You’re standing on Orchard Street. The air smells like exhaust, expensive perfume, and—if the wind hits just right—fermented yeast and toasted grain. There’s a line, obviously. In New York, a line is either a tourist trap or a religious experience. With Scarr’s Pizza New York City, it’s a bit of both, but mostly it’s just the price you pay for a slice that actually tastes like something.
Honestly, most people walk into Scarr’s thinking they’re just getting a "good" New York slice. They expect the grease, the fold, and the nostalgia. But they’re usually wrong about why it tastes the way it does. It isn't just the retro orange booths or the 1970s "pizzeria of your dreams" vibe. It’s the fact that Scarr Pimentel is essentially a mad scientist running a flour mill in the middle of the Lower East Side.
The Secret in the Basement
Most pizzerias buy their flour in giant white paper bags from a distributor. It’s bleached, it’s shelf-stable, and it’s basically dead. Scarr Pimentel, a guy who grew up in the city and worked at legends like Lombardi’s and Joe’s, decided that wasn't enough.
In the original tiny shop at 22 Orchard, and continuing into the massive new space at 35 Orchard St, the heart of the operation has always been the grain. Scarr mills a portion of his own flour in-house. Why? Because fresh-milled flour still has the germ and the oils. It’s alive. It’s why the crust at Scarr's has this weirdly complex, nutty flavor that makes other "classic" slices taste like cardboard.
It’s a massive pain in the neck. Stone-milling is slower. It’s temperamental. But when you bite into a regular slice, you notice the "pull." It’s light, almost airy, but with a crispy undercarriage that doesn't just shatter—it resists. That’s the 100% organic, non-GMO, freshly milled difference. It’s "health food" pizza that doesn't taste like a punishment.
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Why 35 Orchard Changed Everything
For years, Scarr’s was a literal hole in the wall. You’d squeeze past three people to grab a slice and then eat it on the sidewalk like a stray cat. In 2023, they moved across the street to 35 Orchard. The new spot is huge. We’re talking three times the size.
Some regulars panicked.
"The soul is gone," they said. "The quality will dip," they complained on Reddit.
But here's the thing: the move was about survival and scale. The new space allowed for more seating, a bigger bar, and—crucially—a way to handle the sheer volume of people who saw Scarr’s on every "Best Pizza in NYC" list for five years straight. You can actually sit down now. There are booths. There’s a back room that feels like a wood-paneled basement from 1982 where you’d play D&D and drink smuggled beers.
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What to Actually Order
Don't just get a plain slice. I mean, do, because the plain slice is the benchmark. It’s $3.75, which in 2026 NYC is practically a public service. But if you're standing in that line, you need to go deeper.
- The Hotboi: This is the one. Beef pepperoni, jalapeños, and a heavy drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey. The pepperoni curls up into little grease cups, and the honey cuts through the heat. It’s the quintessential modern NYC slice.
- The Vegan Caesar: I know. Ordering a salad at a pizza joint feels like a crime. But Scarr’s vegan Caesar is legendary. The dressing is creamy, the "parm" is salty, and it provides the necessary acidity to keep you from falling into a carb coma.
- The Sicilian Square: These are thick, but don't call them "heavy." They’re fermented long enough that the dough is full of bubbles. The bottom is nearly fried in olive oil.
The "Cool Factor" vs. The Reality
Scarr’s is undeniably "cool." It’s at the center of the Dimes Square universe. You’ll see skaters, fashion editors, and tourists who look very lost. It’s been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, and basically every food show on Netflix.
But the "cool" can be a distraction. People get so caught up in the vibe—the vintage signage, the wood-grain laminate, the organic wine list—that they forget this is a Black-owned business that revolutionized the slice game by focusing on agriculture. Scarr Pimentel isn't just a "pizza guy"; he’s a guy who forced New York to realize that even a $4 slice deserves high-quality ingredients.
Is it the best pizza in New York? That’s a dangerous question. In 2025, Time Out named it the #2 best pizza in the world. The Infatuation gives it an 86/100, which is high praise for a slice shop. But honestly, "best" is subjective. If you want a thin, coal-oven charred pie, you go to John’s of Bleecker. If you want a Neapolitan masterpiece, you go to Una Pizza Napoletana.
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But if you want a slice that feels like 1985 but tastes like the future of sustainable farming, you go to Scarr’s.
How to Do Scarr’s Like a Local
If you show up at 7:00 PM on a Friday, you're going to wait. Long. Instead, try these moves:
- Go for lunch. Tuesday at 2:00 PM is the sweet spot. You can usually walk right in.
- The "Bar" move. If the line for the counter is out the door, check if there’s a spot at the bar in the back. You can order full pies and drinks there, and the service is usually faster.
- Don't skip the "00" flour variations. While the house-milled flour is the star, they often blend it with Italian Caputo type ‘00’ for consistency. Ask what the specials are; sometimes they play with different hydration levels that change the texture of the crust entirely.
People love to hate on things that get too popular. Scarr’s is definitely popular. But the hype isn't built on marketing; it's built on a basement full of grain and a guy who refused to use cheap flour. That’s why it still matters.
Next Steps for Your Visit:
- Check the hours: They generally open around 12:00 PM, but they can run out of specific doughs (especially the squares) by late night.
- Plan your order before you hit the counter: The staff is fast and doesn't love it when people "um" and "ah" over the glass.
- Grab a bottle of their house-labeled wine: They specialize in natural wines that pair surprisingly well with the acidity of their organic tomato sauce.