The Evolution of New York Pizza: From Neapolitan Immigrants to Iconic Slice Joints

This article breaks down the history of how the classic NY slice came to be. It began with Italian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They brought over their Neapolitan-style pizzas, which were much smaller and had a different dough. But this was not sustainable with the ingredients available here in the city at the time, and further, the demand for a cheaper, quicker “slice” began. Lombardi’s, in Little Italy, began this trend and used a coal oven for its pizzas. The result was a thinner, crispier slice. Later, the invention of gas ovens furthered this trend, and here began the crispy, foldable slice we now associate with NY pizza. The affordability and portability of this slice, meant to be eaten by hand while commuting rather than with a fork like Neapolitan pizza, were revolutionary and appealed to busy NYers.

Question: What other forces (cultural, economic, and political) played a role in other classic New York foods, for example, the bacon egg and cheese or pastrami sandwiches?