Locals Say This Queens Pizza Spot Puts Manhattan's Slices To Shame

The reputation of pizza joints can be a contentious topic for New Yorkers, with every borough boasting some of the best pizzerias, and residents staunchly laying claim to their favorite businesses. Among the rankings of the best restaurants in the U.S. for wood-fired pizzas rests Milkflower. This Astoria-based haunt consistently serves quality pies, and customers gush about their experiences online. Brothers Peter and Danny Aggelatos opened the place, and their time spent in the restaurant world clearly paid off. "Amazing pizza, amazing service and great ambiance," wrote a customer on Yelp.

Not only is Milkflower reliable in terms of food and service, but the charming atmosphere also offers the buzzy vibe that will have visitors ordering second rounds from the curated beer list. Before the pizza arrives, starters include mixed olives and almonds served with sourdough, confit tomato, burrata, basil, and olive oil, and a fruit-nut-bread plated with ricotta, fig, and honeycomb. 

For those who love the smoky effect of flame-licked dishes, a selection of wood-fired vegetables can be brought to the table. Salad options include the restaurant's take on a Caesar made with Swiss chard, a salad option made with cara cara oranges and radicchio, or a salad with arugula and fried shallots. Smaller plates provide lighter bites of wood-roasted octopus, meatballs, tiger prawns, or crab cakes, while pasta dishes made with bucatini pasta and pork ragu will make sure no diner leaves hungry. With so many choices it can be tough to save room for the star — slices of wood-fired pies.

Milkflower's pizzas are uniquely named, setting the stage for what is to come. "I tried the Jimmy Snuka pizza which has jalapeño, tomato, mozzarella, and pineapple. It was delicious," described a customer on Yelp. Pizzas can be customized with added ingredients like mushroom, anchovy, egg, sausage, speck, or spicy soppressata, but when a recipe comes highly recommended you may not want to change it. The compliments keep piling up, with particular love shown for the dough itself. Customers say that it's the perfect blend of soft and chewy. One pie, The Stun Dunn, made with caramelized onion, gruyere, scallion, red onion, and mozzarella, consistently receives rave reviews.

To finish meals, a lineup of sweet treats tempt palates. Date cakes served with ginger gelato and bourbon glaze, panna cotta topped with sour cherry preserves and candied pistachios, and tiramisu are tough options to decline. "For dessert we had the basque cheesecake, chocolate budino and chocolate gelato. The Basque cheesecake was FANTASTIC," gushed a Yelper. 

If you live nowhere near Queens, get inspired to make your own pies imitating some Milkflower pizzas — like the Marky Marc (tomato, fontina, speck, green olives, and Fresno chili), Van Dammer (Brussels sprouts, egg, and truffle oil), Chardie Sheen (Swiss chard, speck, shiitake, and young pecorino), or the Wu-tang Clam (cherrystone clams, Fresno chili, and parsley). In the meantime, you can practice in the mirror how to order pizza in NYC without looking like a tourist.