sunset Park), NY, 11220

The phone number is:
(718) 492-9735

And here is the Web site for Johnny's Pizzeria:
http://www.johnnyspizzeria.com/

Una Pizza Napoletana, East Village, Manhattan

I have been to Grimaldi's in Brooklyn, and every time I hit a new pizza place that is supposed to be "the best" or "the one and only place to go for pizza," I leave the place saying, "Well, it was no Grimaldi's." But now, I am hearing (and reading) about a place in the East Village that may rival Grimaldi's. It is called Una Pizza Napoletana, and it sounds very good, indeed.

The pizza at Una Pizza Napoletana is cooked in a wood-fired oven, which is rare where I come from (Boston), but perhaps not so unusual in New York City. All the ingredients are fresh, from the crust to the tomato sauce to the mozzarella cheese. And the end result, from what I am hearing, is a pizza so good that it may just rival the best pizza places in all of New York, including Grimaldi's. And that is high praise indeed; I cannot wait to try Una Pizza Napoletana!

If you have been to Una Pizza Napoletana in the East Village, please let me know what you think. Thank you!

Here is the address for Una Pizza Napoletana:
Una Pizza Napoletana
349 E 12th Street
New York (East Village), NY, 10003

The phone number is:
(212) 477-9950

And here is the Web site for Una Pizza Napoletana:
http://www.unapizza.com/

Freddy's Pizzeria, Whitestone, Queens

Supposedly, Freddy's Pizzeria in the Whitestone section of Queens has some very good pizza, but you wouldn't know it if you talked to a friend of mine who grew up in the neighborhood. According to him, the calzones are the thing at Freddy's, and they are especially good on Friday night.

Some locals also call the place Angelo's, as Angelo used to own the place (his son is running it now, from what I hear).

If anyone has tried Freddy's Pizzeria, please post a message about the place here if you would like. I'd love to hear more about this Queens institution!

Here is the address for Freddy's Pizzeria:
Freddy's Pizzeria
1266 150th Street
Queens (Whitestone), NY, 11357

The phone number is:
(718) 767-4502