The Insider’s Guide to NYC Pizza Culture with Scott’s Pizza Tours
For Scott Weiner, Pizza is Life — Plus You Can Win $4,000!
If you’ve ever found yourself wandering the streets of New York City, overwhelmed by the sheer number of pizzerias that dot every block, Scott Wiener is your guy. As the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours, he’s dedicated his life to understanding, appreciating, and celebrating one of the city’s most iconic foods: Pizza. But as Scott would tell you, it’s not just about finding the best slice.
Scott started Scott’s Pizza Tours back in 2008 after realizing that pizza wasn’t just a casual food preference for him — it was an obsession. What began as a simple pizza bus tour with friends quickly grew into a full-time business. “I started running tours of pizzerias April 27th, 2008,” he says, recalling the exact date. His tours have since become the definitive experience for locals and tourists alike to delve deep into New York’s diverse pizza scene.
*** 🏆 Win $4,000 Just for Eating This October 🏆 ***
Best Dish Ever is teaming up with Social Change again to give our readers up to $4,000 in rewards just for eating at our partner restaurants this month. Congrats to our September winners who took home $2,000!
For Scott, pizza is more than just food — as he says he didn’t fall in love with pizza, but with the reflection of the communities that make it. “I fell in love with the idea of pizza as a global food.”
His passion stems from exploring how different neighborhoods create their own unique takes on the same dish, with each one telling its own story. He explains, “New York City is the perfect place for diversity of food and honesty of food, where you’ll have somebody making their thing for their community, and they don’t really care if you think that the one where you live in Queens is better.”
Scott’s tours aren’t about crowning one pizza place as the best in the city. “Food is subjective and calling anything ‘the best’ already kind of takes me out of it,” he says. Instead, he prefers to focus on what makes each pizzeria unique. It’s about understanding the “attributes of this one [pizza] that are different than that one,” without trying to decide which is definitively better. This approach has allowed Scott to create a more nuanced appreciation of pizza, guiding guests through its varied styles and traditions.
When it comes to choosing which pizzerias to include on his tours, Scott looks beyond just taste. “It’s got to be good food, there has to be some cultural element to the place beyond the food… and there has to be some kind of a personal story in the place.” He emphasizes that a great slice isn’t enough if it doesn’t have the narrative or history to back it up. Scott seeks out places that capture the spirit of New York’s pizza heritage, creating an experience that combines flavor, history, and culture.
And how much pizza does he eat in a year? “I try to give myself a limit of 15 slices per week,” he admits. But, unsurprisingly, he often exceeds that. With his expertise and endless appetite for exploring New York’s pizza scene, Scott’s perspective is not just rooted in passion but also in years of experience and dedication.
Despite his extensive knowledge and reputation as the city’s go-to pizza guide, Scott is cautious not to let his tours become about his personal tastes. He remains humble and focused on education. “I think it’s dangerous to reduce the value of a restaurant to a number,” he says, pushing back against the idea of simple ratings. “It’s one person’s judgment… The problem is when people use that as evidence.”
Scott also stresses the importance of respecting each pizzeria’s story and approach, even if it doesn’t align with one’s personal preferences. He understands the pressures pizzeria owners face and urges them to focus on what makes their product special, rather than trying to please everyone. “You’re here to run a profitable business… Are you here to prove a point, or are you here to serve your community?”
Scott’s genuine love for pizza and the culture surrounding it shines through every tour he gives and every slice he shares. He’s more than just a guide — he’s a storyteller, connecting people to the rich tapestry of flavors, traditions, and communities that make New York’s pizza scene one of the most vibrant in the world. “Every slice has a place somewhere in your life,” he says, “whether it’s the middle of the afternoon or 3 a.m.”
Have a suggestion for the best pizza in New York City? Let us know in the comments! And get ready to win $4,000 this October just for eating at the restaurants you’ve told us to cover around NYC! Congrats to our winners during the month of September!
