The one thing anyone loves more than pizza is super cheap pizza*,* and absolutely no one is judging.
New York City is famous for its pizza, and on nearly every corner you'll see these "$1 slice" pizza joints that may raise a few eyebrows. But since there's nothing like grabbing a bite on a budget, I set out on a ruthless hunt for the best so-called $1 slices (so you don't have to).
First up was 2 Bros Pizza on West 40th Street and 9th Ave.
In the bottom-right corner of the sign, you can see that tax is apparently included in the $1 price, but somehow this didn't convince me. Aside from being hungry for pizza, I was also hungry for proof that pizza slices that truly cost $1 were as real as the heat was that day.
Surprise, surprise: It was as easy as asking for one plain slice and handing over a $1 bill.
After I got over my initial shock, I did a *thorough* inspection of the crust and found that not only was it relatively thin, it was also really soft. This is perfect if you're like me and you don't enjoy thick-crusted pizzas, but you also don't prefer extremely thin crust.
And if you aren't a fan of heavy tomato sauce...
You're in luck! 2 Bros goes easy on the sauce so as not to completely overtake the cheese (which I would've loved to bite into more of). In fact, my one disappointment is that the slice wasn't as cheesy as I had hoped it'd be. #cheeseloverstruggles.
There were also some *mouthwatering* slices with toppings, like this one with a forest of tiny, green trees covering it.
Unfortunately, a slice with toppings, like broccoli, are not included in this dreamy $1 food find. Toppings cost an extra $0.50 each.
My next pizza prey inhabited the ovens in 99 Cent Fresh Pizza.
This pizzeria is located on 360 West 42nd Street.
It was here that I experienced something truly beautiful...
CHEESE. COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF GORGEOUS CHEESE!!!!
You have a cheese lover's word that this pizza slice was full of cheesy goodness! To top off this wonderful news, 99 Cent Fresh also takes it easy with the tomato sauce (bless!) and the crust is thin and has just the right amount of crunch, aka, not the one-minute-too-long-in-the-oven type of crunch. This pizza is chewy, but you won't find your mouth working overtime on the dough. YAS.
But in case you still don't understand how God-sent cheese really is, here's a closeup for you.
Ugh, so melty and perfectly dusted with some red pepper flakes and oregano.
But since three is such a magical number, my hunt wouldn't be complete if I didn't try just one more pizzeria.
So I headed to NY Fresh Pizza on 787 9th Avenue. The 11-block trek from 99 Cent Fresh Pizza was a great way to help me make room for more triangular, cheesy goodness.
The pizza was literally golden and GLOWING with cheese! *Cries*.
Super cheesy? Check. Digestible amount of tomato sauce? Check. Soft-but-not-overly-chewy dough? Perf.
BUT there was ONE THING about this slice that made this joint a deal-breaker for me...
Enter the thick crust.
If you love thick-crusted pizza, congratulations; I have sniffed out the ultimate $1 pizza slice for you. Granted, the crust isn't exactly puffy enough to remind me of a Victorian Era dress sleeve, but I think the thickness will still satisfy any crust lover's taste.
Now, the important thing to remember is that every pizza — no matter how un-cheesy — is a winner. But if I had to award a crown, it'd go to...
99 Cent Fresh Pizza!!!! I still have beautiful dreams about that cheese.
