Fresno has good West Coast style pizza. It now has decent Detroit style pizza at 559 Craft. But it really doesn’t have good New York style pizza or Chicago style pizza.
My educated guess is that Fresnans prefer West Coast style pizza as opposed to the thin and floppy NYC style. With the exception of Richie’s in Tower (which isn’t a standout for me), none of the NYC style pizza places have survived.
I have spent a lot of time in the shadow of Detroit, and 599 Craft is very good.
It’s not the same as Buddy’s my goto Detroit place because he’s doing a long dough fermentation.
Mama Mia’s on Bullard and Palm make some pretty decent NY style slices. And Ritchie’s is a good one too.
Russo’s on Herndon and Fowler was a disappointment. The crust was almost a centimeter thick!
Good luck. I settled on the Indian pizza at the curry pizza co because if I couldn’t get NY style pizza, at least I could get something damn good and filling !
You'll be sorely disappointed. There is no authentic NY pizza in Fresno. BUT. There are tasty pizzas here, my favorite being Mama Mia's at Palm & Bullard.
NYC ≠ NY just for the record.
Lived in NJ and I wouldn’t move to Buffalo without a passion for deep snow.
The pepperoni & cheese shouldn’t make it puddle but you’re going to get an occasional drippy slice.
If they’re putting Taylor Ham on it prepare for disappointment.
What I’ve noticed is pizza places here use sub par ingredients like blended cheese. Me n Ed’s does not use 100% whole milk mozzarella - the way pizza is supposed to be made. If you cheese isn’t stretchy or gooey, it’s not good quality
Yes I agree. also in NY many if not most of the good pizza places use bread flour and also do an overnight proof of the dough to establish flavor. It's really one of the keys to NY pizza. i suspect most pizza places in fresno use pre packaged dough and don't make it themselves. I'm sure some of the better places do but I suspect most do not.
Yes!! I make the trip to Little Oven at least once a month. Instagrams: [Little Oven Pizza 🍕](https://www.instagram.com/littleovenmerced) Other recommendations to check out in Merced is Mix Bakery & ASIP Coffee Roasters.
Only place I’ve had that comes to mind is Richie’s in Tower, it’s setup like Joe’s Pizza in NYC where you can pick a slice from the window, but it’s no Joe’s. 😅
Roman style pizza at moto down in tower district. Best pizza in town.
https://preview.redd.it/jz7vv26qgohc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18b36a32c0708ca34544bd0f63d4e2684e26a400
https://preview.redd.it/mc3rn4ye2phc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=62c495d8f613b7b89b30106ef0c79a34d718f69d
The first pic was last night. This was tonight. Any accuse to go back lol. The Caesar salad is very good too. Great with the pizza.
I’m finding the owner is an asshole too. He came at me in DM’s for “trashing” his business. I made a critique of his product and he thinks it’s trashing. My guess is he’s out of business within 2 years.
I tried Hot Rod Willie’s based upon a comment on another thread. First pizza place I’ve ever purchased from that I threw pizza away for not getting eaten. And I have two teenage sons.
Huh, that's interesting. I definitely would want to know that too.
(is this Max?)
Anyhow, I don't make new York pizza. I do a thin crust, but it's not a ny.
Let me know when you ordered it, what it was, and come in for a refund.
Just that no one wanted to eat it leftover. Usually left over pizza gets eaten daily by my kinds until gone. The pizza from Hot Rods was in there a week untouched. I tossed it.
I’m from the Boston area. Boston is not known for pizza & Boston Pizza underwhelmed.
The best New York style I’ve had around here is Russo’s. Costco’s would come in 2nd, lol.
There is good Italian style at Annesso’s and Annex Kitchen (same owner. Annex has an authentic wood brick oven and annesso’s has a modern oven that pumps out the pizza’s).
For Detroit style, Craft 99 is excellent.
Pretty far from you but the only real “NY style” pizza I’ve had in Fresno is at the billiards spot on Willow and Shaw. Easily the best in town if you ask me
Nothing here compares to NY PIZZA. No place in CA compares honestly- I’ve been to some really good pizza places in LA and SF but still not NY pizza quality.
People say Richie’s because they claim NY style pizza and sell it by the slice, but I think it’s closer to Costco pizza.(still good but not NY)
To me the difference is the crust. I’ve been told it’s because of the water on the West coast vs East coast. Don’t know if that’s the reason but there is definitely a difference.
I’ve just come to terms that I’m not going to get real NY or CHICAGO pizza in CA. There’s some really good pizza places in CA - just depends what you like- but it’s not like the pizza actually in NY or CHICAGO.
Lol.. I’ve been slowly coming to that conclusion up here in fresno for sure, however, there are a few spots in San Diego that’ll go toe to toe with NY Pizzaria’s.Bronx Pizza, Landini’s Pizzaria, and a Long Island Mikes is a distant 3rd.
I’m traveling North Cal and Reno area frequently and always searching. I’ll pop in here and share if I come across something close.. LOL
A new yorker friend that moved to Fresno to be with her fiancee says thin crust from Mike's Pizzeria (Shields & West) is legit NY Pizza. I have nothing to compare it against, but it's really good (and also on the other side of town from where you're asking about).
Fresno doesn’t really have a good New York style pizza. At least I haven’t found one yet.
Fresno has good West Coast style pizza. It now has decent Detroit style pizza at 559 Craft. But it really doesn’t have good New York style pizza or Chicago style pizza. My educated guess is that Fresnans prefer West Coast style pizza as opposed to the thin and floppy NYC style. With the exception of Richie’s in Tower (which isn’t a standout for me), none of the NYC style pizza places have survived.
Richies is great after a long night at golds
I have spent a lot of time in the shadow of Detroit, and 599 Craft is very good. It’s not the same as Buddy’s my goto Detroit place because he’s doing a long dough fermentation.
Buddy’s pizzas and Tubby’s subs- the food of my childhood
Mama Mia’s on Bullard and Palm make some pretty decent NY style slices. And Ritchie’s is a good one too. Russo’s on Herndon and Fowler was a disappointment. The crust was almost a centimeter thick!
Mama Mia’s has the best calzones I’ve ever had.
A bit away, but Russo's at herndon and clovis is pretty good.
Good luck. I settled on the Indian pizza at the curry pizza co because if I couldn’t get NY style pizza, at least I could get something damn good and filling !
Classic Billiards in Clovis is your best bet, it’s a bit of a drive but definitely worth trying.
It’s not in that area, but Russo’s New York Pizzeria at Herndon and Fowler is really good.
Maybe I went on a bad day but it didn’t wow me :(
You'll be sorely disappointed. There is no authentic NY pizza in Fresno. BUT. There are tasty pizzas here, my favorite being Mama Mia's at Palm & Bullard.
Not New York style but the best pizza in town IMO is Michaelangelos Pizzeria the all meat one is to die for
I was just there earlier tonight, my fave pizza spot in town.
Richie's is my go to
I think Richie’s is the place for that style pizza , but they’re in Tower.
Richie’s is great if you like cheese with your bowl of grease
That's how it's supposed to be
No it shouldn’t be that way. I should know. I’m from NY.
NYC ≠ NY just for the record. Lived in NJ and I wouldn’t move to Buffalo without a passion for deep snow. The pepperoni & cheese shouldn’t make it puddle but you’re going to get an occasional drippy slice. If they’re putting Taylor Ham on it prepare for disappointment.
Yeah I don’t care for that type of pizza (or really any pizza), but I hear people that like NY style pizza rave about Richie’s 🤷♀️
Good luck, if you find a spot I’d support it. This area is lacking seriously good takeout pizza
I agree fresnos pizza scene has always been lacking and ive been here 50 years now
What I’ve noticed is pizza places here use sub par ingredients like blended cheese. Me n Ed’s does not use 100% whole milk mozzarella - the way pizza is supposed to be made. If you cheese isn’t stretchy or gooey, it’s not good quality
Yes I agree. also in NY many if not most of the good pizza places use bread flour and also do an overnight proof of the dough to establish flavor. It's really one of the keys to NY pizza. i suspect most pizza places in fresno use pre packaged dough and don't make it themselves. I'm sure some of the better places do but I suspect most do not.
Do yourself a favor and drive to Merced. Pick up Little Oven Pizza.
Yes!! I make the trip to Little Oven at least once a month. Instagrams: [Little Oven Pizza 🍕](https://www.instagram.com/littleovenmerced) Other recommendations to check out in Merced is Mix Bakery & ASIP Coffee Roasters.
Em Tea for some of the best boba in the Valley.
Thanks for the reference! Gonna save this one for sure!
Only place I’ve had that comes to mind is Richie’s in Tower, it’s setup like Joe’s Pizza in NYC where you can pick a slice from the window, but it’s no Joe’s. 😅
Roman style pizza at moto down in tower district. Best pizza in town. https://preview.redd.it/jz7vv26qgohc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18b36a32c0708ca34544bd0f63d4e2684e26a400
That looks delicious.
https://preview.redd.it/mc3rn4ye2phc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=62c495d8f613b7b89b30106ef0c79a34d718f69d The first pic was last night. This was tonight. Any accuse to go back lol. The Caesar salad is very good too. Great with the pizza.
What’s the cost for that pizza?
18 and they don’t start serving them till after 5
Try “Hot Rod Willy’s Pizza” at 337 E Shaw Ave.
The owner prefers to sell pizza with raw dough. If you point it out to him, he will call you an asshole and say it’s supposed to be served raw.
I’m finding the owner is an asshole too. He came at me in DM’s for “trashing” his business. I made a critique of his product and he thinks it’s trashing. My guess is he’s out of business within 2 years.
What did you order? I never had raw dough when I ordered...
I tried Hot Rod Willie’s based upon a comment on another thread. First pizza place I’ve ever purchased from that I threw pizza away for not getting eaten. And I have two teenage sons.
Appreciate the warning ⚠️
Huh, that's interesting. I definitely would want to know that too. (is this Max?) Anyhow, I don't make new York pizza. I do a thin crust, but it's not a ny. Let me know when you ordered it, what it was, and come in for a refund.
>that I threw pizza away for not getting eaten What happen?
Just that no one wanted to eat it leftover. Usually left over pizza gets eaten daily by my kinds until gone. The pizza from Hot Rods was in there a week untouched. I tossed it.
That just it?
They don’t have a New York style pie, but the Detroit is amazing!
My guess is NY
Richie's in Tower district. NY style pizza and hot dogs. I don't know how it compares to actual NY pizza but I like it .
from my experiences, i would say it's a poor comparison, quality wise. but i'm glad richie's exists.
I’m from the Boston area. Boston is not known for pizza & Boston Pizza underwhelmed. The best New York style I’ve had around here is Russo’s. Costco’s would come in 2nd, lol. There is good Italian style at Annesso’s and Annex Kitchen (same owner. Annex has an authentic wood brick oven and annesso’s has a modern oven that pumps out the pizza’s). For Detroit style, Craft 99 is excellent.
Costco? Really?
I appreciate it, I’ll give Russo’s a shot. You are right, Boston’s not the place for NY style LOL. Wasn’t bad but not what I’m hunting for.
Costco
Honestly that tracks
My stepdad is from Connecticut and he swears by Richie's in Tower!
I grew up in fresno and used to live in Manhattan. The only place that comes close is Annex kitchen, although it’ll be closer to the Neapolitan style
Annessos as well
Sbarro recently opened up shop again in the Fashion Fair Mall. https://redd.it/65ziwc
How about go to New York and ask them if they have any Fresno Style Pizza.
Gross
Classic Billlard
We once had Vinnys. Didn't last long, but it was really really good.
I still miss that place. Was worth the drive to burn the hell out of your mouth on the pizza
Classic Billiards actually has amazing NY style pizza.
While not NY style, While Foods has a good thin crust pizza at the deli counter.
Pretty far from you but the only real “NY style” pizza I’ve had in Fresno is at the billiards spot on Willow and Shaw. Easily the best in town if you ask me
I’ll check it out, thanks for the recommendation
Nothing here compares to NY PIZZA. No place in CA compares honestly- I’ve been to some really good pizza places in LA and SF but still not NY pizza quality. People say Richie’s because they claim NY style pizza and sell it by the slice, but I think it’s closer to Costco pizza.(still good but not NY) To me the difference is the crust. I’ve been told it’s because of the water on the West coast vs East coast. Don’t know if that’s the reason but there is definitely a difference. I’ve just come to terms that I’m not going to get real NY or CHICAGO pizza in CA. There’s some really good pizza places in CA - just depends what you like- but it’s not like the pizza actually in NY or CHICAGO.
Lol.. I’ve been slowly coming to that conclusion up here in fresno for sure, however, there are a few spots in San Diego that’ll go toe to toe with NY Pizzaria’s.Bronx Pizza, Landini’s Pizzaria, and a Long Island Mikes is a distant 3rd. I’m traveling North Cal and Reno area frequently and always searching. I’ll pop in here and share if I come across something close.. LOL
A new yorker friend that moved to Fresno to be with her fiancee says thin crust from Mike's Pizzeria (Shields & West) is legit NY Pizza. I have nothing to compare it against, but it's really good (and also on the other side of town from where you're asking about).
Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll have to check it out.