This Is The One Pizza Place I Bring Every Out-Of-Towner To As A Lifelong Italian-American Brooklynite

Having grown up in Brooklyn, New York, I admit I've been rather spoiled when it comes to pizza. Even as a discerning Italian-American who takes her pizza very seriously, I often tell folks that you can walk into just about any neighborhood joint and it'll be the best slice you've ever had (at least compared to pies from outside of New York City). But if there's one special spot I always make it a point to visit with friends visiting from out of town, it's local favorite L&B Spumoni Gardens — and it's not for its regular slice.

While its round pie is certainly as good as any other, the real reason to hit L&B is for its Sicilian pie. It's square, it's thick, and it's famously constructed "upside down" — that is, with the cheese on the bottom and the tomato sauce on top. The unique order of ingredients leads to a moist, fluffy crust that's still perfectly crispy on the bottom and corners (my personal favorite pieces), with just the right amount of gooey pull from the (sliced, not shredded) mozzarella base.

L&B's Sicilian slices also stand out for their sauce. The rich topping is the first thing to hit your taste buds, delivering a concentrated, tomato-y taste with a distinct sweetness to it. The subtle infusion of garlic, meanwhile, supplies a dash of tang. Together, the flavors temper any lingering acid, creating a sauce you can (and will) go back for again and again.

L&B Spumoni Gardens has been an institution in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn since 1939. That year, after serving his Spumoni ice out of a horse-drawn carriage, founder Ludovico Barbati first purchased the property that would expand to become the pizza joint, Italian ice stand, and sit-down red sauce restaurant we know and love today. With an expansive outdoor seating area (not to mention wide selection of frozen desserts), the spot is especially popular in the summertime — though, as any Brooklynite can attest, is worth a visit year-round. 

Run by the fourth generation of Barbatis, the family-owned eatery is upholding the legacy of its founder and of its special, inverted Sicilian square more than 80 years later. Not only has it appeared on countless "Best New York Pizza" lists (and topping many of them), but it has also been featured in plenty of movies and television segments, including "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern," (during which it was praised by the chef for its crackling, focaccia-like crust). Back in 2023, late night host Jimmy Fallon tried his first slice from L&B and all he could say on Instagram was "Wow."

As for the friends and family I've taken for a taste of O.G. Brooklyn pizza? They now demand to return every time they're back in town. And if you're wondering what an actual Sicilian thinks about this unusual Sicilian pie, I can confirm that it got two thumbs up from a friend of mine who had just landed in Brooklyn from Palermo, so that's really saying something.