Restaurant in New York City, United States
Historic pizza, no fuss, easy booking.
A Pearl Recommended pizzeria with back-to-back Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats recognition, Lombardi's on Spring Street delivers coal-fired pizza that outperforms its price tier. Easy to book, casual in format, and reliable across nearly 9,000 Google reviews. The right call for a low-key lunch or dinner in Nolita when quality matters more than ceremony.
If you want to eat coal-fired Neapolitan-style pizza in the neighbourhood where the form took root in the United States, Lombardi's at 32 Spring St is the right call. This is a casual, no-frills pizzeria that delivers a quality of product that comfortably outpaces its price tier — a Pearl Recommended restaurant in 2025 and ranked #141 on Opinionated About Dining's Cheap Eats in North America list in 2023 (rising to #255 in 2024, still a solid showing in an increasingly competitive field). Book it for a relaxed lunch with a friend, a low-key date, or any occasion where you want something genuinely good without the ceremony of a reservation-heavy dining room.
The case for Lombardi's is direct: you are getting a product with a documented national reputation at a price point that keeps it accessible. The Opinionated About Dining recognition — a guide that grades strictly on food quality, not atmosphere or service theatre , tells you the kitchen is doing something right. Coal-fired ovens run hotter than conventional deck ovens, producing a char and crust texture that gas-fired competitors rarely match. You are not here for tableside service or a curated wine list. You are here because the pizza is the point, and at this address, it holds up.
The setting is Little Italy/Nolita, one of the more walkable and food-dense corners of Lower Manhattan. If you are already planning a visit to the neighbourhood , whether for the market, a gallery, or a meal elsewhere , Lombardi's fits logically into the day. It opens at noon daily and runs until 10 pm Sunday through Thursday, with extended hours until 11:45 pm on Friday and Saturday, which makes it a realistic option after an evening elsewhere in the area. For other dining options across the city, see our full New York City restaurants guide.
This is the right venue for anyone who wants to eat well without spending big or managing a complicated reservation. Solo diners, pairs, and small groups all work here. It is less suited to celebrations that require a private room, a full cocktail program, or extensive menu variety beyond pizza. If the occasion calls for something more ambitious , a milestone birthday, a business dinner with a client who expects a multi-course format , look elsewhere. But for a genuine, no-pretension meal that punches above its weight, Lombardi's is a sensible choice.
It also works as a comparison anchor when you are planning a broader NYC pizza crawl. Angelo's Coal Oven Pizza and Don Antonio are both worth considering if you want to compare styles across the borough. For a different register entirely, Artichoke Basille's and Leading Pizza represent the thicker, slice-culture end of the New York spectrum. Denino's Pizzeria & Tavern in Staten Island is worth the trip if tavern-style is your format. For pizza outside New York, Ken's Artisan Pizza in Portland and 11th Street Pizza in Miami are both Pearl-tracked options.
Address: 32 Spring St, New York, NY 10012. Hours: Monday–Thursday and Sunday 12–10 pm; Friday–Saturday 12–11:45 pm. Reservations: Booking is easy , this is not a venue where you need to plan weeks ahead, though weekend evenings can fill up and an advance booking removes the risk. Dress: No dress code; come as you are. Budget: Price range data is not published, but Opinionated About Dining's Cheap Eats classification signals this is a sub-$30 per head venue for most visits. Google rating: 4.2 from 8,691 reviews, which at that volume is a reliable signal of consistency. Awards: Pearl Recommended (2025); Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats North America #141 (2023), #255 (2024).
If Lombardi's is your starting point for a New York visit, use our full city guides to build out the rest of the trip. Hotels in New York City, bars, wineries, and experiences are all tracked. If you are building a broader US dining itinerary, Pearl also covers Emeril's in New Orleans, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Alinea in Chicago, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg, The French Laundry in Napa, and Providence in Los Angeles.
It depends on the type of occasion. Lombardi's works well for a relaxed celebration , a birthday lunch, a casual anniversary dinner, or a low-key gathering , where great food matters more than formal service. The Pearl Recommended status and Opinionated About Dining recognition back up the food quality. It is not the right venue for a milestone dinner that requires a tasting menu format, private dining, or a full beverage program. For that, look at higher-end options in the city.
Lunch is generally the easier visit. The room is less crowded than Friday and Saturday evenings, the pace is more relaxed, and you avoid the peak-hour wait that builds on weekend nights. If your schedule allows a weekday lunch, that is the path of least resistance. If dinner is the plan, earlier in the week (Monday–Thursday) is more comfortable than the weekend rush. The kitchen operates the same hours across the week, so food quality does not vary by daypart.
Yes. A casual pizzeria format is one of the more solo-friendly dining categories , you are not occupying a large table, there is no social awkwardness around a tasting menu paced for groups, and the counter or bar seating (where available) works well for a single diner. The Google rating of 4.2 across nearly 9,000 reviews signals a reliable, repeatable experience regardless of party size.
Small to mid-size groups should be fine, though specific private dining or large group booking policies are not published in our data. If you are bringing six or more people, contact the venue directly to confirm table availability and any group booking requirements. Weekend evenings are the tightest for walk-in groups, so a reservation is the safer approach for anything larger than four.
For coal-fired pizza in a similar format, Angelo's Coal Oven Pizza and Don Antonio are the closest direct comparisons. For a different style, Artichoke Basille's skews heavier and richer, while Leading Pizza in Williamsburg represents the Brooklyn slice-culture end of the spectrum. Denino's in Staten Island is worth the trip if you want a tavern-style comparison. All are tracked in our New York City restaurant guide.
Dietary restriction details are not published in our data. Given the format , a traditional coal-fired pizzeria , the menu is likely limited in scope, and significant dietary customisation (gluten-free bases, vegan cheese) may not be available or may be limited. If dietary restrictions are a firm requirement for your group, contact the venue directly before booking to confirm options. A pizzeria format is generally not the most flexible category for complex dietary needs.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lombardi’s | Pizzeria | Pearl Recommended Restaurant (2025); Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats in North America Ranked #255 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats in North America in Ranked #141 (2023) | Easy | — | |
| Le Bernardin | French, Seafood | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Atomix | Modern Korean, Korean | $$$$ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Eleven Madison Park | French, Vegan | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Masa | Sushi, Japanese | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Per Se | French, Contemporary | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Lombardi’s and alternatives.
Dietary accommodations can vary. Flag restrictions in advance via the venue's official channels.
Lombardi's is a traditional coal-fired pizzeria, so the menu is pizza-focused with limited flexibility for complex dietary needs. Vegetarian options are available through topping choices, but if gluten-free crust or vegan cheese is a firm requirement, the format here is not designed for it. Call ahead or check at the door before committing a group with strict dietary needs.
For coal-fired or wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza, Una Pizza Napoletana and Roberta's in Brooklyn are the main comparisons worth making. If you want a sit-down experience closer to Lombardi's NoLita location, try Prince Street Pizza for a different style at a similar price point. Lombardi's holds an OAD Cheap Eats ranking (ranked #141 in 2023, #255 in 2024 across North America), which puts it in documented territory that most NYC alternatives cannot match on historical credibility.
Yes — Lombardi's at 32 Spring St is well-suited for groups, and the pizza-by-the-pie format makes it practical for sharing across different appetites. Larger groups should arrive early, especially on Friday and Saturday when the kitchen runs until 11:45 pm and foot traffic is highest. No reservation complexity means groups can coordinate without booking lead times.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
