If you're looking for elite pizza in Brooklyn and don't want to wait in line at Lucali, Giuseppina's is an absolute home run. Without a doubt, this is some of the best pizza I've ever had. Cracker thin crust meets great sauce and cheese. The fresh basil is a must add. Cash only. read more

Giuseppina's - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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My friends and I each got the 12" calzones here not realizing how large they were. To be fair, the menu warned us. Add-ins were very pricey at about $4 each. If you're sharing the calzone, it would be a much better deal. Otherwise, the menu is pretty straight forward. They only have pizza and calzones. The calzone had the perfect crispy exterior and the cheese inside was rich and abundant. You must order the tomato sauce that comes on the side. I would absolutely come here again. They have a brick oven in the back of the restaurant, and I think it elevates the meal to have that perfect charred flavor. Service was fast and the waiters were attentive. The ambiance felt moody with all the candles around the entire place. read more

Giuseppina's - 12" Calzone - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Walked in on a beautiful Saturday night and there was no wait. But why?! This place has amazing atmosphere and great pizza and calzone. Low lighting, antique vibes, friendly staff, wine, beer, and simple, fresh pizza and calzone. Really cute date spot, and well, here's a fun fact...if you can't get into Lucali, this is Mark Iacono's brother's spot! So while there are similarities, I prefer Lucali's pizza and the pasta there is fiiiiiiire. But if you're after the calzone, you'd never know the difference! To me, the calzone here is amazing, and just as good as the calzone at Lucali. Great neighborhood spot, and a great alternative if you don't want to deal with the Lucali wait times. read more

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I'm a Brooklyn native that refuses to wait in the Lucali line (maybe one day though... before I die) so I still haven't been there but if Giuseppina's pizza really is a good dupe then I'm probably fine never going to Lucali and just returning here instead. We walked in on a Sun evening and were the only ones there for almost half of our meal until a couple other parties arrived. It was so nice, quiet and romantic and the everything pie came out steaming hot. Flavors were perfect and I had pretty sturdy slices for such thin crusted pizza. My husband's however were much more floppy and messy so there may be a bit of inconsistency. $42 for a pie is also steep but still well worth the try. read more

Giuseppina's - Everything Pie - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Solid pizza in a charming restaurant-- great for a chill catch up or date night where you can actually hear each other talk. Came here on a Sunday night a little before 6 pm. There were a couple of other tables, but throughout the evening it never got too busy. The menu is short and concise-- pizzas and calzones. My friend and I decided to do the everything pizza and the food was quickly out. I love a good everything pizza, but I do think the toppings made the middle a little too floppy for me. However, the crust was nice and crunchy, which made for a good contrast if you went back and forth between middle and edge. The service was friendly and didn't rush. We had pizza leftover, which they put on a paper plate and in a bag. Remember-- cash only! read more

I think my husband and I might've fallen into a tourist trap by ordering the Giuseppina's Special. We debated going simpler with the pie or going with the Special, and because we don't know if we'll ever be back, we decided to go with the Special. The pie and its ingredients were fine, but the middle of the pizza was incredibly soggy. I would say like the bottom half of the slice was soggy. How could it not be with all the weight from all the stuff on it?! I wished for an alternate universe where we went with a simple margherita pizza. I definitely think I would have enjoyed that much more. So if you are considering the Everything Pie, take this into consideration. The dessert calzone did not suffer from the soggy problem, but we thought the salt on top was a bit heavy handed. And my husband loves his salt! This was ok for me. I am glad to have tried it but I would not order again. Overall, it was a pretty disappointing experience for me, especially with the $50 price tag. If I ever came back, which I am not sure I would, I would try a simpler pizza. The main thing I am taking away is how I wish they would have given a warning about the soggy bottom for the Everything Pie. read more

Giuseppina's - Dessert calzone - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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The food service and ambience were out of this world the freshest ingredients on the Pizza very helpful staff and what felt like a real authentic Italian pizza experience. I can't wait to go back. read more

Giuseppina's - The brick pizza oven - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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First of all the pizza is great. No complaints there, it tastes wonderful. And the place is really nice as well. Where I take issue is the service. We ordered and received our pizza after waiting and eventually having to call over the waitress ourselves. After we get the pizza we realize there is no cheese on the table so we very quickly ask for some cheese. We're brought a plate of cheese which we thought was a bit weird, but whatever. After asking to box up our leftovers the waitress takes the remaining cheese away. We get our bill and we're charged $4 for the cheese. We call over the waitress, who then explained the cheese costs extra, despite never being mentioned. (We didn't have any menus when we asked for the cheese.) I explained I had no idea as the cheese is usually right there on the table at your regular pizzeria, and that I don't understand why she just took our leftover cheese without saying anything if we paid for it. She didn't offer to remove the charge. read more

The vegetable pizza here is quite good - a nice chewy crust, robust sauce, good balance of cheese, and a ton of veggies (bell peppers, spicy peppers, olives, mushrooms, and onions). They only sell whole 18" pies for $40 each, though the ones with no toppings are cheaper. Come with a group of friends! read more

Cute, intimate pizza place that's suitable for a date night. They're cash only and only serve pizza and calzones. They're similar to Lucali, but much easier to get into. The pizza is enough for two people, maybe even three people. It's light with a delicious sauce. We ordered half regular, half mushroom. I'm not a fan of mushroom pizza but this one was great, they used thinly sliced portabello mushrooms which elevated it. This pizza place has entered the conversation as one of the better pizza places. read more

Giuseppina's - Restaurant - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Great alternative if you don't want to wait for Lucalis. While it's still not Lucali, I do think it's great in its own way. My partner and I came on a Wednesday 7pm and it was quite empty. We were seated promptly and food came quick. Calzone was great and came with the side sauce. The sauce is delicious but the under side of the calzone was a bit soggy unfortunately. Pizza came out hot, crispy crust and delectable sauce. Service was also great. Place is dim and a great spot for a date or for something casual. I would be back. read more

Giuseppina's - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Fast service, thin crunchy pizza with fresh ingredients, and finally a nice selection of booze read more

Giuseppina's - Half Everything Half Cheese - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Delicious pizza in a beautiful neighborhood sit outside and enjoy your life, I wish I could eat this thin crust savory pizza every day unfortunately I live too far away. I highly recommend this. Everyone says this is an alternative Lucali even though I haven't had Lucali yet, I give this five stars read more

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Found this charming hole in the wall pizza place that I see shining as a secret gem of Brooklyn. Ended up here for a late dinner around 10 PM, because several places were already closed, and I'm sure glad the evening shook out that way otherwise we would've never happened upon this place. Fairly small restaurant, maybe 10 to 15 tables. Their menu is strictly pizzas and calzones... We went with the pizza, but I think the calzones are where it's at according to the menu and others ordering around us. The brick oven they cook everything in is out in the open so you get to see you them cooking your food. Since it is brick oven style, your order is done fairly quickly. They seem to have a lot of to go orders at the end of the night, as we were probably one of the last tables to be seated, and only a few other people were at the restaurant when we arrived. There was a limited beer and wine selection, but not surprised as it is a small place. The Brooklyn logger was just OK and my Pinot noir seemed very sweet... Not the vibe I was looking for wine-wise, but it did the trick For food we went with the white pizza. Seems like the pizzas were fairly pricey, but they were much larger than your regular brick oven type pizza... I would say it was at least a 14 or 16 inch. No complaints here as now we have leftovers for tomorrow evening when we get home from our event! Everyone loves some leftover pizza for a late night snack, am I right?! The pizza was great, and all the cheese was thoroughly baked, so no sliding off the crust. The crust was just crispy enough, there was no need to fold the pizza. We still wanted to try out the pizza sauce so we ask for a side of it to dip the white pizza in. Definitely a must! The sauce was excellent... Not too sweet, not to tangy... it was just right! So you better believe we got a side of that to take home with us for the leftovers! The wait staff was very prompt and attentive. Not necessarily the friendliest, but not rude by any means. I'm sure in the night you were just looking to get the job done so you can focus on closing up, and I'm sure with the amount of takeout orders they were fairly occupied. All in all, it was a very good experience, and would recommend to others. Great vibe for a girls dinner, to catch up with an old friend or even date night like we did... The ambience was low lit with lovely music that was just the right level so you weren't talking too loud or couldn't hear someone. read more

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Food: 4/5 Ambience: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Cost: 4/5 Will return: Definitely, especially for the times when I don't want to brave the line at Lucali read more

Giuseppina's - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Best pizza in NYC - so good! Highly recommend a visit. Great service and delicious pizza.

I've eaten at Giuseppina's several times, with wife, kids and grandkids. I love both the pizza (half with Pepperoni, half plain) and the calzone (with sausage). The ambiance is family friendly, and very much nicer than the typical pizza joint. It is expensive, and the cash-only policy is inconvenient, but the food and the atmosphere are worth it. read more

Excellent NY pizza!! Great ambiance and service. If you want an amazing pie cooked in a wood burning oven in a cozy Brooklyn neighborhood, this is it!! read more

Good pizza and calzone here! We tried to go to Lucali but it was closed, so we found this spot as a backup. There was no line, and the restaurant itself had a really nice brick vibe. The calzone was exceptional, and the pizza was quite good, but definitely not on par with Lucali. One thing I was surprised by is that we showed up at open, and they seemed to be out of many ingredients at the start of service. Overall definitely good spot though! read more

Along with Lucali, the best pizza in NYC. Perfect dough texture, extra stretchy cheese, super fresh toppings, legendary. Taste pretty much exactly like Lucali minus the wait. Will definitely be coming he more often. read more

I enjoyed the pizza from here. Let's be honest, you went here because you heard the owner is related to the owner of Lucali. The service was on point - lightning fast, cash only, 10-15 minutes wait for a pie. The pizza was delicious - good dough and good sauce, you can't go wrong there. I'd love to go back. read more

Its 1/1/2022 ... I wanted pizza bad ... Yelp is my advisor and saw this wasn't too far for pick up. When I pulled up the reviews for a quick recap. This one 3 star review picked up but i disregarded it . Maybe im being too much but i expected more. I arrived and said was doing pick up. I waved to the nice man standing in the back. Another younger male arrives, he either asks for my name or what i ordered. I give him both. He opens a box. The pizza looked bare. Lmao i knew that couldn't be my pizza because i ordered half pepperoni half basil. I pay 31 in cash. He hands me the box that in my head i just questioned was it mine? I said is this mine he goes yes. I open it up outside. I wanted to slam it on the ground ... I feel disrespected.. i honestly want to cry ... I hope this is not an indication to what my food year ... 3 stars cause i'm only one side of the story. I hate when my food experience is interrupted like this especially when i could have gone anywhere ... Im still going to eat my 31 dollar pizza with a tear and heartbreak. read more

Giuseppina's - Ordered half basil ... half pepperoni - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

A solid 4.0 in my book, and as you know, I have tried a lot of pizza since returning to the northeast 18 months ago. Before I came here, I did my research and found the owner here is the brother of the owner who owns Lucali. While I have never been to Lucali (impossible to get into unless you can get through the phones or you live nearby), I have done my research on the pie and found similarities between the two. Some even call this a "poor man's Lucali", which is not saying much since Lucali charges $28 for a pie; Giuseppina's charges $24. When it comes to atmosphere, this restaurant looks the romantic type. The low lighting, candle lit tables, the singers of the 1940's and 1950's serenading you as you eat. There is no dress code here, but this restaurant screams date night. When it comes to taste, I liked this pie, but did not love it. The crust is light and chewy, comprable to pita bread, the sauce is a bit light, but it works well, albeit it takes a back seat to the cheese here; I find the Parmesan cheese here packs a bit of a bite, which is why I went through 5 glasses of water with this pie. It also comes with Buffala mozzarella, the king of all cheeses, which really made it stand out and taste great. I was able to finish the whole pie easily, because the crust is so light, and because I kept drinking water to help move things along. It is roughly a 10 minute walk from the R train on Prospect Ave, so you have some time to walk this pie off so your gut will not be as bad when you finish. Cash only. Now I have to try Lucali - if I can ever get in there... read more

Giuseppina's - the front of a restaurant - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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came in for dinner with a party of 11, which includes 2 babies and they were able to make it work! definitely come early if you're a big party as it's a bit tight in there. classic brick oven pizza so it gets a bit toasty in there, perfect place to dine in the winter. now for the food - the ricotta calzone is to die for. soooo good. our favorite is also the mushroom basil pie. read more

I hear it's great -- and I live nearby -- but the "CASH ONLY" policy has kept me from dining there for the 15 years I've been in the neighborhood. I don't walk around with more than $20 cash in my wallet and I'm not making a special trip to the bank , so as a great as I hear Giuseppina's is, I continue to live without it. read more

The pizza is very good and the pies are huge. We got the everything with the sausage and artichoke. It's $50 and comes with a dessert calzone which we loved. They have a very basic beer and wine selection, and a tv if you must watch a game. It's good service and it's walk in. I would definitely go back. read more

Another stop on my first trip to NYC & it didn't disappoint! I personally love a thin crust & more bare pizza & Giuseppina's nailed it. I ended up eating a whole pizza in terms of slices if that says anything. We went in for dinner during a weekday. It wasn't very busy so we were served fairly quickly & the quality matched the service. The server was super nice & the service was good. The ambiance was also pretty cool, it was very dim lighting so the main focus was on the oven in the back which I appreciated. It's a decent size dining room so I imagine even if it were busy it would still be enjoyable. They only serve pizza so keep that in mind if you go! We ordered a garlic & basil pizza & a spicy sausage one. I typically prefer something lighter like a margherita but the sausage pie took the cake. It was insanely good. The other pizza was great too but the flavor of the spicy sausage pizza was so unique & satisfying. Our total was $87 for the 2 pizzas & 3 soft drinks. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience & the pizza. Honestly some of the best pizza I've ever had & the thin crust was delicious. I've heard it's because of the water in Brooklyn but the crust is worth the trip alone. As far as the quality of the pizza it was great, I'm not sure how it would hold up in a to go box because it is so delicate, but we had a great experience & I will definitely be going back! read more

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I love pizza and this is a place for REAL pizza lovers. This isn't a she she place it's a place for real pizza lovers, it's a Must visit if you Love pizza.. read more

Some people say that the owner is the same as Lucali. The pizza and menu is very similar. Not byob since they serve alcohol. Isolated in a residential area that's extremely difficult to find parking. The pizza dough is thin and light but the flavor of the pizza was your typical pizza. The dessert calzone was my favorite. read more

Giuseppina's - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Love this place. Just fantastic pizza, reasonably priced wine and a great vibe in the restaurant. One of the best pizzas in New York for sure. read more

Giuseppina's - Inside - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Tried going to Lucali but they were too busy so we found out the brother runs this spot and went here on a whim with no expectations. Litterally hit 15 pizza spots over the weekend for my first time in NY and I truly loved this spot. Such a hidden gem in Brooklyn I'm not sure how it hasn't had higher exposure. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by a super old school and welcoming Italian gentleman that sat us down. The waitress was just as friendly and super sweet. Coming from LA I had never heard of a Manhattan Special but it was such a treat - a bottled espresso cola. The lambrusco chilled sparkling wine is also a must. We got a cheese pizza with fresh basil and garlic. Everything was perfect, from the light soft crust, to the perfectly spiced tomato pizza sauce, the mozzarella cheese, and the basil leaves on top. This joint made my Top 3 from everything I had in NY. Can't recommend enough. read more

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Wow! Blew me away~ I didn't think anything could beat John's on Bleecker or Grimaldi's but recently I've had Lucali and a few others. This place Giuseppina's kicked all their asses! I mean royally. Brooklyn makes the best pizza around period. Hands down Giuseppina's is my current #1 pizzeria in New York. My friend lives in Park Slope so we walked here. Saturday night, few seats left. The place is so cool; romantic, chill vibe, great date spot, and or catch up with some friends. Started off with the wine, nice Italian options. Enjoyment. The pizza came... insane! Definitely get a pizza pie there, great service, old school, open kitchen, watch the pizza creations and eat the best ever. I can't describe how happy I was. Half pepperoni, and half mushroom & olive. Beautiful. Seriously, sometimes you never know. Walking into an unassuming place and getting your tastebuds exploded with flavor is the best!! No need to go anywhere else. I promise you! The people of Park Slope are so lucky to have this local gem in their neighborhood. Thanks for the amazing pizza and hospitality Grazie Mille~ read more

Giuseppina's - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

A cash only restaurant with a simple menu. As a big fan of lucali, we naturally had to try giuseppinas! We got the small sized calzone (it's actually not small at all) and regular pizza and everything pizza without the olives. Big fan of the calzone and the toppings on the everything pizza really lifted the flavors of the pizza. The hot peppers especially gave each slice a kick of heat. The pizza was thin crust, wood fired, and tasted fresh. It was surprisingly not busy for a Friday night. We sat down right away and our food came pretty quickly. Solid and good pizza. Definitely worth trying. read more

Giuseppina's - Everything Pie - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I ordered a calzone for delivery (a small, for 28 dollars) and it was awful. It arrived in a paper bag, cold, sitting on a single paper plate, the sides flopping over. It was flat, soggy, and came without marinara. I quickly improvved a sauce on the stovetop, and that was the best thing about this calzone: a sluice of Polly-O ricotta and nothing else (that I could taste). What a disappointment. read more

I'm so glad to have this spot in my neighborhood. Great pizza in a casual atmosphere where you can always get a table. The menu is straightforward - pizza and calzones. Just pick your topping and it's cooked to perfection in the brick oven. My faves are pepperoni, white with shallots, and basil. Nutella calzones for dessert are a solid choice as well. It's cash only. And while it's a comfortable neighborhood spot, it's not cheap. read more

Giuseppina's - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

3.5 stars. This place is owned by Chris Iacono, Mark's brother, and it has a limited menu that focuses on pizza and calzones. Both are what I imagine Lucali's versions would taste like, but cheaper and with much less hype and waiting. We got the pizza with fresh basil and fresh garlic (these toppings are no longer free, by the way), and it was decent. They piled on the basil leaves, and although I didn't mind, my friend didn't like that at all. The fresh garlic seemed nonexistent because I certainly didn't taste it. I did really like the thin crust and how fresh and slightly chewy it was without being firm and scraping the roof of my mouth. I'm not really a crust person, but they nailed the dough here. The pizza was less saucy than I was hoping for, and some slices were very inconsistent, with the crust area starting halfway through the pizza slice. Historically I haven't cared much about calzones, but theirs was phenomenal. We split a large one, which came with a dish of marinara sauce. It was a bit watery, but it still added a more refreshing tomato-y flavor without drawing focus from the deliciousness of the calzone. The dough had that same good flavor as the pizza crust, and the filling was perfectly cheesy with a creaminess that wasn't overwhelmingly rich. The ricotta really added an extra pop. Luigi's, one of my favorite pizzerias, is just a block away, so I can't justify spending my pizza calories here. But I will most definitely return for calzones. read more

Giuseppina's - Menu. - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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As soon as I walked in, Chris the owner greeted me with a warm welcome in his Brooklyn accent. I saw the wood fire oven at the back of the restaurant and knew I was in for a treat. I came to Brooklyn to have the best pizza and Indeed it was ah-mazing! The crust was thin and cooked perfectly. The sauce had a delicious tomato and herb flavor and the portobello mushroom was aromatic and juicy. His son Chris was great! I highly recommend this place! read more

Giuseppina's - Portobello mushroom Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Two things I make sure I get while in NY are hot dogs and pizza. With both being prevalent in the city, we try to venture out and try several of the "best pizza in NY" recommendations. And as you probably know, there are no shortage of "best pizza" recommendations in NY. Giuseppina's was very slow the day we went so service was definitely quick and attentive. We ordered one of the classic pie's, pepperoni, and it was really, really good. I wouldn't say it's the best but it would definitely be a contender. Giuseppina's is located in a neighborhood kind of off the main stream streets so it has that neighborly feel that I really likes too. read more

Giuseppina's - Wine and beer list - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

We decided to try this local pizza place and definitely enjoyed the local neighborhood feel and ambiance. Service was very good as was the pizza, some of the best I've had. Ingredients tasted so fresh and the. Crust was ideal. The major drawback for me was the price for each pizza and the fact that they only accepted cash. Yes, there is an ATM tucked in the back by the restroom and of course charges you a $2.50 fee (likely that a percentage goes to the establishment). An 18" veggie pizza (8 slices) will se though back $36 which is extremely high. The "Everything" pizza will set you back even more - $50 for the same size. Beer and wine is limited. Beer is only offered in bottles and unfortunately no cold mugs are offered. Lastly, if you have to take anything home with you, ask them to carefully package it. Our leftover pizza was tossed in a ziploc and then in to a paper bag. Not ideal. Street parking available. Don't forget to bring at least $120 in cash for a group of four. read more

Giuseppina's - Pizza Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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The dough and lightness of the pizza reminded me of lucali but the cheese and sauce was different. It was definitely a nice experience and that calzone was definitely worth it. Though if you're not super hungry get their small calzone since their small is already huge. read more