Scarr's Pizza

Verdict: One of New York's most-talked-about slice spots, and the OAD rankings back it up

Scarr's Pizza has appeared on Opinionated About Dining's Cheap Eats in North America list three years running, moving from #34 in 2025 to as high as #20 in 2023. With a Google rating of 4.4 across more than 4,000 reviews, this is not a case of hype outrunning quality. If you have been once and liked it, going back is an easy call. The question is less whether to go and more when to go and what to order next.

The Space

Scarr's sits at 35 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side, occupying a compact room that feels like a deliberate callback to the neighbourhood's older, less self-conscious version of itself. The counter setup and close seating mean this is not a place for long, leisurely meals. You are here to eat pizza, and the room is built around that. Weekend afternoons fill quickly, so arriving early or off-peak on a weekday gives you more breathing room. If you want to sit, aim for the first hour after noon on a weekday; weekends are a different calculation.

Weekend and Daytime Service

Scarr's opens at noon every day, which makes it one of the more accessible serious pizza options in the city for a late-morning-into-afternoon visit. The daytime window, particularly Saturday and Sunday, draws a crowd that mixes neighbourhood regulars with visitors who have done their homework. Friday and Saturday the kitchen runs until 1 AM, giving it a dual identity as both a lunch destination and a late-night option. For a proper sit-down weekend visit, noon to 2 PM is the window to aim for before the room reaches capacity.

What to Try Next

If you have already done a basic slice visit, consider working through the menu more deliberately. Scarr Pimentel has built a reputation around milled flour and a particular attention to the foundation of the pizza itself, so the crust is the thing to pay attention to across different offerings. Going as a pair lets you sample a wider range of slices without committing to a full pie. Groups of four or more should go full pie to cover more ground. The house-milled approach is the detail that separates Scarr's from most competitors in the city's crowded pizza field.

Booking and Logistics

Scarr's does not require advance reservations in the way a tasting-menu restaurant would. Walk-in is the standard format, but weekend afternoons at a spot with three consecutive OAD Cheap Eats rankings mean you should factor in a wait. Arriving at opening on a weekday sidesteps most of the friction. There is no dress code consideration worth mentioning; the room and the format are entirely casual. The Lower East Side location puts it within reach of several other destinations worth combining into a neighbourhood visit. For a full picture of what else is worth your time in the city, see our full New York City restaurants guide.

How It Compares to Other NYC Pizzerias

Within the New York pizza field, Scarr's sits in a specific tier: serious craft, affordable price, no-reservation format. Leading Pizza in Williamsburg operates on a similar register, with strong local credentials and a walk-in format, but Scarr's OAD recognition gives it a clearer national profile. Angelo's Coal Oven Pizza offers a different style rooted in coal-fired tradition, which suits diners who prioritise char and a more classic New York template. Don Antonio skews Neapolitan and is a better pick if that style is what you are after. Artichoke Basille's and Denino's Pizzeria and Tavern are worth knowing for different occasions: Artichoke for its distinctive, richer slice style, Denino's for a sit-down tavern experience with more space. If you are comparing Scarr's to pizza outside New York, Ken's Artisan Pizza in Portland and 800 Degrees in Los Angeles offer useful reference points for what craft pizza looks like in other markets, but neither carries Scarr's streak of OAD placements.

Pearl Picks Nearby

If you are building a full day around the Lower East Side and want to extend the visit, our New York City bars guide covers the neighbourhood well. For hotels in the city, our New York City hotels guide gives you a decision-oriented overview. If experiences and itinerary planning are useful, our New York City experiences guide is worth checking before you visit.