Top New York Style Pizzerias in Sandy Springs

Atlanta is filled with many transplanted New Yorkers. One thing that native New Yorkers say they miss about the city is the wonderful pizza. However, with Atlanta growing so rapidly, the types of restaurants opening in, and around the city are beginning to cater to these new transplanted neighbors. Sandy Springs, a city which has recently gained its independence within Fulton County, is home to a few of these tasty NY pizza options-all of which are located on Sandy Springs’ main thoroughfare, Roswell Road.

FELLINI’S PIZZA
4429 ROSWELL ROAD/ SANDY SPRINGS – ATLANTA

Though not exactly like typical New York pizza pies, Fellini’s pizza slices are much closer to New York slices than you’ll find at national chains like Pizza Hut or Papa John’s. This particular location has a lively and comfortable interior, with a liberal outdoor seating area. On any given weekend night, passersby will observe nearly every outdoor table filled to capacity with casual diners who crave Fellini’s tasty pies.

Situated on the corner of Wieuca and Roswell Road, this Fellini’s location is centrally positioned near Atlanta’s highly-trafficked Chastain Park. Therefore it’s a popular restaurant for Pre or Post Chastain Park concert dining, as it is open until midnight on weeknights, but much later on weekends.

The pies themselves are made fresh. Diners can choose from a laundry list of toppings. However, the restaurant also serves other Italian options like calzones, and large leafy salads. Fellini’s Pizza, while very tasty is not the only lure to the restaurant. Patrons are equally drawn to the kitschy 80’s music piped in through the P.A. system, along with the cold draft beers and consistent wine selection.

RAY’S NEW YORK PIZZA
6309 ROSWELL ROAD/ SANDY SPRINGS – ATLANTA

For a more authentic New York pizzeria experience, you’ll want to try Ray’s New York Pizza, nestled into the corner of a shopping plaza farther north on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. This pizzeria is extremely casual, and is reminiscent of the bona fide pizzerias in New York City. The dÃ?©cor is accented with booths, and a counter where patrons may order and consume their meals.

The menu at Ray’s New York Pizza is also suggestive of the restaurants in the Big Apple. One can order a large neopolitan slice for little more than two dollars. The list of toppings is decadent, and includes such interesting items as Gyro meat, Yellow squash, Ricotta cheese, and even broccoli. In addition to the standard slices and pies, the menu is laden with other Italian delights. Chicken Parmesan Linguine, Fettuccini Alfredo, and Baked Ziti are menu staples amongst a host of other delicacies. A good thing about Ray’s Pizza in Sandy Springs, is that there is rarely a wait to be seated or served. Because of its “out of the way” location, visitors to Atlanta’s more obscure neighborhoods like Sandy Springs, will find hidden gems like Ray’s New York Pizza, very refreshing.

IL FORNO
5680 ROSWELL ROAD/ SANDY SPRINGS – ATLANTA

Right smack in the middle of Roswell Road in Sandy Springs is Il Forno, another New York-styled pizzeria. Though there are several locations throughout the metro Atlanta area, patrons will more than likely find this restaurant very convenient in their travels throughout the city. Positioned right near the Interstate 285-East Exit, it is quite easily missed in the melee of heavy traffic up and down the street.

However, Il Forno is a rather charming pizzeria, catering to an exceptionally casual crowd of people. This particular restaurant is very small in size. But the interior boasts everything wonderful about New York pizzerias. In addition to housing several nostalgic posters and memorabilia, even the booths and tables are redolent with the air of authentic pizzerias in the Big Apple.

Il Forno offers for the casual luncher, many different weekly specials. For instance, on Wednesdays for a limited time, a medium neopolitan pizza pie costs only $3.99. This, in addition to other weekly specials, makes the restaurant an affordable and tasty option for a quick lunch, or even a take-home dinner. The slices are ironically similar to those in NYC’s popular dives. But the menu also boasts a plethora of other items like Lasagna, Chicken Parmesan, and especially calzones.

It seems that New York styled pizzerias are creeping up everywhere. While many native New Yorkers claim that this kind of pie can only be obtained in the city where it was “born,” Southerners and Northerners alike frequent many of these restaurants on a weekly basis. Sandy Springs is a buzzing, yet small new city in Atlanta’s Fulton County. But based on its increasing number of ethnic dining choices, it is fast becoming a choice locale for casual dining.