LaVista Pizza (2nd Ave) — Restaurant in New York

We’ve eaten our way through dozens upon dozens of pizza spots across New York. Some are good, a few are great — but every now and then, one rises far above the rest. LaVista is that place.

What sets them apart? They use all-beef pepperoni — a rare find in NYC — and they do it flawlessly.

We don’t often declare a place ‘worthy of becoming a regular stop,’ but LaVista has officially earned that title.

From the moment we walked in, Essam’s warmth and generosity made us feel like old friends. His hospitality alone is a solid 5/5 — and that’s before we even talk about the pizza.

Now the pizza. Perfectly executed, with that unmistakable New York character: a crust that’s crisp with just the right char, toppings that are bold and balanced, and slices that demand your full attention.

We tried the Hot Honey Pepperoni Ricotta and the Pepperoni with Pineapple. Both were loaded with pepperoni, bursting with flavor, and beautifully balanced. The sweet heat of the hot honey, the creamy ricotta, the tangy pineapple — my wife did a little happy dance after every bite.

Next time, we’re coming back for the rainbow pizza (and probably everything else on the menu).

LaVista is the real deal — and the only spot we’ve found in NYC serving non-pork pepperoni this well. Our only regret is not discovering it sooner.

Thank you, Essam and team — you’ve got lifelong customers in us.

Tldr; All beef pepperoni done right in NYC - finally! This place is a game-changer. Essam's great. The pizza had perfectly charred crust, bold flavors and generous toppings. The Hot Honey Pepperoni Ricotta is fantastic. Our only regret is not finding it sooner....

Listen.

This pizzeria needs to be protected at all costs, do you understand me?

I ordered a chicken vodka pie for a ladies night powwow and upon first bite we all just stopped talking, our pupils dilated, and our vision blurred. We literally heard that little tiktok boom noise first bite.

I haven't had pizza this good since the 90s, when restaurants actually used real ingredients!

You ever eat pizza now and the cheese isn't preforming its civic gooey duty? Not LaVista's cheese. THIER CHEESE UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT. And the crust on that pizza!?! The AMPLE sauce stackatuity (HOW!?) And the crust STILL stayed crispy!?Man even the SMELL! It was disrespectfully good.

Its almost as if they got this recipe from an old Italian woman up Naples who would mercilessly beat them with a wooden spoon every time they didn't get the recipe drilled into their frontal lobes. Is it divine intervention???

I went to bed last night and woke up dreaming of that pizza. We all did. The pizza has changed my entire outlook on life. This is the type of meal I'd request if I was on death row and it was the final supper.

Like what are you putting in there?! And how did it stay hot even after 20 minutes!? How did you DO that!? Do you deliver to Ridgewood Queens? Can you make an exception for me if...

I decided to stop here on my way home. I always get a slice of plain and a slice of Sicilian at pizzerias I've never been to because they tell me everything I need to know about a place's pizza. First, the crust.

This is one of the best crusts I have had in manhattan. Not only is it crispy, but it is well seasoned, and that is rare. It has a crumbly texture on the dough, which is rare to find. It feels homemade. The thickness is slightly thicker than your average New York slice but still has the necessary thinness to cook through and crisp on the bottom.

Second, the cheese. Move over New York greasy pizza! Often, if a pizza is not greasy, it means it's cheap cheese. In this case, while the cheese is not gooey, it was still quite delicious and seasoned. Seasoned mozzarella is rare to find in New york. And I really appreciate that it wasn't dripping in grease.

Lastly, the sauce. The sauce is delicious - what there was of it. It is also clearly seasoned and of good quality. However, it was minimal on both slices. Particularly with the sicilian, it leaves the pizza quite dry. I think this would be easily rectified by doubling the amount of sauce. With this one correction, this pizza would rival some of the best pizza in...