4. Totonno’s
Totonno’s Pizzeria Napolitana was founded by Italian immigrant Anthony (Totonno) Pero. Pero came to New York from Naples in 1903 and found a job making pizza at Lombardi’s grocery on Spring Street in Little Italy. Lombardi’s is largely credited as being the first pizzeria in America, and Pero’s descendants say it was their grandfather who introduced pizza to the business. In 1924, Pero left Lombardi’s to start his own venture out in Brooklyn. Today, after surviving two fires, Hurrican Sandy, and a long pandemic shutdown, Totonno’s is open and still run by Pero’s family. The menu has just two items on it, traditional pizza and white pizza, both thin-crusted and cooked in coal-fired ovens. The restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday noon to 8 p.m. with the last seating at 7:30 p.m.
