Pizza Wars

One day when my Australian friend Lauren and I were ascending the stairs from the D train I remarked on how delicious it smelled. Lauren, agreeing with me, asked “What is it?” I almost didn’t believe her. As someone who has grown up in the NYC area, I cannot imagine not recognizing the smell of freshly cooked pizza. (PS If anyone has ever had pizza from the place by the D on Fordham Rd., let me know! I’ve been wanting to check it out). Lauren, on the other hand, has not had the lifelong privilege of enjoying delicious, greasy NYC pizza her whole life. Luckily, she consumed plenty during her trip to New York.

It’s a given that New York has great pizza. Lucky for us Belmont-dwellers, Arthur Avenue has the best pizza, and plenty of it. Everyone has allegiances, but personally, I think it’s next to impossible to pick a favorite. Below I’ve reviewed the Belmont area’s best slices.

Pugsley’s

It’s a given that every Fordham student has visited Pugsley’s a million times. Whether it’s for Global Outreach sponsored Eat Ups (pay $10 and eat all the pizza, pasta and salad that you want? I’ll take it), late night snack or quick lunch break, Pugsley’s is pretty much always full of Fordham students. With an eclectic décor (moldy La-Z-Boys, dead plants, a huge gong and burnt bread), and even more eclectic staff (everyone has at least seen someone perform late night karaoke with the owner, Sal), Pugsley’s is a Fordham staple.

But onto the pizza. I have to be honest, I wasn’t always a huge Pugsley’s fan, preferring slices from other establishments in the area, but sometime in the past year I’ve become a convert. A Pugsley’s slice is extra greasy (in a good way), flavorful and always hits the spot. My favorite tip is ordering a side of ranch for dip. I know it sounds gross, but trust me, you’ll never look back.

590 E 191st St., Bronx, NY 10458

University Pizza

Unlike most people whose first experience with Bronx pizza was Pugsley’s, my first slice in the Bronx came from University. Maybe I’m a little biased, but in my opinion, University Pizza is totally underrated. The inside is pretty no nonsense but the pizza is out of this world. They offer plenty of specialty slices (most people swear by the buffalo chicken slice), but I believe the true test of a pizza joint is their ability to create a perfect plain slice and University does just that. Always hot and cheesy, I can never resist a slice from University Pizza.

574 E Fordham Rd., Bronx, NY

Tony and Tina’s

My friends and I went through a phase when we were obsessed with Tony and Tina’s. Maybe it had to do with its proximity to Fordham’s drinking establishments, but more so because the slices are huge, the service is fast, and the crust is delicious. I’m not one to focus on pizza crust alone, but the crust on Tony and Tina’s pizza is too good not to mention. Besides that, the staff takes the cake for best employees at a Fordham-area pizza place. Tony (not his real name) always says “hi” to my roommate and I on the street and calls us out for not coming in as often as we used to (which is impossible, because the late-night hours of Tony and Tinas are no longer). Regardless, I try to get a slice from Tony and Tina’s as often as I can because it brings back good memories and I always like visiting my friend “Tony.”

2483 Arthur Ave., Bronx, NY 10458

Bellini’s

I haven’t been to Bellini’s enough to truly judge their pizza, but what I can say is that the vegetable slice that I got a few weeks ago was out of this world. A newcomer to the Fordham pizza scene, Bellini’s is definitely already up there with the big-guys. They have tons of specialty slices (I hear the penne vodka slice is great) and a cute little atmosphere.

625 East 189^th St., Bronx, NY 10458

Full Moon Pizza

Full Moon has a solid fan base that claim their slices are the biggest and tastiest. Always packed with tourists and Fordham students alike, Full Moon is a pretty big deal on Arthur Avenue. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve only had Full Moon twice. Of course it was delicious, but what I remember most is that both times I was served one plain slice on two plates because the slice was so big. Very impressive, delicious and filling.

600 East 187th St., Bronx, NY 10458