Why is New York pizza taste different?
Jessica Wood
Updated on January 04, 2026
New York pizza uses deck ovens that cook at extremely high temperatures and are often decades old. The idea is that like a good cast-iron skillet, the oven absorbs the decades' worth of cheese and sauce vapor into its walls and then imparts it onto new pizzas that are cooked.
Why does NY pizza taste different?
Food scientist Chris Loss explains in a Wired article that the minerals and chemicals within the water contribute to the New York City pizza dough's flavor by affecting the chemical reactions during the pizza-making process. So water from NYC can really create a different flavor than water from another area.Why is New York pizza so special?
New York–style pizza gets its distinguishing crust from the high-gluten bread flour with which it is made. Minerals present in New York City's tap water supply are also credited with giving the dough in metro area pies its characteristic texture and flavor.How is New York pizza different?
The DifferencesNew York style pizza is typically layered with simple toppings and ingredients like mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and a choice of a few select meats like pepperoni and/or sausages. The thin crust compliments this flavor by allowing the focus on the contrasting flavors of the sauce and its toppings.
Why is New York pizza so greasy?
Many New Yorkers claim that the unique taste of the crust is because of the minerals that can only be found in the city's water. And that melty greasy cheese comes from grated low-moisture mozzarella. The city is dotted with hundreds of little pizzerias, which in their truest form sell pizza, and only pizza.What makes New York pizza taste so good? The answer from one NJ pizza shop
Is New York or Chicago pizza better?
Which city has better pizza? Travelers have spoken and they say New York City bests Chicago when it comes to pizza.Why does pizza suck in California?
"Water is huge. It's probably one of California's biggest problems with pizza." Water binds the dough's few ingredients. Nearly every chemical reaction that produces flavor occurs in water, says Chris Loss, a food scientist with the Culinary Institute of America.Does the water make NY pizza better?
"Water is the one main ingredient that has a huge effect on the taste of the crust," said Paul Errigo, an entrepreneur from New Jersey. Errigo's company makes a device called the New York WaterMaker, which he says can make any tap water mimic New York City's by adding in the right minerals and tweaking the pH balance.What makes Chicago pizza different?
Unlike regular pizzas where the dough ends are rolled, the dough in a Chicago deep-dish pizza is pushed and pressed to the sides of the pan, creating a crispy crust afterward. Basically, bakers push the dough to the sides, similar to an apple pie crust, to create a thicker type of pizza.Why is NY pizza thin?
Finally, the crust of NY style pizza is very thin. It's also made from high-gluten bread flour. But most interestingly, many New Yorkers attributed the popularity of authentic NY style pizza to minerals present in New York City's tap water supply.Why is pizza better on the East Coast?
East Coast pizza tends to be more traditional, made with marinara sauce, mozzarella, and toppings such as meat and vegetables. It's a classic, and usually what comes to mind when one thinks of pizza.Why are NY bagels different?
Many people claim the main difference in taste and texture of a real New York bagel compared to other styles of bagels, is due to the use of New York City tap water, which contains certain minerals which they attribute to creating a better bagel, specifically the low concentrations of calcium and magnesium found in New ...Can you drink water after eating pizza?
There's A Lot Of Sodium In PizzaSodium is salt, and salt makes you thirsty. It dehydrates you, and so your body lets you know that you're thirsty so you will replenish your water levels. That's why after eating pizza, your mouth feels dry and all you can think about is a tall drink of water.