1000 Tiny Birds

99 Cent Fresh Pizza

New York, 2023-04-11

Like I wasn’t going to end up getting a classic slice of New York pizza for lunch one day whilst I was here. And like I wasn’t going to meticulously research which one I should get. Various deep dives on Eater NY and cross-referencing with Google Maps to determine the viability of getting to and from places within my lunch break lead me to alight on 99 Cent Fresh Pizza - now a misnomer, by the by. For a dollar seventy-five (in cash, forcing me to use an ATM and have actual physical currency on me, at this point a genuine novelty on a holiday) I can get a slice with pepperoni. So I do. I load it up with parmesan and garlic and make my way. In the event, the dream of a New York slice is maybe preferable than the reality. The base is - I mean, it’s not cardboard, but it’s too stiff, too sturdy, there’s no give. The sauce and cheese is baking hot, which doesn’t really aid the on-the-move dining experience. It’s nice enough, sure. But like with so much of New York, I guess the hype just isn’t what it used to be.