Stephen Colbert Says This Is the Best Pizza in NYC

Four nights a week, before another episode of the late-night favorite The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the show’s eponymous host answers just a few audience questions. Why should that matter to you? Because Colbert is a man of taste, a comedic legend, and, most importantly, someone who is well-positioned to provide insight into New York City.

Having hosted a late-night show in NYC for ten years and having lived in the city even longer before moving to nearby New Jersey, Colbert is well-acquainted with the city’s food scene. And like most New Yorkers, he has strong opinions on pizza.

In a collection of his responses to audience questions, Colbert revealed the one place he believes has the best pizza in New York City, and it’s not the kind of slice you’d usually expect. But according to the comedian, this pizza is so good that he’ll eat an entire pie when he’s having a bad day, and he’s reluctant to share it with anyone else.

What is Stephen Colbert’s favorite pizza place in New York City?

When asked by an audience member about his favorite pizza in the City That Never Sleeps, Colbert had an immediate answer, saying, “My favorite pizza is not by the slice. You have to get a whole pie for my favorite pizza, and it’s called Lazzara’s. And Lazzara’s is done in a shallow pan. It’s not a deep-dish pizza. It’s a very thin pizza, actually, but it has no rolled crust, like no big thing on the edge around. It’s actually just a little kick up on the edge. It’s like cracker thin.

“The ingredients are amazing. I go with prosciutto and red onion. And if it’s been a rough day or a rough week, my assistant will order me one, and she knows to put it on my desk and not talk to me till I’ve eaten the entire thing. Because I don’t want to share because every slice is just, it is just tangy and sweet…”

Located in Midtown Manhattan, Lazzara’s bills itself as a Sicilian-style pizza shop. It’s not fancy — the restaurant’s full name is “Lazzara’s Pizza Cafe” — and it serves rectangular pizzas topped with thick slices of melted mozzarella.While Sicilian pizza is typically known for its thick, chewy, and airy crust (which is often compared to focaccia), Colbert notes that Lazzara’s pies feature a thin, crispy crust while still retaining the traditional rectangular shape you’d expect.

How is this different from New York-style pizza?

New York-style pizzas are round with a thin, chewy crust that usually has a touch of crispiness on the bottom. The slices should be fairly large and foldable, with a balanced ratio of sauce to cheese. Unlike a Neapolitan pizza, New York pies don’t have a large, bubbly crust — instead, they’re edged by a roughly half-inch-wide, chewy crust with a bit of height.

If you’re looking for a more traditional piece of New York pizza, Colbert still has a recommendation. The host mentions that “I actually think if you just want a slice… over on Ninth Avenue, I like Sacco on Ninth Avenue and Fifty-Third Street.” Although based on his glowing review of Lazzara’s, it’s worth making a pit stop for these rectangular, thin-crust pizzas too, even after you’ve grabbed a single slice.