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While it’s not even close to the best pizza in New York, Famous Ben’s still makes a mean slice and has the lines to prove it. Thankfully the wait is never long, and the demand guarantees pie so fresh that slices go from oven to plate with the cheese still bubbling hot. Thickish "thin-crust" slices are sturdy and foldable—a boon for topping fanatics. Some custom-load their slices with eggplant and anchovy; others favor house combos, like square-cut Sicilian or the Palermo pizza, a square-cut with tomato and sweet-onion sauce. Topped with toasted bread crumbs instead of cheese, it’s a winning alternative to Ben’s subpar sandwiches and calzones. Stay to eat if you must, but the pizzeria is unapologetically basic, with a mirrored wall and grimy tables that function more as obstacles than eating surfaces. — Benjamin Kneen

Palermo slice, $2.50; zucchini, broccoli-and-mushroom slice, $3.25